Sustainable Engineering Practices For Smart City Projects

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚? 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅," says Dotan Emanuel from Google's Project Green Light team. This quote perfectly captures why this is one of my favorite projects: it seamlessly blends sustainability with efficiency, tackling something we can all agree we want less of – traffic! 🚦 Project Green Light leverages over a decade of Google Maps driving trends to create an AI model that analyzes traffic flow at intersections. It identifies opportunities to improve timing, which city engineers can then easily implement using existing infrastructure. This scalable approach requires no additional hardware or software, making it accessible to cities worldwide. A few fun facts about this work: 🟢 Reduction in stops: Project Green Light has demonstrated the potential to reduce stops at intersections by up to 30%, leading to smoother traffic flow and less frustration for drivers 🟢 Lower emissions: By minimizing unnecessary acceleration and idling, this initiative can cut greenhouse gas emissions at intersections by up to 10%, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment 🟢 Significant impact: The project is currently benefiting up to 30 million car rides per month, showcasing its potential for widespread benefits as it scales further The early results are promising, showcasing the tangible impact AI can have on sustainability. As Project Green Light expands to hundreds of cities and thousands of intersections, it has the potential to transform our urban landscapes, making them greener, more efficient, and more enjoyable for everyone. It's a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in tackling complex challenges like climate change, and a shining example of how technology can improve our everyday lives while contributing to a better future. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ewCkrR6P #sustainability #AI #Google #ProjectGreenLight #traffic #emissions #smartcities #innovation

♻️🚀 What if trash never had to travel by truck again? Imagine this… No noisy garbage trucks. No overflowing bins on sidewalks. No waste blocking narrow streets during peak traffic hours. Just a city where trash disappears underground — quietly, cleanly, and automatically. Sounds futuristic? It’s already real. And it’s called the MetroTaifun Automatic Waste Collection System. 💡 Here’s how it works: 🏙️ You throw your trash into a smart waste station. 🌬️ Powerful air pressure sucks the waste through underground pipes. 🚧 It travels below the city — straight to a central collection point. 🚚 Fewer trucks are needed, and only from one spot — not every street corner. This turns garbage collection from a daily disruption into an invisible system that just… works. 🌍 Why this matters more than ever: ✅ Reduces traffic from garbage trucks ✅ Cuts noise pollution in neighborhoods ✅ Lowers CO2 emissions ✅ Keeps public spaces cleaner ✅ Prevents rodents and mess in busy areas ✅ Saves time for sanitation workers It’s smart, clean, and designed for the future of cities. 🏗️ More than just a tech upgrade — this is a complete rethink of how cities manage waste. It’s already running in parts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The question is: which city will be next? 👇 Would your community benefit from underground waste collection like this? 👉 Follow me for more innovations shaping a smarter world. 🚀 🔁 Repost to spark conversations about clean urban tech 👥 Tag someone in smart city planning, sustainability, or waste management #SmartCities #WasteManagementInnovation #UndergroundWasteSystem #MetroTaifun #UrbanSustainability #CleanCityTech #ZeroEmissionSolutions #SmartInfrastructure #CircularEconomy #UrbanCleanTech #GreenFuture #TrashTech #CityOfTomorrow #FutureOfWaste #SustainableLiving

🏗️ What if development worked with nature instead of against it? Traditional site design often prioritizes maximizing buildable area—but at what cost? Increased runoff, flooding risks, and higher maintenance expenses are just a few of the challenges that arise. Low-Impact Development (LID) flips the script. By using nature-based solutions, LID: 🌿 Reduces runoff with permeable surfaces and green infrastructure 💧 Improves water quality by filtering pollutants before they enter waterways 🏘️ Enhances community spaces with green buffers, rain gardens, and natural drainage At Olsson, we’ve seen firsthand how LID strategies can create more resilient, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing developments. Instead of treating stormwater as a problem, we turn it into an asset that enhances the site. Some of our favorite LID techniques include: ✔️ Bioswales that slow, filter, and direct stormwater naturally ✔️ Permeable pavers that allow rain to seep into the ground instead of overwhelming storm drains ✔️ Rain gardens that provide both function and beauty, reducing runoff while adding greenery The result? Smarter, more sustainable development that benefits both people and the environment. 💡 What LID strategies have you seen successfully implemented in your projects? Let’s discuss! ⬇️ #SustainableDevelopment #GreenInfrastructure #SmartGrowth #CivilEngineering #WeAreOlsson

Delivering climate responsive and sustainable precincts is essential to shift towards climate positive solutions for future Olympic and Paralympic Games. Jacobs combines sustainability and placemaking early in the design process to establish a projects aspirations, principles and performance measures. Our tools and triple bottom line processes align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and incorporate local guidelines and policies. Our integrated placemaking and sustainability teams draw upon this approach to embed nature-based thinking and solutions that: - Respect landform and its role in shaping a site's vegetation, hydrology and cultural values, working with and enhancing the unique qualities of a site. - Design for nature as a priority, carefully mapping vegetation and maximising canopy cover and habitat retention. - Re-wild areas with native and endemic flora and fauna and promote regenerative design outcomes and systems. - Maximise capture, cleansing and reuse of water. - Utilise passive design techniques to take advantage of climatic conditions to maximise comfort while minimising energy consumption and carbon emissions. #CitiesandPlaces #Placemaking #SustainableCities #NaturePositive ------ Want to know more about designing with nature? Read @Jacobs and @Biomimicry 3.8 paper “From Sustainability to Regeneration: The power of #biomimicry to transform the built environment” ⬇ https://lnkd.in/gthXhK3n