The Agile City

"Agility means learning to adapt to the effects of climate change, which means redesigning the obsolete ways we finance real estate; distribute housing subsidies; provide transportation; and obtain, distribute, and dispose of water." - cover.

In a very short time America has realized that global warming poses real challenges to the nation's future. The Agile City engages the fundamental question: what to do about it? Journalist and urban analyst James S. Russell argues that we'll more quickly slow global warming-and blunt its effects-by retrofitting cities, suburbs, and towns. The Agile City shows that change undertaken at the building and community level can reach carbon-reduction goals rapidly. Adapting buildings (39 percent of greenhouse-gas emission) and communities (slashing the 33 percent of transportation related emissions) offers numerous other benefits that tax gimmicks and massive alternative-energy investments can't match. Rapidly improving building techniques can readily cut carbon emissions by half, and some can get to zero. These cuts can be affordably achieved in the windshield-shattering heat of the desert and the bone-chilling cold of the north. Intelligently designing our towns could reduce marathon commutes and child chauffeuring to a few miles or eliminate it entirely. Agility, Russell argues, also means learning to adapt to the effects of climate change, which means redesigning the obsolete ways real estate is financed; housing subsidies are distributed; transportation is provided; and water is obtained, distributed and disposed of. These engines of growth have become increasingly more dysfunctional both economically and environmentally. The Agile City highlights tactics that create multiplier effects, which means that ecologically driven change can shore-up economic opportunity, can make more productive workplaces, and can help revive neglected communities. Being able to look at multiple effects and multiple benefits of political choices and private investments is essential to assuring wealth and well-being in the future. Green, Russell writes, grows the future.

In a very short time America has realized that global warming poses real challenges to the nation's future. The Agile City engages the fundamental question: what to do about it? Journalist and urban analyst James S. Russell argues that we'll more quickly slow global warming-and blunt its effects-by retrofitting cities, suburbs, and towns. The Agile City shows that change undertaken at the building and community level can reach carbon-reduction goals rapidly. Adapting buildings (39 percent of greenhouse-gas emission) and communities (slashing the 33 percent of transportation related emissions) offers numerous other benefits that tax gimmicks and massive alternative-energy investments can't match. Rapidly improving building techniques can readily cut carbon emissions by half, and some can get to zero. These cuts can be affordably achieved in the windshield-shattering heat of the desert and the bone-chilling cold of the north. Intelligently designing our towns could reduce marathon commutes and child chauffeuring to a few miles or eliminate it entirely. Agility, Russell argues, also means learning to adapt to the effects of climate change, which means redesigning the obsolete ways real estate is financed; housing subsidies are distributed; transportation is provided; and water is obtained, distributed and disposed of. These engines of growth have become increasingly more dysfunctional both economically and environmentally. The Agile City highlights tactics that create multiplier effects, which means that ecologically driven change can shore-up economic opportunity, can make more productive workplaces, and can help revive neglected communities. Being able to look at multiple effects and multiple benefits of political choices and private investments is essential to assuring wealth and well-being in the future. Green, Russell writes, grows the future.

THE CLIMATE CITY Provides professionals in finance, technology, and consulting with solutions for improving the quality of urban life under the changing climate The Climate City provides cutting-edge approaches for developing resilient solutions to combat the effects of climate change in cities throughout the world. Linking finance and technology to policy and innovation, this highly practical resource outlines a global framework for mitigating and adapting to climate change and for effectively planning and delivering a low-carbon future. This book addresses how cities can work effectively with each other to drive change, the importance of strong leadership and international cooperation, the role of innovative finance and technology to identify new economic opportunities, and more. Throughout the book, the authors address future trends such as the changing streetscape, connected infrastructure and eMobility, and autonomous vehicles, drones, and other emerging technologies. Designed to help all stakeholders build a pathway to a less resource-intensive future, The Climate City: Provides in-depth discussion of the technological, financial, and practical aspects of tackling climate change in urban environments Demonstrates why the global economy needs to transition to a low-carbon economy Describes the role of financial institutions and how they can allocate capital more efficiently Explains why and how challenges and priorities are different in the global north and south Illustrates how data can improve the ways cities use energy resources and operate transportation systems Discusses how citizen action can drive a new, more meaningful way of living in cities Features insights from political leaders such as the Mayor of Copenhagen, the Mayor of Los Angeles and the former Mayor of London and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Climate City is essential reading for city planners, policy makers, technologists, consultants, finance and business professionals, and general readers wanting to improve the cities in which they work and live.

This is a book is a collection of articles that will be submitted as full papers to the AGILE annual international conference. These papers go through a rigorous review process and report original and unpublished fundamental scientific research. Those published cover significant research in the domain of geographic information science systems. This year the focus is on geographic information science as an enabler of smarter cities and communities, thus we expect contributions that help visualize the role and contribution of GI science in their development.

Agile Project Delivery reviews how different Agile methods can be applied to project delivery in complex corporate environments beyond the Agile Manifesto’s original scope of software development. Taking readers through a typical project lifecycle, the text demonstrates how Agile techniques can be applied to each phase of a project using valuable tools and examples. Agile Project Delivery covers various approaches that are used across the many methodologies and frameworks that are part of the Agile family, including Scrum, XP, and Crystal, as well as some of Agile’s influences, such as Lean and Kanban. Agile Project Delivery also provides readers with advanced instructions for using Atlassian’s industry-leading Agile software, Jira. Bridging the gap between Agile methodology and application, this concise guide features practical delivery approaches, engaging case studies, useful templates to assist in Agile application, and chapter discussion questions to reinforce understanding on how to harness the benefits of Agile. With a focus on settings outside of software development and an accessible, pragmatic approach, Agile Project Delivery is an invaluable resource for students in any project management course, as well as for both aspiring and experienced project practitioners.