Thessaloniki gets ready for its metro launch in November
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
The flying machines will help pinpoint polluted districts much more accurately
Last week, authorities in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia announced a new pilot project to monitor air quality with drones. The drones will fly over specific areas, pinpointing places with excess pollution, especially such caused by fine dust particles.
This would, in turn, help local authorities tailor projects to those areas. These could include, for example, traffic calming, green walls and the like. The city has partnered with Sofia University to do the project's flying, ecological monitoring and analysis.
The drones will start by examining nine locations in the city, which have been identified as having more pollution and slowly move on to others. The machines themselves are equipped with sensors for registering basic air quality indicators, combined with precise photogrammetric and thermal cameras.
Additionally, according to Steliyan Dimitrov, assistant professor at Sofia University, this would help analyse smaller areas and really pinpoint pollution. Moreover, it can give researchers clues on how the city’s geography and urban landscape interact with the atmosphere in the winter season.
Sofia has a unique geography in terms of air pollution. For one, it is situated in a valley with no easy way for air to escape, trapping pollutants near the city. Additionally, the valley is used for agriculture, which further increases the concentration of fine dust particles in the air.
These and other factors have contributed to making the Bulgarian capital one of the most polluted among its European peers and even provoked a successful lawsuit from a citizen-led organisation for damages due to low air quality.
One example of the new ideas City Hall is trying out to improve the air quality includes planting a new forest of up to 33 acres (86,000 trees) right on the edge of the urbanised areas. Another measure includes a municipal programme to change out people’s coal and wood heating stoves and fireplaces for more emissions-light pellet options.
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass
Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape
The examples, compiled by Beyond Fossil Fuels, can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU, national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality.
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region
Despite its church-y name, the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital