Green Roofs in Big Cities Bring Relief From Above

Micro-hydro projects in the United States have become much more accessible and more financially viable since Congress passed a law in 2013 making it easier for small hydroelectric projects to get federal approval. Specifically, water treatment plants that can retrofit their systems to generate electricity are an excellent energy opportunity. The plant in Grand Lake now produces more electricity than it consumes.

Harnessing body heat provides energy-saving heating to commercial and residential buildings. The Stockholm Central station in Sweden and the Mall of America in Minnesota both capture body warmth to provide some of the buildings' heat. Each has over 100,000 daily visitors during non-coronavirus times, generating substantial heat that can be captured by energy-efficient construction. Body heat is also utilized in residential spaces, where thermal insulation helps keep the warmth inside. Using body heat requires energy-efficient building materials and generally cannot provide all of a building's heating needs.

Biochar is a form of charcoal that is proving to be quite useful in terms of renewable energy and combatting the climate crisis. From trapping carbon and methane emissions to playing a role in heating homes and feeding cows, some estimates are already showing that biochar has the potential to "offset 1bn tonnes of carbon a year."

Faced with poor air quality, the city of Oslo instituted a set of policy measures that have resulted in a dramatic improvement. Many of these policies center around transportation including incentivizing the production and purchase of electric cars, reducing the number of cars in the city, and creating car-free zones.

A collaborative effort among the United Nations' District Energy in Cities Initiative, the Malaysian government, and private partners has facilitated planning in Malaysia's rapidly developing southern state of Johor for a "District Energy System": a single heating and cooling network which decreases energy consumption by converting waste heat from large power stations. Because of this intervention, Iskandar is projected to decrease its energy use by almost 40% -- all while saving money on energy costs, recycling heat energy, and contributing to the nation's goals under the international Paris Accord.

Air pollution is a huge problem for China, but surprisingly, the Air Quality Index in several cities is improving because of a variety of experimental projects that are being rolled out and a number of clever pollution solutions from around the country.

Rotterdam, a port city once at the center of trade and commerce, is now threatened by climate change. The city has responded to this threat by totally transforming itself into a hub for sustainable design. It embraces crazy, environmentally friendly solutions. From a floating dairy farm to a home enclosed in a greenhouse to basketball courts that soak up rainwater, Rotterdam has established itself as a leader in sustainable urban design. By 2025, the city plans to be completely climate-proof.

Twenty-first century cities face the factors of climate change with intensity as urban heating threatens human and the earth’s health. The University of Notre Dame has conducted research on green and cool roofing projects in the city of Chicago. They have found that green and cool roofs help mitigate the heat in cities; however, these roofs should be installed with other strategies like ponds and trees.

SteamHouse’s community boiler system supplies steam energy to about 45 companies in Surat’s industrial area, offering more affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly ways to power factories.

In February, municipal authorities in Paris began installing sound radar devices in the city as part of a slew of measures taken since 2015 to address noise pollution, an issue which is being considered more seriously as a public health risk. Holistic measures like installing sound-barriers, low-noise asphalt, vehicle-restrictions, and housing regulations have already reduced the average noise level by two decibels and brought down the number of people living in noisy environments.