Modular units will house people experiencing homelessness in São Paulo. The project, named Vila Reencontro, was launched in the Bom Retiro neighborhood—though the proposed site is currently being analyzed for potential soil contamination—and is now expanding to Ladeira da Memória Street, near the Anhangabaú Metro station in the city center.

Led by SMADS (Municipal Secretariat of Assistance and Social Development), the initiative provides temporary housing made from shipping containers, functioning as modular metal homes.

+ 2

A floating solar farm capable of tracking the sun's rays is being tested in the Netherlands. The prototype, dubbed Proteus, was selected as a finalist for the European Inventor Award, which celebrates the best and most innovative inventions.

Although it was not chosen for the European award, the plant demonstrated its technological potential. Its panels rotate slowly on two axes, using mechanical, geospatial, and light sensors to precisely track the elevation of the sun's path as it moves from east to west. This increases the farm's energy production capacity, allowing it to generate around 73 kilowatts of power.

In April 2021, French lawmakers voted to ban short-haul domestic flights on routes that can be traveled by train in under two and a half hours. The measure aims to help reduce the country's carbon emissions.

Reducing emissions is one of the commitments made under the Paris Agreement to curb global climate change. Among the various measures countries must implement, the aviation sector stands out: air travel is estimated to account for 2.5% to 3% of global CO2 emissions.

Macaé, a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro with over 266,000 residents, has just extended free public transit to people experiencing homelessness. While free access was already guaranteed for people over 60 and individuals with disabilities, it now also benefits the city's vulnerable population.

Unanimously approved during a session of the Macaé City Council, the measure was introduced by council member Iza Vicente (Rede) following a request from the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender's Office. This is the first law in the state of Rio de Janeiro to guarantee free public transit for this demographic.

The Madrid City Council aims to encourage bicycle use as a means of transportation. To this end, the city has operated BiciMAD since 2014—a public bike-sharing system integrated into the Spanish capital's transit network. Now, the program will be free for trips of up to 30 minutes.

Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. Going beyond rooftop installations or large power plants, various innovations are emerging to harness the power of sunlight. One such recent initiative is being developed by startup Sun-Ways, which will install removable solar panels along railway tracks in Switzerland.

The past week brought chaos and despair to thousands of Brazilian families living in the country's North and Northeast regions. Heavy rains hit cities in Pará, Maranhão, Acre, and Amazonas, flooding hundreds of homes while others were completely destroyed by currents.

Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará, has just implemented an intelligent lighting model for crosswalks. Installed at the Praça Portugal roundabout, in the middle of the intersection of two of the city's major roads, the system could help reduce traffic accidents.

Powered by artificial intelligence, the system is capable of detecting human presence based on movement. When the dynamic lighting is activated, light beams track pedestrians from the start to the end of the crosswalk. The light improves driver visibility, especially at this specific location, where vehicles navigate a curve.

A prototype capable of collecting up to 200 liters of water per week was installed in the San Luis neighborhood of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. Nicknamed the “fog harvester,” the development of the structure is the result of a collective effort that brought together residents and design professionals.

Île-de-France, one of the 18 administrative regions of France, is committed to helping its residents save water. With the arrival of spring in the European country on March 20, authorities are concerned about potential water shortages. The solution? Offering up to €20,000 in subsidies to those who install rainwater harvesting systems on their properties.

The financial support is available to those who plan to install or have already installed water storage tanks within the last three months. The subsidy covers underground or above-ground installations—including the filtration collector, pump, connection kit, earthworks, and mains connection, among other components.

Creating a playful space designed specifically for the needs of early childhood was the goal of the São Paulo municipal government when developing its first “Concept Plaza”—recently inaugurated at São Sebastião Plaza in the Ipiranga neighborhood. Early childhood, spanning from birth to age six, is a critical period for human development. Numerous studies show that experiences in early life, starting from pregnancy, directly shape adulthood.

A recent study in Nature warns that water pollution could cause a water supply crisis by the end of the 21st century. Water quality will deteriorate particularly in parts of South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia—regions that are already vulnerable. Reversing this scenario will require governments to prioritize sustainable development. To this end, nature-based solutions, such as filtering gardens, may become increasingly common.

The German company Sono Motors became world-famous for developing the Sion, an electric car powered by solar energy. However, due to a lack of funding to support pre-series production, the project was terminated in February of this year, and the company’s focus is now on adapting and integrating its patented solar technology into third-party vehicles.

This business setback could be good news for the environment, since instead of focusing on individual vehicles, the business model has been restructured to serve a wide range of vehicles, including buses, trucks, and refrigerated vehicles.

The Liberdade neighborhood, in the central region of São Paulo, will begin testing the Open Streets (Ruas Abertas) program this Sunday (1st). Similar to what has been done on Paulista Avenue since 2016, four streets in the area will be open exclusively to pedestrians from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

Led by the Municipal Department of Urban Development and Licensing, the initiative aims to prioritize the use of urban space based on pedestrian needs. “The goal is to foster conditions that encourage people to linger, improve walkability, and strengthen the area as a tourist and commercial attraction,” the São Paulo city government stated in a press release.

In its quest to develop circular products, Chinese company Yi Design has been creating various bricks from recycled materials. These products offer construction alternatives to address a major industry challenge: the generation of ceramic waste.

According to Yi Design, approximately 18 million tons of ceramic waste are produced every year in China. Headquartered in Jingdezhen, the country's ceramics capital, the group developed YiBrick, a permeable brick made of over 90% recycled ceramic. The material's production also incorporates wastewater and the fine dust from crushing raw waste.

+ 1

Curitiba has implemented several initiatives to strengthen biodiversity and enhance the quality of vegetation in its urban landscape. Consequently, the capital of Paraná, alongside 18 other cities worldwide, has been selected to participate in UNEP's (United Nations Environment Programme) Generation Restoration project.

In 2017, the city of Salvador, Bahia, established its Urban Afforestation Master Plan and, as part of this initiative, released a comprehensive guide for anyone wishing to plant in urban spaces.

Which species are most suitable and how to plant trees on sidewalks are some of the questions answered in the document. Although titled the “Salvador Technical Urban Afforestation Manual”, the guide can be used by residents of any city, especially those living in the Atlantic Forest biome.

While modern metropolises have verticalized our way of life, creative solutions are continually emerging to reclaim and redefine urban space. Rooftops are already widely used for events and leisure, and now, growing plants and crops on them is becoming increasingly common. In Paris, a massive 14,000 m² urban farm has just opened on a building's rooftop. Although cultivation does not yet cover the entire area, once fully completed, it will be considered the largest in Europe and, perhaps, the world. 

+ 2