A fresh approach to urban mapping is making it easier to see how walkable your neighborhood really is. In February 2023, geographer Nat Henry introduced an interactive travel-time map that visualizes the proximity of essential destinations using color coding. Initially focused on Seattle, the map quickly went viral and gained
Don’t throw stones at this glass house. Researchers have now developed a new method to 3D print recycled glass into durable, reusable building bricks, potentially reducing buildings’ embodied carbon. Urban Tech: The engineers presented three brick manufacturing methods: fully hollow without interlocking, print-cast, and fully printed with interlocking components in
Electric school buses are rolling out across the U.S., replacing their diesel counterparts, which have long been linked to harmful emissions and health issues in children. Driven by federal initiatives, including the $5 billion EPA Clean School Bus Program, school districts are already reaping the benefits in student health and
A staggering 1 in 4 low-income U.S. households spends over 15% of their income on energy bills, according to a new report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The typical energy burden surpasses the recommended 6% threshold, with families in cities like Boston, Baltimore, and D.C. facing
Louisville, once known for having the fastest-growing urban heat island in the U.S., is flipping the script with a massive investment in urban greenery. In 2023, the city scored a $12.6 million federal grant, part of the $1.5 billion Inflation Reduction Act’s urban forestry initiative, to plant trees in underserved
The heat is rising in California’s inland cities, and so are the risks. In regions like the Antelope Valley, Apple Valley, and the sprawling Inland Empire—a region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California—population growth is surging as residents flee expensive coastal cities for affordable housing. These regions are
Madrid is banning rental e-scooters after city officials announced that the operators, Lime, Dott, and Tier, failed to meet parking and data-sharing requirements outlined in their contracts. The city council will revoke the operators’ licenses starting in October, with no plans to issue new ones. “The market was found to
If you’ve flown recently, you may have noticed that showing your ID isn’t necessarily mandatory anymore. Denver International Airport is the latest airport to implement complete biometric facial recognition technology. They’ve just recently added it at 15 departure gates to speed up the boarding process for international flights. Mobility Tech: