Sustainable Infrastructure

What Is a Sponge City? A sponge city is an innovative urban planning concept designed to manage water sustainably by mimicking natural hydrological processes. Unlike traditional urban areas, which use impermeable surfaces and extensive drainage systems, sponge cities utilize green infrastructure and permeable surfaces to absorb, store, and gradually release rainwater. This approach reduces the risk of flooding, enhances groundwater recharge, and improves water quality. By inc

In the face of escalating climate challenges, cities around the globe are pioneering innovative strategies to turn the tide against the...

It has taken an “army of volunteers” to help Ottawa and the surrounding community combat surging waterways this Spring. At first, water levels were only predicted to equal those of the presumed once-in-100-years flood in 2017, however we have exceeded the worst seen in 2017 this year. This has prompted city officials to investigate how to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on existing and new infrastructure. “With climate change we're going to see more of these

The 21st century is experiencing the greatest migration in the history of the world. For the first time in history, the majority of the population lives in cities and this trend will continue to grow over the coming decades. By 2050, researchers, scientists, urban planners, and architects predict that ⅔ of humanity will be living in metropolitan areas . The development and successful management of cities is faced with two key challenges: 1) Meeting the infrastructure needs

"Low Impact Development” (LID) has become a key topic for engineers, planners, and architects who are faced with increasing environmental restrictions. The challenge for them is to minimize the impact we have on the ecosystem while at the same time create alluring, safe, and resilient infrastructure. But what exactly is LID and how can this help mitigate environmental consequences? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the term LID refers to practices that mimic

As Canada prepares to rollout the federal budget for 2019, mitigating the effects of climate change will no doubt have an influence on how the Liberal government chooses to allocate infrastructure spending. The Economist discusses this moral dilemma in their Dec 6th, 2018 article, "Humanity must work out how many resources should be diverted from life-enriching consumer goods to the task of limiting global warming.” Last year we have seen heavy rainfall in the US, Canada, a

The urban design of cities across the world is slowly shifting towards a greener landscape. This movement has come to counter balance mass urbanization which consequently gives rise to impervious surfaces such as asphalt and concrete. These surfaces accumulate stormwater, pollutants, and are susceptible to flooding, which result in devastating economic and environmental repercussions for our communities. Understanding the water cycle, however, gives us an opportunity to gra