Urban Living
Paris to make the Seine River swimmable for the Olympics
Paris’ plan to make its iconic Seine River swimmable for the 2024 Summer Olympics could help other cities clean up their own waterways.
The shift to remote work is helping solve the housing shortage
Converting empty office buildings into apartment units through “adaptive reuse” is helping address the housing shortage.
Free WiFi in apartment buildings helps close the digital divide
The EducationSuperHighway nonprofit plans to narrow the digital divide in America by deploying free WiFi networks in apartment buildings.
Foldable electric cars join emergency response fleet in Israel
Emergency medical service organization United Hatzalah is adding foldable electric cars to its fleet to speed up its response times
Startup is turning abandoned houses into affordable homes
The startup nonprofit Parity is renovating abandoned houses in Baltimore and then selling them to locals at affordable prices.
“Agrihood” puts a farm in the center of Silicon Valley housing
An “agrihood” under construction in Santa Clara, CA, will give low-income residents access to cheap produce grown onsite.
Cyclists’ stress levels could improve road safety
To improve road safety, a new study suggests we measure cyclists’ stress levels as they navigate city streets to identify dangerous areas.
Is it time for America to bring back the boarding house?
A revival of the boarding house — popular in the 1800s, banned by modern zoning — could help solve America’s affordable housing woes.
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Hard Reset
Do buildings have to be permanent?
Modular construction involves transporting prefabricated buildings and connecting them on-site. It’s like LEGOs on steroids, and it could transform our cities.
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Just Might Work
The case for drinking treated wastewater. (Yes, from the toilet.)
Concern over droughts and water pollution have ignited a unique solution for preserving one of our most vital resources — advanced wastewater treatment for human consumption, also known as direct potable reuse.