Innovation posts, articles, and infographics | Sustainable Cities Collective

What lies ahead for 'driverless' cars?

May 3, 2012 by Christoper Miles
with 184 views

Yes, you read it here first, driving can save fuel. Well, not just any sort of driving- Road trains, autonomous vehicles, and all manner of driver assist options will soon make commutes somewhat more efficient, and certainly less exhausting. [read more]

Consumers Are Getting Closer to Food Traceability

April 24, 2012 by Derek Singleton
with 239 views

The topic of food safety hits the national airways every time there’s a major product recall or an unsafe practice is revealed. Recently, it’s “pink slime” that’s the hot food subject right now. Every time these stories hit the national media, I’m reminded of something: consumers don’t know enough about where their food comes from and how it’s made. [read more]

Smaller Cities: Setting the Pace for the Next Wave of Innovation and Growth

April 16, 2012 by Adam Christensen
with 332 views

It’s said that technology is “making the world smaller,” and while that may be true, the world’s cities are growing at an astonishing rate.By the year 2050, nearly 75% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas, and trends show that staggering population growth will impact cities on a global scale. The most significant of this... [read more]

Tune in on Tuesday: Energy Innovations Conference

April 13, 2012 by Planet Forward
with 52 views

Next Tuesday, the Sustainable Cities Collective will be live streaming a conference from the George Washington University that will feature innovations in energy, climate and sustainability.Top thought-leaders from government, academia and industry will participate in “GW Moving the Planet Forward,” a symposium that will find and... [read more]

5 videos that could change the way you see cities

April 12, 2012 by Kaid Benfield
with 1,049 views

I find the emergence of the short, highly accessible video - on sites such as YouTube and Vimeo - to be one of the great developments in communications and social media over the last decade. Here are some of my favorites. [read more]

How will the UK create the skills that the economy of 2020 will need?

April 12, 2012 by Rick Robinson
with 93 views

I’ve been reading Edward Glaeser’s book “The Triumph of the City” recently. One of his arguments is that the basis of sustainable city economies is the presence of clusters of small, entrepreneurial businesses that constantly co-create new commercial value from technological innovations.Alan Penn, the Dean of the Bartlett Institute for... [read more]

Why aren't some cities receiving the urban regeneration memo?

April 10, 2012 by Rashiq Fataar
with 271 views

Should Cape Town and other cities be taking a page out of Hamburgs playbook and 'think big and bold'? What do you think? [read more]

From Ingenuity to Implementation: Urban Ideas in Action

April 10, 2012 by Henry Spethmann
with 449 views

Over 180,000 people move into cities every single day. This has enormous infrastructural implications, from accommodating new hospital patients and updating sewer infrastructure to increasing energy production to serve new residents. [read more]

Moving Towards a More Sustainable Transportation Future

April 9, 2012 by Adam Christensen
with 212 views

“May you live in interesting times” can be either a blessing or a curse. Needless to say, those of us who work in the transportation sector are certainly living in interesting times, full of challenges and opportunities. [read more]

New Data Visualisation Tool Encourages Sustainable Buildings in Sydney

April 6, 2012 by This Big City
with 224 views

Australia, like pretty much every other country, is facing some pressing sustainability issues. Check out how they're using new technologies to make their buildings greener! [read more]

Mapping With Abandon

April 4, 2012 by J. Kevin Byrne
with 529 views

I teach at a design college. Last month a senior was mapping abandoned properties in Minneapolis using Google Fusion software; her purpose was to elicit some storytelling from urban residents. A couple dozen property markers popped up in her map of North Minneapolis neighborhoods; surprised by a noticeable linear pattern, she inquired of... [read more]

Beg, Borrow and Share: Leveraging Surplus Capacity in Cities

April 2, 2012 by Waverly de Bruijn Klaw
with 372 views

In an effort to create cities for the future - cities that will work for a new era of inhabitants - we can no longer employ the same prescription. A box store here, a school there, a library over there, all connected by automobile-centric roads just isn't going to cut it. These days, a growing number of people are learning to better... [read more]