Here’s What’s Changed in the Revised ROAD to Housing Bill
Smart Cities Dive, May 20, 2026-Julie Strupp
Last week, the U.S House of Representatives released an amended version of the Senate’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that notably removes a provision the housing industry said would effectively eliminate the production of build-to-rent single-family housing. That’s not the only important change between the two versions of the major bipartisan housing legislation, however.
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May 21, 2026 · via newslink.mba.org
Minor Hotels has opened the Porta Rossa Hotel Firenze in Italy as the first property under its new Colbert Collection brand. The hotel began welcoming guests following a renovation aimed at establishing it as the flagship of the Colbert Collection. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Located on Via Porta Rossa in Florence’s historic city centre, the hotel occupies a building first recorded in 1386. Porta Rossa Hotel Firenze, Colbert Collection comprises 69 guest rooms and suites designed to reflect the private quarters commonly found in Renaissance palazzos. Among the hotel’s accommodation options are six suites notable for features such as 18th-century frescoes. The property’s Torre Monalda Signature Suite is set within a 13th-century medieval tower. Public areas of the hotel include spaces intended for both informal gatherings and scheduled events, with two meeting rooms available for business use, each accommodating up to 40 attendees. A bistro bar operates on the premises, and a new restaurant led by Michelin-starred chef Paulo Airaudo is scheduled to open in June. The hotel is situated within walking distance of major Florentine landmarks such as the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo complex. Minor Hotels Europe & Americas CEO Gonzalo Aguilar said: “Colbert Collection represents a new chapter for Minor Hotels. The brand celebrates individuality and invites guests to discover hotels that are deeply rooted in their own world while bonded by a common sensibility. “Porta Rossa Hotel Firenze perfectly expresses this philosophy, being a hotel with a soul – rich in story, generous in spirit, and deeply connected to its city. We are honoured to usher it into a new chapter while preserving everything that makes it extraordinary.” After the Florence opening, Minor Hotels plans to expand the
May 20, 2026 · via hotelmanagement-network.com
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May 20, 2026 · via youtube.com
These are the safest midsize cities in the US, according to a new study: See the list A new national analysis of midsize cities found that safety is shaped by more than crime rates alone, determining where Americans may feel most secure. Financial technology company Smart Asset reviewed more than 300 U.S. cities with populations between 65,000 and 250,000 to identify the safest midsize cities in the United States. The study combined four factors into a composite ranking: violent crime, property crime, traffic fatality rates and natural disaster risk. Broomfield, Colorado is safest midsize city By the numbers: According to the report, Broomfield, Colorado, ranked as the safest midsize city in America. The Denver-area community recorded relatively low crime rates, with violent crime at 1.5 incidents per 1,000 residents and property crime at 19 per 1,000 residents. The city also posted a modest traffic fatality rate of roughly five deaths per 100,000 residents. Aerial view of Broomfield, Colorado. (Credit: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) What also helped distinguish Broomfield from every other city in the study was its natural disaster profile. It was the only city evaluated to receive a "very low" disaster risk designation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Risk Index, which measures expected disaster losses. In contrast, Little Rock, Arkansas, placed last among the midsize cities analyzed. Researchers cited high violent and property crime rates, elevated disaster risk and above-average traffic fatalities as key reasons for the city’s low ranking. Inland cities dominate list Dig deeper: The findings also revealed a geographic trend: inland communities dominated the top of the list. Fourteen of the 20 safest midsize cities were located in noncoastal states, suggesting that reduced exposure to hurricanes, flooding and other natural hazards contributed to stronger overall safety scores. The report underscored that low crime rates
May 20, 2026 · via livenowfox.com
How Ecolab Tackles AI Data Centre Energy & Water Demands Ecolab has published its 2025 Growth & Impact Report, outlining a strategy that links business performance to environmental outcomes. The company provides water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions across more than 170 countries, combining science with digital intelligence. A team of 48,000 associates works to protect resources while supporting customer operations. The approach could show a pathway to separate economic growth from resource intensity, according to the report. AI infrastructure and water management Artificial intelligence is creating new demands on energy and cooling water systems. According to Ecolab, data centres powering AI advancements could consume more than one trillion gallons of global freshwater each year by 2027. This projection could mean new constraints for operators in water-scarce regions. Ecolab has implemented a site-to-chip approach using 3D TRASAR technology. The system provides continuous monitoring and optimisation of water quality. Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling, combined with AI-enhanced insights, helps organisations protect servers and improve reliability where water is limited. The company aims to improve water use efficiency by 40% across its enterprise. The technology turns data into operational intelligence for digital infrastructure. "Water is the foundation of life and business," says Christophe Beck, Chairman, President and CEO at Ecolab. "We cannot create more water, but we can reimagine how we use it. Companies that act decisively, apply proven solutions and work in partnership will lead the next era of growth." Energy efficiency and decarbonisation Ecolab supports customer decarbonisation through energy-saving technologies such as low-temperature laundry and cleaning programmes. In 2025, the company helped customers avoid 4.7 million tonnes of GHG emissions using verified eROI methodologies, according to the report. Within its own operations, Ecolab has cut absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 44% from a 2018 base year. The company now powers
May 20, 2026 · via energydigital.com
Concordia prof elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering Chadi Assi, a professor at Concordiaâs Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, has been elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. The distinction is among the countryâs highest professional honours for engineers. âProfessor Assiâs research excellence, leadership and long-standing contributions continue to strengthen Concordiaâs impact in engineering and technology,â says Mourad Debbabi, dean of the Gina Cody School. âThis is a proud moment for the Gina Cody School.â Assi was recognized for his contributions to telecommunications, cybersecurity and cyber resilient intelligent systems. âI am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering,â he says. âEngineering progress depends on collaboration, and I am grateful to the students, colleagues and partners who made this achievement possible.â Assi is a professor in the Department of Cybersecurity and Intelligent Systems Engineering and a Concordia University Research Chair. He joined the university in 2003 and has served as a full professor since 2013. His research spans communications networks, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and resilient infrastructure. His early work has helped improve broadband wired/wireless networks and he is now working towards advancing the security of cyber physical systems, as well as the security and automation of future cellular networks. In 2021, Assi led a Concordia project supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to develop intelligent and resilient smart cities through interdisciplinary research in energy, mobility and cybersecurity. He is currently leading a 5G+ security project (both R&D and Training) funded by the National Cyber security Consortium (NCC) and Ericsson. This latest recognition adds to Assiâs previous distinction as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), one of the worldâs leading technical organizations. The Canadian Academy of Engineering will formally induct its 2026 Fellows
May 20, 2026 · via concordia.ca
The future of connectivity is increasingly being shaped by decisions made today on spectrum, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and digital policy. Against this backdrop, the 2026 Policy Leaders Forum (PLF) at MWC Shanghai 2026 returns with a timely theme “The Future in Motion: Unleashing 5G’s Potential and Paving the Way to 6G.” Building on the success of last year’s inaugural edition in Shanghai, the Forum will once again bring together policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders to discuss the policies shaping the next phase of digital transformation. As the mobile ecosystem accelerates toward 5G Advanced and begins laying the foundations for 6G, this year’s discussions will explore the growing intersection of advanced networks, AI, digital infrastructure, and industrial innovation. Making 5G deliver A central theme of the PLF will be ensuring 5G delivers meaningful commercial and economic outcomes. While 5G deployment continues to expand globally, the industry is entering a more mature phase in which success will increasingly depend on the ability to translate advanced network capabilities into sustainable growth, new services, and broader digital transformation. The opening session will explore how 5G can evolve beyond traditional connectivity into a genuine platform for innovation. Industry leaders and policymakers will discuss what is needed to accelerate returns on investment, support differentiated 5G services, and encourage wider adoption of enterprise and industrial use cases. The conversation will also examine the role of regulatory frameworks and infrastructure policies in creating the right conditions for long-term investment and innovation. As industries increasingly integrate AI, automation, and connected technologies into their operations, the discussion is expected to highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration. From manufacturing and logistics to smart cities and digital services, the ability of 5G to enable wider economic transformation will depend not only on technological advancement, but also on supportive policy environments and stronger
May 20, 2026 · via gsma.com
Abstract Understanding how digital transformation policies influence urban ecological outcomes remains a pressing yet underexplored question in sustainability science. Using panel data from 213 Chinese cities between 2011 and 2023, this study estimates the causal effect of China’s Smart City Pilot Policy (SCPP) on urban ecological welfare (UEW). Leveraging quasi-natural experimental methods—including difference-in-differences, PSM-DID, and synthetic control—we find that the SCPP significantly improves UEW by enhancing digital infrastructure, fostering greener industrial structures, and boosting public investment in science and innovation. The policy’s benefits are more pronounced in cities with higher administrative ranks, stronger ecological resilience, and greater resource endowment. These results reveal that uniform digital urban strategies may be suboptimal. Instead, differentiated approaches tailored to local ecological and institutional capacities can amplify the green dividends of digital transformation, advancing more equitable and sustainable urban futures. Similar content being viewed by others Acknowledgements This study was supported by the Shandong Province Science and Technology Talent Support Project (Grant No. SDAST2025QTB017). Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Ethics declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Additional information Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Supplementary information Rights and permissions Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in
May 20, 2026 · via nature.com
The Transparency International Ukraine project is competing in the Smart City category. You can vote for Transparent Cities until June 9. The Smart City category is for projects that make cities more modern and effective through technology. These include IT services, mobile apps, data management systems, sensors, and other innovative tools that make residents’ lives easier and give them access to information. In 2025, the team launched a new product — the European City Index — which involves not only collecting data and developing recommendations independently, but also building an IT platform that automatically assesses different areas of city life. As part of this project, the Transparent Cities program also examined e-services and open data in 11 Ukrainian cities — Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kropyvnytskyi, Lutsk, Lviv, Odesa, Poltava, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Chernihiv, and Kyiv — analyzed the level of development of these services against 40 criteria, and created roadmaps for city councils so we can change cities for the better together. This is not the first time a Transparency International Ukraine project has focused specifically on the quality and accessibility of digital services in cities. So it is no surprise that the TI Ukraine program is competing precisely in the Smart City category. You can vote for our project at the LUN City Awards 2026 online at the link. “Since 2017, our program has been working to build practical tools that strengthen Ukrainian cities, generating big data and solutions for further change. We are convinced that the high-quality rollout of such technological solutions at all levels of local self-government helps Ukrainians maintain their standard of living even in the hardest of times, as is the case now, and brings our cities closer to European governance standards,” explains Olesia Koval, Transparency International Ukraine’s Transparent Cities Program Manager. The LUN City Awards 2026 was
May 20, 2026 · via ti-ukraine.org
Last week, the U.S House of Representatives released an amended version of the Senate’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that notably removes a provision the housing industry said would effectively eliminate the production of build-to-rent single-family housing. That’s not the only important change between the two versions of the major bipartisan housing legislation, however. The updated bill is set to come up for a House vote this week ahead of the Memorial Day holiday, Politico reported. If the legislation passes, it will move back to the Senate. The White House previously told Multifamily Dive that “there may be serious policy concerns or implementation challenges” with the House’s version, but did not respond to another request for comment by publication time. Besides the build-to-rent forced sale provision, here is a look at some of the other differences the two chambers will need to iron out. HUD funding changes The House’s latest version of the bill increases Federal Housing Finance Agency-insured multifamily loan limits and indexes them for future gains. “Loan limits have remained static for 12 years and do not reflect market conditions,” the National Association of Homebuilders said in a May 15 analysis of the bill. “Increasing multifamily loan limits and indexing them for future gains aligns with real construction costs and helps stimulate new apartment development.” There are other major differences regarding HUD program funding, Francis Torres, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s housing and infrastructure projects, told Multifamily Dive. “The provision on the Rental Assistance Demonstration program permanence included in the Senate bill is out, so for public housing authorities that have serious capital needs, that's a significant omission,” Torres said. Also cut from the House’s version is a measure to permanently fund the agency’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. Currently, Congress appropriates these funds
May 20, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
The following provides an overview on the projects supported by the Smart Cities Marketplace (SCM) for the period January 2018 - February 2025. From 2018 to date, the Smart Cities Marketplace (SCM) has assisted 144 projects of a total value of about €1405 million. The SCM connects interested cities and city-led consortia, including businesses, technical developers, universities, NGOs, and other stakeholders to a growing network of 17 investors, virtually able to provide a large mix of products ranging from subsides to loans, equity, debt, and mixed solutions to bankable projects of almost any size all over the European Union and beyond. Distribution of requests for support received per country The requests for support received by the SCM come from cities and other stakeholders from 19 EU Member States, with Germany (16), Italy (18), Spain (12), and Portugal (12) among the top contributors (based on data from 2020 to February 2025, EU Member States only). Sectoral breakdown of projects supported The projects presented by cities and city-led consortia from EU Member States and matched with investors or supported with tailored advisory services cover the sectors of energy efficiency, renewables, mobility, ICTs (see below, based on data from 2020 to February 2025, EU Member States only). Investment value breakdown of projects supported Their corresponding investment value per country is visualised below (based on data from 2020 to February 2025, EU Member States only). Hover over the bars in the bar chart to inspect the actual investment value. Data download The data used for the above is available for download. Note that there are some data gaps due to the fact that SCM consortia over time have used various methods to record progress.
