Dubai is on a mission to introduce over 100 flying cars by 2026

Author | Lucía Burbano Dubai is no stranger to breaking records, especially in architecture and urban planning. Now, the city is once again making global headlines with the announcement that, as early as this year, VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) vehicles will take to its skies. These flying vehicles are at the core of the […]
The mobility pyramid: a roadmap for a future of sustainable urban transport

The Parisian Olympic Village was designed to be more sustainable than ever, but is it helping solve the Urban Heat Island effect?
Internet of forests’ technology introduced to protect rainforests in Colombia

Author | Elvira Esparza Colombia has developed an innovative Internet of Forests (IoF) program to monitor and analyze the health of its tropical rainforest. By digitally connecting forests, the initiative aims to generate sustainable economic and social benefits for rural communities. Colombia ranks second in the world for biodiversity, home to over 50,000 species of […]
How generative AI is shaping today’s cities

Author | Elvira Esparza Generative artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in the development of smart cities, offering innovative solutions across a wide range of sectors. Linker Vision, through its GenAI Observ platform, is leveraging Vision Language Models (VLMs) and Large-Scale Vision Models (LVMs) to develop cutting-edge applications. These technologies power AI-driven video analysis agents, […]
Can we combat poverty with an app?

Some cities are trying apps to mark down homeless camps and tend to their needs in a more localized fashion. But that technology can be abused.
Drone in a box: a solution for emergency response

Author | Raquel C. Pico Since their emergence a few years ago, drones have demonstrated their potential in solving various challenges and enabling the development of innovative services. Although they initially sparked interest as novel or entertaining gadgets, it quickly became evident that drones could take on critical and essential roles. Emergency services are one […]
What is permeable paving?

Author | Lucía Burbano Water resources are becoming increasingly precious and scarce, necessitating the implementation of sustainable management solutions in urban areas. Permeable paving is gaining attention for its ability to harness rainwater, enabling cities to align sustainable practices with the natural water cycle and implement the sponge city concept. To underscore the urgency of […]
Mastering mobility: public transport microincentives

Subsidies and incentives for public transportation have long been seen as an integral part of encouraging public transportation ridership. A recent study conducted in the United States found that metro areas that received more government subsidies per capita were more likely to run with more passengers on board, rather than running routes with just a few heavily subsidized riders per vehicle. This finding was important as it was an alternative to the widely held belief that subsidies only influenced ridership in very particular groups and led to inefficiencies in the system.
How Washington is testing low carbon district energy systems to improve its sustainability

Author | Lucía Burbano Heating and cooling systems in buildings in the United States make up approximately 43% of the nation’s total energy consumption. Fossil fuels used in these heating and cooling systems contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, increasing air pollution and accelerating the effects of climate change, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection […]
Clean energy: what is it and under what circumstances is it possible?

Green energy and clean energy are often confused, but they are hardly the same thing. Discover their differences and how they are meant to power a more sustainable world.