Novel UK standard system to accelerate local energy planning
The United Kingdom has launched a new energy standard to make local energy planning faster and more effective, thanks to the standardization of processes and data sharing between local authorities and grid operators. This plan will benefit communities and save local councils time and money.
Climate Resilience: 4 Key Areas Cities Are Focusing On
Climate change has made extreme weather events increasingly common and more severe. Heat waves, torrential rains, and other natural disasters are forcing cities to make new design decisions. The way to address these challenges lies in climate resilience.
Apartment housing development has been on the decline in many cities – what’s next?
One of the major challenges of this decade is the housing crisis: it affects several countries as a cross cutting issue in which demand for housing is not being met. The slowdown in the construction of apartment buildings is, at first glance, one of the key reasons. The reality, however, is far more complex than a lack of housing developments.
Advantages (and the odd disadvantage) of 3D urban planning
3D printing shows great potential for planning, architecture and construction, but also has some disadvantages that should be addressed
Smart Utilities: Digital Transformation in Urban Services
Historically, public utility systems were designed for one-way supply and centralized control, leading to inefficient asset utilization. By contrast, smart utilities integrate sensors, advanced analytics, and automation to create self-monitoring and self-optimizing networks capable of real-time system oversight, predictive analysis, and dynamic two-way communication between public services and customers.
Robots, AI, and automation: the 4th industrial revolution is here
Like the first three other industrial revolutions, automation will speed up production, but it will also mean significant challenges to people
Ecological construction: how urbanism is learning from the past and the future
Could the sustainable construction of the future use the ecological construction of the past as a reference? If sustainable architecture is a prerequisite of smart cities, the use of traditional materials and techniques is also necessary.
How some developing cities are integrating smart technology to improve processes
There may be a handful of cities located in developing countries that are classified as smart cities. Although they are less prevalent than in other regions, these pioneering cities are breaking the mold by strategically deploying innovative technologies to tackle urban challenges, drawing on the experiences of other smart cities and adapting solutions to fit local conditions.
Global mobility trends: innovation and market movements driving the future of transportation
The wheel was one of the earliest human innovations, something hardly surprising when you consider all its potential applications. It first emerged in the distant past, yet no matter how increasingly complex global mobility trends become, the essence remains the same. Human beings need to move, both themselves and raw materials, and mobility trends shape their daily lives. Understanding not just today’s wheel, but tomorrow’s, is essential to grasp how things are likely to change.
Could drought force the evacuation of Tehran?
Iran is experiencing one of the worst droughts in the past 60 years, with rainfall at historically low levels and many of the main reservoirs and dams at critical levels. This situation is affecting water resources across the country, including Tehran, and has led authorities to warn of an unprecedented possibility in modern history: the need to evacuate the capital.