Saving energy raises many complications in New York City

Matt Flegenheimer writes a good article in the New York Times about what the impact of limiting internal and external lights in the city in order to save energy will have. Do you have any thoughts on this? New York Plan to Save Energy May Mean a Dimmer Skyline The Manhattan skyline — glimmering, … Continue reading Saving energy raises many complications in New York City →

Does this mean the end for renewable energy community projects in Britain?

There is never a dull moment in UK energy policy. Now, as explained by Adam Vaughan in the Guardian, the government regulator is accused of undermining official policy by refusing new applications for community projects. Green energy co-ops blocked by government regulator The future of community-owned green energy projects that ministers say are crucial … Continue reading Does this mean the end for renewable energy community projects in Britain? →

‘Mobility on demand’ coming to Helsinki

Adam Greenfield writes in The Guardian about the plans in Helsinki to integrate all forms of shared and public transport in a single payment network could essentially render private cars obsolete. Helsinki's ambitious plan to make car ownership pointless in 10 years The Finnish capital has announced plans to transform its existing public transport network … Continue reading ‘Mobility on demand’ coming to Helsinki →

Who would think a wartime bunker could be transformed into a green energy power plant

The German energy transition takes many interesting twists. A military bunker in Hamburg has been transformed to provide heat for 3000 homes and electricity for a thousand. Plus, it includes a visitor centre and a war memorial. The project is described by Diarmaid Williams for the Cogeneration & On-site Power Production website. Hamburg Energie … Continue reading Who would think a wartime bunker could be transformed into a green energy power plant →

Showing urban leadership – part 1

Many US cities are working very closely together to increase the energy performance of large buildings. Sarah Kollmorgen writes on Northwestern University’s Madill Reports website about the City Energy Project that includes Chicago from where she is writing from. 10 cities, one energy-efficient goal Chicago is one of 10 cities that have joined the … Continue reading Showing urban leadership – part 1 →

Why it is difficult to get cities to focus on energy efficiency

We know implementing energy efficiency strategies is complicated and we also know the benefits that can come from effective implementation. We usually review the main barriers hindering progress before embarking on new measures to ensure those chosen target the problems and achieve greater impact. Thomas Jackson, Vice President Corporate Strategy at Climatec provides an excellent … Continue reading Why it is difficult to get cities to focus on energy efficiency →

China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems

China is facing pollution challenges today similar to what Los Angeles faced during the 1980s, a problem that energy efficiency helped mitigate. In China, combining cleaner heating fuels with better-insulated buildings is one concrete measure that would support cleaner skies in northern China and beyond, Clay Stranger writes in the Christian Science Monitor. China smog: … Continue reading China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems →

A green urban network being planned in Hamburg

The German city of Hamburg is planning a green network that will cover 40% of the city area, contributing to resilience and allowing biking, swimming and nature watching in the city. Elisabeth Braw provides a good overview of the plans in the Guardian. Hamburg's answer to climate change Hamburg is planning a green network that … Continue reading A green urban network being planned in Hamburg →

Shared cycling gaining popularity globally

The Economist recently provided an excellent article on recent developments to promote bike-sharing in cities. It is particularly impressive to see the new developments coming to Copenhagen but, really, there are so many excellent examples – and even one in EiD’s neighbourhood. Bike-sharing - Sharing two wheels is becoming ever more popular In … Continue reading Shared cycling gaining popularity globally →

Measuring up residential buildings in New York

New York City has been a leader in improving the energy performance of its buildings and now it is publishing data to compare residential buildings. This article by Mireya Navarro in the New York Times explains what appears to be one of the important legacies of Mayor Bloomberg’s time in office. A Fresh Set of … Continue reading Measuring up residential buildings in New York →