Category: Engineering

Why Removing Concrete Streets in Urban Areas May Increase Climate Resilience

Why Removing Concrete Streets in Urban Areas May Increase Climate Resilience

Why Removing Concrete Streets in Urban Areas May Increase Climate Resilience

08/24/20

“Why could removing concrete streets in an urban area enhance its climate resilience?”

Concrete is the bedrock of our cities, whether it be in our bridges, or buildings. However, when it used to cover over grasslands, its impervious nature to water can increase flood runoff as well as make it buckle under heat expansion. For this reason, some municipalities across the world are looking at replacing concrete streets with greenery to prevent these from occurring. This is Why Removing Concrete Streets in Urban Areas May Lead To Climate Resilience.

Why Building Dense Development Near the Ocean Can Improve Heat Resilience

Why Building Dense Development Near the Ocean Can Improve Heat Resilience

Why Building Dense Development Near the Ocean Can Improve Heat Resilience

08/21/20

“Why will building dense development near the ocean improve heat resilience?”

The Earth’s climate is definitely becoming hotter. And this is even more true in regions further inland, where temperatures can build up even more. Soon enough, some of these locations may become uninhabitable. To solve this, we can put more people in dense development near the ocean (but outside of sea-level rise and storm surge zones) to live in cooler more accessible weather. This is Why Building Dense Development Near the Ocean Can Improve Heat Resilience.

Designing Communities for Wildfire

Designing Communities for Wildfire

Designing Communities for Wildfire

08/19/20

“How can we design communities for wildfire?”

As the wildlife-urban interface expands due to the advent of climate change, communities are going to become more and more enveloped in wildfire-prone territory. Although many individuals advocate for a full-scale retreat of such areas, it may not be necessary. Instead, we can mold our communities specifically around wildfire resilience using practices such as housing retrofits, planting native vegetation, and implementing buffer zones. This is how we can go around Designing Communities for Wildfire.

Water Utilities

Water Utilities

Water Utilities

08/15/20

“What exactly are the utilities that provide water services?”

 

Water is essential for life. Whether it be for hydrating ourselves or for nourishing the plants that we eat. However, how exactly is water transported to our infrastructure? Well, it all has to do with Water Utilities. The same way that electricity is provided through electrical utilities, water is provided by water utilities.

Seawall Policy and Coastal Adaptation

Seawall Policy and Coastal Adaptation

Seawall Policy and Coastal Adaptation

08/14/20

“How does seawall policy affect coastal adaptation?”

 

Seawalls are used by property owners all over the world to protect their assets from sea level rise. However, these walls can also destroy the same beaches that everyone loves to visit. As a result, policies may be put in place to limit the construction of seawalls. This is how there is an interaction between Seawall Policy and Coastal Adaptation.

Climate Migration From Extreme Humidity

Climate Migration From Extreme Humidity

Climate Migration From Extreme Humidity

08/13/20

“How can extreme heat induce climate migration?”

 

As the climate becomes warmer, extreme humidity will become more and more common. This will push areas of the world that were already warm to practical inhabitability, leading to climate migration. In the coming years, Climate Migration From Extreme Humidity will become a more and more common phenomenon.

Urban Wildfire Simulations

Urban Wildfire Simulations

Urban Wildfire Simulations

08/12/20

“How should we design simulations for urban wildfires?”

 

Most wildfire simulations are designed to compute wildfires that occur in rural forested areas. However, with the advent of climate change, these fires are overshooting and finding their way into urban areas. Since this can cause untold harm to the people who live there, Urban Wildfire Simulations will need to be developed in order to deal with these problems.