Tesla to build the world’s largest virtual power plant

With its decision to install the world’s largest virtual power plant, South Australia is shooting two birds in just a bullet: mitigate greenhouse gas emission and reduce power prices. The South Australian government signed a deal with Tesla to build what it tags as the world’s largest virtual power plant. State premier Jay Weatherill said in …

Will future cities be built using 3D printed construction tech?

We live in an incredibly and progressively changing world. The built environment is certainly not an exception. With the rapid progress in technology, it is no longer a surprise that homes can just come out of a computer, printed and downloaded. And presto! The house you have been dreaming for all your life is just …

INTERVIEW | Prof. Albert-László Barabási on networks, global inequality and artificial intelligence

UrbanizeHub had the opportunity to meet Prof. Albert-László Barabási, a distinguished professor from the Northeastern University, Central European University and Harvard University. He introduced in 1999 the concept of scale-free networks and proposed the Barabási–Albert model to explain their widespread emergence in natural, technological and social systems, from the cellular telephone to the World Wide Web or online communities.  Author of …

These glowing plants could light up city streets in the future

Imagine that instead of streetlamps during the night, you see glowing trees along the busiest promenade in your city. This imagineering of what the future looks like using technology seems like a scene in sci-fi movie but it is actually getting close to reality. Plant lamps instead of desk lamps, treelights instead of streetlights; and …

These huge US cities have economies larger than most countries

Leading the world’s trillion-dollar club economies, the US still has what it takes to be the world’s epicenter of the global economy. Americans are known for their “adventurous spirit, which distinguishes the commercial character of America,” as Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the American nation, described it. Perhaps this would account for …

15 Mobility and tech firms pledge to create livable cities

If cities are the engines of economic growth, an efficient transport system is the oil that prevents these engines from seizing up. With that said, one of the features that should define the future of our cities is a sustainable transport. Urban transport is undeniably an indispensable component of city life that should be taken …

Singapore, Barcelona, London notch the top global smart cities list

Which cities in the world today are widely regarded as the best smart cities? What accounts for their success? In a report published by Philips Lighting and Smart CitiesWorld, Singapore, London and Barcelona were named the best smart cities. The reasons behind the choice: Singapore, for its forward-thinking infrastructure including its buildings, transportation and use …