transport
A UK government proposal for a new high-speed railway underestimates potential costs to the environment and to people, according to the London Assembly Environment Committee. High Speed Two, or HS2, would connect to the existing High Speed One line that runs from St. Pancras in London to the Channel Tunnel.
urban london 2014
Steve Bowyer, who is head of economic development at Opportunity Peterborough and director of the city’s Future Cities Demonstrator program, will join Urban London as a speaker on June 5. An event that looks at innovation, technologies and strategies for improving life in cities, Urban London will be held
Smart Grid
Malta’s smart-grid ambitions are taking a hit in light of an emerging scandal over what appears to be systematic tampering with smart meters. The Malta Independent today reported that a ninth employee of the Enemalta utility has been suspended on suspicions of meter tampering. The first eight employees were
energy efficiency
Homeowners in the UK are being given additional cash incentives to make energy-efficiency and carbon-reduction improvements. The cash-back programs are also being extended by three months. Homeowners now have until the end of June to submit applications for the government’s Green Deal incentives. Home improvements covered by the program
London’s “Boris bikes” are proving to be a health boon for men and older cyclists. However, the city’s bicycle hire program could deliver even better health benefits to citizens in general if cycling safety were improved. A study published in the BMJ found improvements in lifelong disability adjusted
climate
A group of more than 1,000 European cities in “energy transition” is urging the European Council to remain committed to ambitious climate and energy goals for 2030. Energy Cities sent the message based on concerns that the European Commission’s latest proposal “lacks the necessary ambition to meet Europe’
climate
Restoring London’s rivers and flood basins to their natural state would help protect 24,000 homes from risks of flooding, according to a motion passed by the London Assembly. The motion, passed on Feb. 14, urges Mayor Boris Johnson to prioritize funding for projects that restore natural waterways. “This
urban london 2014
Two new speakers — Brian Devlin and Trevor Dorling — have been added to the lineup for Urban London, scheduled for June 5 at Digital Enterprise Greenwich. Brian is executive director of land and environmental services for the Glasgow City Council. In that position, he oversees an annual revenue budget of £170
carbon footprint
Densely populated big cities have earned a reputation for being energy- and carbon-efficient places to live. Unfortunately, the sprawling suburbs that typically surround those cities pretty much cancel out those benefits. In fact, US suburbs — while accounting for less than half the country’s population — generate half of all the
energy storage
Two British companies have received more than £8 million in government funding to develop liquid-air-based technology for energy storage. Viridor Waste Management Ltd. and Highview Power Storage won the funding through a UK Department of Energy and Climate Change competition to support energy storage technology research and development. The companies
security
Cisco and the security technology company AGT International are teaming up to roll out new analytics-based products and services for cities. Rather than putting the emphasis on “smart,” the partnership’s initial offerings show a strong focus on security. The companies’ first two solutions, set to become available in mid-2014,
sustainable cities
The National League of Cities’ Sustainable Cities Institute has launched a redesigned website to offer practical information and helpful resources to city leaders. The new site is designed as a “complete sustainability toolkit” for cities. In addition to profiles of individual cities and what they are doing to improve sustainability,