I recently had a conversation with a civil engineer who specializes in highly integrated super efficient infrastructure projects. For example, the methane gas from a sewerage treatment plant can be captured and used to generate electricity. The waste heat from a power generator can be used to run a desalination plant. Purified sewer water can … Continue reading The Complexity Trap
There’s currently a lot of talk about why so many towns, counties, and states are going broke. “Teachers are getting paid way too much.” “Cops and fire fighters have extravagant pensions.” “It’s waste, fraud, and abuse.” “It’s welfare queens.” “It’s immigrants.” “It’s the Democrats.” “It’s the Republicans.” But here’s the truth. Even if you fired … Continue reading Municipal Solvency: How to Not Go Broke
I tend to explore what happens to suburbs as they age and begin to decline. But this time I’m going to explore what happens to suburbs that thrive and continue to grow and work their way up the value chain. It isn’t exactly what many people expect. “Be careful what you wish for.” A … Continue reading Growth and the Suburban Chassis
I was just out taking some photos for a blog post I’ve been toying with when I had an interaction with a member of the public that prompted me to write an entirely different story. My original intention was to describe how dead land under elevated highways can be reclaimed as quality public space instead … Continue reading Privacy in the Global Village
I have an on-going correspondence with a particular city planner who recently asked, “What pushes a neighborhood down vs. what lifts it up?” In the end I suspect this is going to be like the old joke. Ask three rabbis a question and you’ll get five answers. Perhaps I should provide a few examples of popular … Continue reading The Urban Planner’s Dilemma
This story was edited by Kirsten Dirksen of faircompanies.com One of the challenges faced by individual households and municipal governments alike in our current economic predicament is the need to become more efficient and to generate additional revenue without taking on new debt or obligations. The city of Lancaster, California recently changed its building and … Continue reading Garage Apartment Conversion, Lancaster, California
Hong Kong is touted as one of the most efficient cities in the world given it’s high population, high income, high standard of living, and relatively low levels of per capita consumption of basic resources. There’s no question that the government of Hong Kong is wealthy beyond the dreams of most municipalities since tax revenue … Continue reading Hong Kong, Efficiency in Urban Living
Granola Shotgun 