May 20, 2026 · via smart-cities-marketplace.ec.europa.eu
Saudi Arabia Smart Cities Market Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2025-2032 Saudi Arabia's smart cities market is rapidly expanding with rising investments in digital infrastructure. Download Sample Report Here: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=6149 Urban Transformation and Digital Infrastructure Development At the heart of this expansion is a broader national effort to reshape cities through technology and modernization. Urban planning is increasingly focused on building connected, efficient, and digitally managed environments. Instead of traditional infrastructure upgrades, the focus is shifting toward integrated systems that combine data, automation, and real-time responsiveness to improve everyday city operations. Urbanization Pressure and Intelligent City Management Needs Rapid urban growth is putting pressure on transport systems, utilities, and public services. Cities are trying to keep pace with rising demand, and smart technologies are being used to make that easier. With better data collection and analysis, city operations can be managed more efficiently, helping authorities respond faster and allocate resources more effectively. Public Safety, Surveillance, and Security Modernization Public safety has become a major focus area. Cities are increasingly using advanced monitoring tools and connected surveillance systems to improve situational awareness. These systems support emergency response and law enforcement coordination, while also helping identify potential risks before they escalate. Government-Led Policy Frameworks and Strategic Initiatives Government programs are a key reason the market is moving forward so quickly. Long-term planning frameworks are encouraging the use of digital solutions across urban development. This has created a more structured environment where large-scale smart city projects can move ahead with clear direction and strong institutional backing. Sustainability, Resource Efficiency, and Environmental Management Sustainability is now deeply tied to smart city development. There is growing attention on reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and monitoring environmental conditions more closely. Smart systems are helping cities track air quality, manage resources better, and move toward more
May 20, 2026 · via openpr.com
Since 2018, Paris’s Oasis Schoolyards programme has been transforming asphalt playgrounds into green, climate-resilient spaces and embedding outdoor learning into daily school life. Céleste Rouberol, International Projects Manager, and Léa Gratas, International and Outreach Project Officer, from the Paris Agency for Urban Ecology, explain how Paris is reconnecting an entire generation of Parisian children with nature. From asphalt to oasis Paris is one of Europe’s most densely populated cities, with 20,000 residents per square kilometre. For many of its youngest residents, the school playground is the closest thing to a green space they have. Céleste explains why they’re expanding the initiative beyond schoolyards: “It’s not enough to just build the infrastructure. That alone won’t change habits. Truly connecting kids to nature takes a comprehensive approach.” The result is a phased, city-wide strategy to fundamentally change how Parisian children relate to nature: starting inside the school gates, extending to the streets around them, then outward into parks, gardens and green spaces across the city. Truly connecting kids to nature takes a comprehensive approach It takes courage, Céleste acknowledges, to see it through. “Change is not easy. It takes political ambition and excellence in what you deliver.” Schoolyards and school streets The transformation of each schoolyard begins long before the first plant goes in the ground. The city and the CAUE (Conseil d’Architecture, d’Urbanisme et d’Environnement) developed a co-design methodology bringing together children, parents and teachers to reimagine their school grounds. The process is deliberately inclusive, addressing not just greenery but equity: who uses the space and how. “We are really keeping in mind the gendered aspect of playgrounds,” says Céleste. “We wanted to design a space that would ensure that the girls aren’t just standing in the corner.” The programme has already redesigned 208 schoolyards, with a target of all 770
May 20, 2026 · via eurocities.eu
Beijing to host global tourism summit on smart travel in June By Yang Feiyue | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-05-20 11:03 The 2026 Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation, will be held from June 1 to 4 at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing's Haidian district, organizers announced at a recent media briefing in the capital. Centered on the theme "Digital Intelligence Leading Future Tourism", the summit will focus on the integration of digital technologies and the tourism industry, exploring new models and opportunities for the future of global travel. As the federation's flagship annual event, the Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit has been held 12 times in cities including Beijing, Chongqing, Los Angeles, Helsinki and Hong Kong, serving as a platform for dialogue, cooperation and innovation among tourism cities worldwide. This year's event is expected to attract more than 300 representatives from over 50 countries, including