Design
Project Green Light by Google: transforming urban traffic for a cleaner commute
Google's Maps app tapped into a rich mine of everyday traffic data, which holds the key to changing urban mobility. This information, gathered from a wide network of Android devices and in-car navigation systems, offers cities a game-changing possibility to optimize traffic signal timings. Google's Read More...
How swimmable cities could change the face of urban cooling
DECEMBER 21ST, 2023 UPDATE: This solution is a Reader’s Choice selection of 2023! Thank you for nominating the solutions that left you feeling optimistic this year. Swimming in floating pools in the Hudson and East Rivers was formerly a popular way for New Yorkers to escape the oppressive Read More...
Innovative “self-cooling” walls address rising temperatures
This year, Houstonians witnessed their city reach a searing 109 degrees in late August, tying a historic temperature record. Temperatures rose beyond 100 degrees for the duration of the previous month, underscoring the critical need for creative heat-resistance measures. The problem is keeping Read More...
What are green roofs and should you consider one? The history and benefits of green roofs
Green roofs, a millennia-old notion, have grown from ancient customs into modern marvels of sustainable construction. These living roofs, which combine plants and shelter, have a rich history that inspires architectural creativity even now. Green roofs at the roots: from ancient practices to Read More...
Innovative nanomaterial inspired by butterfly wings offers colorful cooling solution
In a society plagued by increasing temperatures and concerns about the environment, biomimicry offers a game-changing solution to keeping cool. Scientists from Shenzhen University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University were inspired by the beautiful patterns found on butterfly wings and peacock feathers Read More...
Not Impossible—A new way for deaf individuals to feel music
Over a year ago, Daniel Belquer, a musician and theater artist, was asked to join a team whose objective was to improve the live music experience for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Witnessing these concertgoers' inventive workarounds, such as feeling vibrations through balloons or Read More...
Solar-(em)powered: These streetlights illuminate a path towards climate resilience
The necessity for climate-resilient infrastructure is increasingly evident to prepare for the future. Solar-powered streetlights are one such innovation with enormous promise. These lights provide a stable and independent source of illumination by harnessing the sun's energy, even during power Read More...
Inventive solution saves swimming pools and data centers
Public swimming pools in the UK that were about to close due to rising energy costs have been given a second chance thanks to new water heating technology. New tech startup Deep Green's chief executive, Mark Bjornsgaard, has tested an innovative concept at Exmouth, Devon. He has installed a Read More...
Removable solar panels might soon be rolled out on railway tracks
Solar panels are being laid out "like carpet" across Swiss train rails as part of the country's renewable energy initiative. Swiss startup company Sun-Ways will begin installing solar panels in the western part of the country this spring, next to the Buttes train station, pending approval from Read More...
US reveals the “Blueprint”: a plan to entirely decarbonize transportation
The United States Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency have produced a much-needed Blueprint for decarbonizing the entire US transportation system. It is hoped that the policy will reduce all greenhouse gas emissions from the Read More...