'Living wall' in Dallas to capture 1,600 pounds of CO2 annually

The wall, made up of over 40,000 plants, will have internet of things (IoT) sensors to monitor plant health and panels to distribute water and nutrients.

By Chris Teale • April 16, 2020

Experts blast EPA move on air quality following pollution link to COVID-19 deaths

"To whom does Wheeler answer when he makes life or death determinations?" one legal expert asked. "It's a moral question. It's not just a legal question."

By Catherine Morehouse • April 15, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

1.5M households to become 'extremely low-income' due to COVID-19

Cities are scrambling to address low-income housing needs and shelter homeless groups that are disproportionately vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. 

By Cailin Crowe • April 15, 2020

USCM renews call for $250B in flexible aid for cities

In a letter to Congressional leaders, the U.S. Conference of Mayors said the pandemic has "decimated city budgets" and left more than 1.5 million government workers unemployed.

By Kristin Musulin • Updated July 21, 2020

Libraries face more demand than during Great Recession: report

Despite building closures, libraries are creatively mitigating the effects of COVID-19 through efforts like virtual library cards and 3D-printed face shields.

By Cailin Crowe • April 14, 2020

There may be sewage in your city's drinking water

Far too many water sources are contaminated with sewage from faulty septic systems. But actions taken today can ensure safer water quality tomorrow.

By Chris Shaffner • April 14, 2020

A 'different world' awaits transit on the other side of coronavirus

Public transit experts led an open-ended webinar on how to recalibrate societal perceptions of transit, noting the pandemic is an opportunity for the industry to prove its true value.

By Kristin Musulin • April 13, 2020

City culture hangs in the balance as small businesses struggle to survive

Efforts to sustain small businesses amid the current economic slowdown aren't just about saving jobs. They're about protecting a city's spirit.

By Jason Plautz • April 13, 2020

Dishwashers and data laid the groundwork for Berkeley, CA's landmark waste reduction ordinance

Pre-coronavirus, many of the city's restaurants were adapting to one of the country's most aggressive ordinances around single-use plastic waste. COVID-19's impact on those plans remains to be seen. 

By Karine Vann • April 13, 2020

San Francisco tackles digital divide with Wi-Fi SuperSpots

Up to 25 SuperSpots will be installed throughout the city in high-demand places like public housing sites for the 29% of students without internet access. 

By Cailin Crowe • April 9, 2020

Federal agencies launch $9M Civic Innovation Challenge

The National Science Foundation partnered with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security for the research competition, which aims to address community-identified mobility and resiliency challenges.

By Kristin Musulin • April 9, 2020

Cities play 'matchmaker' to connect residents, services amid pandemic

During a Cities of Service webinar, experts discussed how cities like Seattle and St. Paul, MN are leveraging community organizations to better mitigate COVID-19.

By Cailin Crowe • April 8, 2020

AVs in Jacksonville, FL are shipping COVID-19 tests to the lab

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority partnered with Beep and NAVYA to transport the tests across the Mayo Clinic's campus, freeing up personnel for other important tasks. 

By Kristin Musulin • April 8, 2020

Higher air pollution linked to coronavirus deaths: study

Harvard University research is the first to make an explicit connection between air pollution and COVID-19 deaths in the United States.

By Chris Teale • April 8, 2020

Ford Mobility offers struggling transit agencies software, consulting amid COVID-19

The "Fixed to Flex" platform is being offered to transit agencies at no cost to enable a smoother adjustment to unprecedented changes across pubic transit.

By Kristin Musulin • April 7, 2020

The challenges of moving a smart city event online

The annual Shared Mobility Summit will now take place virtually in May. The event's director shared the obstacles her team faced in moving to an online format, including costs, security risks and wavering attendance.

By Cailin Crowe • April 7, 2020

Energy efficiency efforts seeing 'acute pain' on the residential side due to COVID-19

The sector employs at least 2.4 million people and those jobs are at risk given the disruptions from social distancing protocols, experts say.

By Robert Walton • April 7, 2020

Ann Arbor, MI City Council adopts $1B climate plan

Staff revised the A2Zero plan to better reflect the long-term costs of action or inaction, and to take into account how strategies may evolve as technology and climate changes.

By Chris Teale • Updated June 4, 2020

7 recommendations to tackle COVID-19 in cities: JHU

Johns Hopkins University, a leader in COVID-19 data collection and transparency, detailed a "metropolitan strategy" for cities to follow to slow the transmission of the novel coronavirus.

By Cailin Crowe • April 6, 2020

Post-coronavirus economic recovery requires EV adoption

The next federal stimulus bill should include three objectives to create a healthier economy: more access to EV charging stations, electrification incentives and support of grid-level demand.

By Christopher George & Jan Maceczek • April 6, 2020

The CARES Act won't support cleantech, but cities still can

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator CEO Matt Petersen is urging cities to align priorities around COVID-19 mitigation and climate action while the federal government sleeps on funding.

By Kristin Musulin • April 3, 2020

Former NOLA mayor: Cities are 'out of sync' in COVID-19 response

During a Wednesday webinar, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu warned of a "very dark couple of months" ahead but said cities can, and will, recover.

By Chris Teale • April 2, 2020

No wipes in the pipes: Coronavirus cleaning leads to spike in sewer clogs

The use of disinfectant wipes is spiking as residents try to protect themselves from COVID-19. The result: clogged municipal wastewater systems and costly repairs. 

By Katie Pyzyk • April 1, 2020

Libraries adapt to census needs amid COVID-19 disruptions

Coronavirus has forced U.S. libraries to scratch their original census engagement plans, but many are still deploying new, creative solutions. 

By Cailin Crowe • April 1, 2020

Cities' shortage of COVID-19 supplies reaches 'crisis proportions'

A survey from the U.S. Conference of Mayors found 92% of cities don't have enough face masks for first responders or an adequate supply of test kits.

By Cailin Crowe • March 30, 2020