By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population will be living in cities. The energy required to heat, cool, and electrify the world's cities makes the Buildings and Cities sector central to climate change. Project Drawdown identifies a wide array of strategies--efficient heating, cooling, infrastructure, and advanced materials--that could achieve in excess of 50 gigatons of CO2 emissions reduction.
This collection features stories (see below) that display a wide range of responses to the challenge of building efficient and sustainable buildings and cities. In Columbia and Singapore, recycled building materials and vertical urban gardens mark the cutting edge of large scale sustainable urban solutions; Detroit, Michigan has switched its street lamps to LED bulbs, the city of Vancouver, B.C. has strategically transitioned into a more bike friendly town by separating bike lanes from cars, resulting in a 60% increase in bicycle commuting. Across the United States and Europe, city planners have realized that the same barriers necessary to keep pedestrians safe can also encourage foot traffic. Solutions in this sector are included in the Drawdown Ecochallenge actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/as-seattle-struggles-with-bike-lanes-vancouver-b-c-has-won-the-battle
David Gutman
The Seattle Times
23 April 2018
Text / 800-1500 Words
As Seattle tries to implement bike lanes effectively, it can look to Vancouver as a success story. Vancouver’s bike lanes are physically separated from roads, making riders safer and increasing the number of people who commute by bike by 60% since 2013. After several tests and then responding to both positive and negative public feedback, Vancouver has miles of bike lanes connecting many parts of the city.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/earthrise/2017/05/building-cities-170530045413282.html
Russell Beard
Juliana Schatz
Al Jazeera
5 March 2017
Broadcast TV News / Over 15 Minutes
By 2050 the percentage of the world's population living in cities will increase to two-thirds with significant environmental strains. In Colombia, a company called Conceptos Plasticos collects recyclable plastic material, melts it down and moulds it into bricks used to build houses for the local community. Singapore too, is on the cutting edge of environmentally sustainable urban solutions including vertical farms and living buildings.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/06/investing-in-energy-efficiency-pays-off
David Bornstein
The New York Times
6 February 2015
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Retrofitting buildings for energy conservation in the United States could save $1 trillion over a decade, reduce American greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent, and create employment across the country. Many universities and other institutions are creating green investment funds to sustain projects that enhance efficiency.
http://midwestenergynews.com/2014/07/10/led-street-lighting-kindles-interest-in-michigan
Kat Friedrich
Midwest Energy News
10 July 2014
Text / 800-1500 Words
As the traditional sodium vapor lamps used for decades in street lights begin to burn out and need replacement, many municipalities, like Detroit, are turning to LED lighting - thanks to rebates and conscientious consumer demand. Though they sometimes have higher up-front costs, LEDs have multiple benefits including long-term cost savings (as they require less maintenance), increased energy efficiency, better lighting that can help decrease crime, and less light pollution and glare.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/why-your-favorite-bench-might-be-there-to-thwart-a-terrorist-attack/2018/08/27/28a863fc-9b49-11e8-b60b-1c897f17e185_story.html?noredirect=on
Katherine Shaver
The Washington Post
27 August 2018
Text / 800-1500 Words
How do you make a public space inviting so people will gather, but also safe from the growing danger of attackers using vehicles to ram large numbers of people? Many cities have responded to such attacks with concrete bollards and other barriers. But designers and architects are increasingly innovating other options that protect people via planters, fountains, trees, bike racks, steps and traffic calming designs to stop or slow down vehicles.
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