The Future Cities We Dream Of

Cities around the world are constantly evolving and adopting new technologies and ideas to improve infrastructure, sustainability, quality of life for residents, and more. As urban populations grow and pressures mount, city planners and governments are looking ahead to find innovative solutions to current and future problems. Several emerging concepts have the potential to truly transform modern cities in the coming years and decades.

Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

One major priority for cities moving forward is building infrastructure and systems that are environmentally sustainable and resilient against disasters and climate impacts. Some emerging ideas in this arena include:

Renewable Microgrids

Local renewable energy microgrids powered by solar, wind, geothermal, or hydropower could help cities reduce reliance on fossil fuels and provide resilient power even if the main electrical grid goes down during emergencies. Projects in Hoboken, NJ and San Diego, CA are testing out community-level microgrids. Widespread adoption could enable cities to be powered predominantly by clean energy.

Permeable and Cool Pavements

Traditional concrete and asphalt absorb heat and shed rainwater, exacerbating the…