Searching for shelter: Homelessness by the numbers

From funding levels to the number of people with cell phones, a look at some of the striking data about homelessness in the U.S.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 1, 2018

DC is home to the most green roofs in North America

The city has installed nearly double the green roof square footage as the next in line, according to the industry association Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 30, 2018

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

Amsterdam tops ranking of healthiest cities

The index analyzed 89 cities' incorporated data from 10 categories including air and water quality, green spaces and EV charging points.

By Jason Plautz • July 30, 2018

Marketplace.city joins 100 Resilient Cities partner network

The partnership would give 100RC members access to the website’s digital platform, which evaluates and validates new technology for smart cities.

By Jason Plautz • July 27, 2018

Houston runs 3-day cyberattack stress test

The Jack Voltaic 2.0 Cyber Research Project will simulate a concurrent cyberattack and a natural disaster, testing how the incidents affect responses, collaboration and communications.

By Jason Plautz • July 26, 2018

San Francisco mayor, advocates propose 2 measures to curb homelessness

Mayor London Breed pledged a one-time funding boost of $1 million, while advocates secured a ballot measure to tax businesses.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 26, 2018

Study: Warmer temperatures linked to higher suicide rates

Researchers found that suicide rates rise 0.7% in U.S. communities and 2.1% in Mexican communities for a 1-degree Celsius bump in average monthly temperature.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 25, 2018

Honolulu mayor orders preparations for sea level rise

Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed a directive calling for city agencies to treat climate change as an "urgent matter" and to develop new ways to mitigate it.

By Jason Plautz • July 23, 2018

Study quantifies battery-electric bus environmental benefits

The study found that when averaging results from across the country, electric battery buses are 2.5 times cleaner in terms of lifecycle emissions than diesel buses.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 20, 2018

Toronto issues first green bond, joins food waste initiative

The two announcements fit into the city's ambitious sustainability goals to reduce GHG emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

By Jason Plautz • July 20, 2018

Rubicon's smart waste tech is now available on AWS marketplace

This update speeds up the procurement process, giving city governments the ability to purchase the technology "with one click" by way of their existing AWS contracts.

By Kristin Musulin • July 18, 2018

Pew: Of largest US cities, Philadelphia has highest rate of disabled residents

The analysis shows a correlation between residents' rate of disabilities and living in poverty, which can lead to increases in cities' costs toward providing assistive programs.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 18, 2018

Boston consultants identify 19 initiatives to make it a 'zero waste' city

Organics collection, a SMART residential fee system, new commercial separation mandates and potential city-owned facilities are among the list of draft options being considered ahead of a fall plan.

By Cole Rosengren • July 18, 2018

Report details 'bottom-up' climate strategies for cities, states

The America’s Pledge report covers 10 opportunities for climate action, including expanding renewable energy and accelerating retirement of coal power.

By Jason Plautz • July 18, 2018

NYC submits voluntary sustainability report to UN

This is the first time a city has submitted such a report, a task that previously had only been done by entire nations in their Voluntary National Reviews.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 16, 2018

DC considering 100% renewable by 2032, but no carbon tax

A new measure could require 100% renewable energy, but some advocates are disappointed that the bill did not require a carbon tax.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2018

Bill Gates' proposed smart city could also be a water-constrained one

The plan for Belmont's construction should include an acknowledgement of and robust planning for Arizona's long-term water crisis.

By Gillan Taddune • July 13, 2018

Nation's first electric double-decker buses arriving in Los Angeles

The Foothill Transit agency will add two buses next year for its downtown commuter line as part of an initiative to be fully electric by 2030.

By Chris Teale • July 12, 2018

5 cities finalize strategies to address inequity and inequality

Recent studies have cautioned of growing equity and equality disparities in communities throughout the U.S. and how that could have a destabilizing effect on cities.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 11, 2018

Denver partners with NRDC for new food waste plan

The city aims to significantly reduce residential food waste by 2030 through upstream reduction and expanded access to organics recycling.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 5, 2018

5 of the world's most eco-friendly building materials

A number of hidden factors, including the transportation involved and how they hold up in certain climates, contribute to materials' eco-friendliness. 

By Katie Pyzyk • July 2, 2018

Sierra Club: East Coast residents support modernizing regional transportation

The Transportation Modernization Survey shows the vast majority of people are concerned about pollution and support a plan to reduce it.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 2, 2018

'Beyond 34' report outlines ways to boost national recycling rate

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation initiative worked with Orlando as a test case, which has led to recommendations for other municipalities.

By Katie Pyzyk • June 26, 2018

REI deepens investment to 'rewild' 5 American cities

Since 2015, the outdoor retailer has donated $1.6 million to expand and develop water paddling, hiking and cycling in nature near urban areas.

By Daphne Howland , Chris Teale • June 26, 2018

Study: Sea level rise threatens 2.4M US homes

UCS found the hardest hit communities will be in Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey and North Carolina. But they didn't simply offer a doom and gloom report without hope for reversing the negative findings. 

By Katie Pyzyk • June 22, 2018