2010 January | InnovCity

Archive for January 2010

Vancouver modifies with the flow its rules related to urban planning

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.31.10

The « EcoDensity » concept of Vancouver, winner of “2009 Award of Excellence in Urbanism” awarded by the Canadian Institute of Urban Planners, has entered its phase of implementation. Gradually, subject by subject, area by area, the city modifies its regulations on urban planning according to a pre-established program that is known from everyone. This is a good example of practical application of major theories regarding green cities.

Beijing wants 50 000 “vélibs”

Transportation | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.28.10

A few days ago, Peking authorities announced through the press their willingness to backtrack on the place of cars in their city. The forecasted goal for 2015 is unthinkable for a European: 45% travel by public transportation, 22% by car and 8% by taxi. The proportion of trips by bike, now below 20%, should reach [...]

Five US criteria to grade bike-friendly cities

Transportation | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.28.10

“Virgin Vacation”, the travel subsidiary of the eponymous group, has recently published its list of awards regarding cities in which that’s good to ride. This non-exhaustive list is probably influenced by commercial considerations but still based on objective criteria. A way to help local decision makers to think about points to work in order to develop cycle attractiveness of their territory.

Your mobile phone takes part in the noise mapping of your city

Environment | No comments

by Stephan Julienne | 01.28.10

Fighting against noise pollution with your mobile phone. It’s exactly the purpose of the Noisetube program implemented by the research laboratories of Sony in Paris. Even as a personal object, your mobile can also work for the good of the community by mapping the noise in your city.

HEQ: dead or alive?

Urbanism | No comments

by Ivan Fouquet | 01.27.10

Things are not that easy for the three letters, that were previously acclaimed by our politicians, green associations, engineers, architects, clients … The HEQ®, High Environmental Quality, which vouches for building ecological virtues is hounded by a fatwa issued not only by anti-ecologists (what remains), but also by the most convinced manufacturers, pioneers of the environmental cause in building.

RecycleBank rewards sorting with voucher coupons

Environment | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.27.10

Some French “communautés de communes” already practice incentive charging depending on weight. Their citizens pay the removal of their non-recyclable household waste according to their mass. In the United States, RecycleBank, a private company, provides the exact opposite solution. It weighs recyclable waste and pays people with vouchers or discount coupons. And the formula works! The sorting rate has jumped by several tens of percent in a few months.

Private apartments grouped together for the severely disabled

Social | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.26.10

In France, the estimated number of severely disabled people or aged and infirmed people reaches 5,000, whether disabled at birth or after an accident. The vast majority of them live with their family, and usually ends in a specialized institute or a retirement home. Yet, many of these disabled people dream of living in their own place. Domiciles Ti’Hameau makes it possible with grouped and suitable private appartments, whose occupants share their aids.

Louis Dorange

Innovator

Founder | Serenys

Automatic defibrillators in every buildings

Social | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.25.10

In France, more than 50,000 persons are the victims of cardiac arrests each year. The survival rate is only 4%. However, it is around 40% in the United States. Why this abyssal gap? First, because American people install defibrillators in public resorts for years, but also because the majority of them are trained in first aid, against 2% of our citizens.

Cleaning of historic buildings: a case of specialists

Culture | No comments

by Olivier Barrellier | 01.25.10

The conservation of our architectural heritage should require a regular maintenance of buildings. But most often, our old buildings are only allowed a thorough clean … every ten years. Augias, a franchise network specialized in cleaning, want to remedy and offer innovative services of cleaning and maintenance specific to historical buildings.

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China may be coveting the German system of suspended monorail

Transportation | Abair Heart | Il y a 49 jours et 23 heures

The Babayagas’ house, an alternative to old people’s homes and home care

Social | Janet Bardon | Il y a 65 jours et 2 heures

The Babayagas’ house, an alternative to old people’s homes and home care

Social | Michael Hawley | Il y a 68 jours et 0 heures

China may be coveting the German system of suspended monorail

Transportation | Ted Langs Sr. | Il y a 121 jours et 5 heures

Navigating the past and present with one’s body as the only tool

Education | John | Il y a 217 jours et 7 heures

Smart street furniture in Paris: the winners of the call for projects are finally unveiled

Urbanism | 1 comment

A poetic exhibition looks at the city’s place in comic strips

Culture | No comments

Cultural short breaks on board a 2CV soon in your city?

Tourism | 2 comments

Feedback

For sure if we aim to change our habits, urban areas have to be equipped in such a way the citizen don't feel like constrained in their everyday life.

John F. sur Electric car charging stations: DBT aims 25% of the French market | 1 comment

Web TV

15.07.11 | Urban Music Game’s enhanced ball

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Expert talk

Robert Spizzichino | Partenaires Développement

Greater Geneva: an economic and social project at the heart of innovation

Urbanism | 12.16.11

The Greater Geneva project represents an economic and social challenge for that area spanning France and Switzerland. The aim is to set in motion again a process that will stimulate job creation in the French part and strengthen residential services in the Swiss part. Innovative activities should find their place in that territory.

Jean Haëntjens | Urbatopie

Innovation lies also in the strategy

Social | 09.08.11

Is the proliferation of urban innovations counter-productive? While some cities are experimenting with abandon and with no real apparent logic, others have adopted a long-term strategy to combine innovations to serve a smarter, more sustainable city. Jean Haëntjens returns to this forum to talk about how important it is for cities to approach innovation with consistency and control.

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Zoom in

London’s transport system is transformed into a massive playground

And what happens when a public transport network becomes the scene of gigantic team games? Inspired by the principle of Fun Theory, which suggests that environmentally responsible behavior can be encouraged through attractive infrastructure, Chromaroma invites London Underground users to participate in an eco-citizen turf war.

Blogs review

Pop-Up City , the blog of Jeroen Beekmans

Rotterdam’s Crowd-Funded Pedestrian Bridge

Urbanism | 01.05.12

The International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) and Rotterdam-based architecture firm ZUS have launched the project I Make Rotterdam, a spectacular temporary pedestrian bridge between the city’s Central and the North districts that will be financed through crowd-funding.

Quinte & Sens , the blog of Olivier Genevois

In Caracas, mimes ease traffic tension

Education | 11.07.11

Venezuela’s capital Caracas plans to manage its traffic flow in an unusual fashion. In addition to traffic police, 120 mimes dressed up as clowns were sent into the city’s streets. Their role? Curb the risky behavior of pedestrians and drivers, not by force or repression, but through silence.

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Agenda Innov'in The City

May 9 to 11
Energy Cities annual meeting, Guimarães, Portugal.

May 12
International Workshop on Open Data, Nantes, France.

May 12
Stockholm Summit on Service Innovation in Cities, Stockholm, Suède.

Innovative city zoom

Toulouse has tackled issues ranging from urban lighting to public cleanliness with experimental innovation often on a shoestring budget, but the results continue to inspire many other cities in France and worldwide. A portrait of a city embracing urban innovation, helped along by the enthusiastic investigator Alexander Marciel, follows.

InnovCity