city officials, international organizations, tourism enterprises, scholars and media representatives. Organizers report that more than 50 high-profile international guests have already confirmed their attendance, including representatives from the World Travel & Tourism Council, Pacific Asia Travel Association, and International Air Transport Association, as well as mayors and tourism officials from cities such as Cairo, Athens, London, Seoul, Brussels and Buenos Aires. Compared with previous editions, this year's summit places a stronger emphasis on the concept of "future tourism", with discussions focusing on digital transformation, smart city development and the recovery of cross-border travel. One of the summit's key highlights will be the release of the 2026 Global Smart Tourism Destination Competitiveness Report, which will evaluate the digital development of tourism destinations worldwide and unveil the "Top 20 Smart Tourism Cities" ranking. Technology-enabled tourism will also feature prominently throughout the event. Organizers plan to release a list of Beijing's
May 20, 2026 · via global.chinadaily.com.cn
Smart city development is expected to become a major driver of Vietnam’s economic growth by improving productivity, expanding development space, and accelerating national digital transformation, while creating new growth poles powered by data, innovation, and modern governance. Urban areas currently contribute around 70% of Vietnam’s GDP. However, rapid urbanisation has also increased pressure on transport infrastructure, the environment, energy supply, and resident management. Experts warned that if cities continue to develop under traditional models, room for their growth will gradually narrow. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, said Vietnam must create new development spaces based on technology and innovation to achieve high growth targets. Urban areas, he noted, are where data, knowledge, and labour productivity are concentrated most strongly. “Smart urban development is not simply about installing technology. It is about transforming the growth model and operating cities through data and modern governance,” Thien said. One of the key requirements set out in Politburo Resolution No. 57 on breakthroughs in science – technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation is the standardisation of digital infrastructure and the development of national digital data. This is considered a prerequisite for sustainable smart city development. This year, the Ministry of Science and Technology will continue promoting standardisation in core areas of the digital economy. A total of 53 new standards are expected to focus on data and data centres, online public services, urban data models, e-transactions, and information security. Notably, standards for smart cities account for a significant share, including those related to data sharing, cybersecurity, and information and communications technology infrastructure. Experts said standardising data will help avoid fragmented development and weak connectivity among localities. Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, Director of the Institute for Brand and Competitiveness Strategy, said the greatest advantage of smart
May 20, 2026 · via vietnamnet.vn
Dive Brief: - Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders on Sunday agreed to a five-year, $580 billion surface transportation bill that directs $65 billion to rail programs and $41 billion to discretionary grant programs. - The bill authorizes a total of $87.6 billion from the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund over fiscal years 2027 to 2031, an increase from $69.8 billion allocated in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. - Amtrak would receive grants of $10.4 billion over five years for operations on the Northeast Corridor and $20.7 billion for its national network. The legislation prohibits any federal grants, awards or financial assistance to the California high-speed rail project for two years while a working group determines whether the project can meet the requirements outlined in the 2008 voter-approved bond measure allocating funds for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Dive Insight: The proposed legislation, crafted in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, continues a series of multiyear surface transportation programs dating back to 1978. Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., and the committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said in a joint release Sunday that they plan to formally introduce the legislation soon. Their goal is to have Congress send a final bill to the president before the current surface transportation authorization expires on Sept. 30, 2026. “This bill is not simply about honoring our past — it’s about moving forward and building upon the legacy of our nation’s infrastructure,” Graves said in a statement. “The bill also makes smart and targeted reforms to our surface transportation programs, focuses on strengthening our core infrastructure system, drives innovation, bolsters safety, ensures states have the flexibility they need, and cuts red tape to get projects built faster.” To strengthen the Highway Trust Fund, the bill imposes an annual registration fee
May 20, 2026 · via constructiondive.com
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May 20, 2026 · via youtube.com
LCQ22: Adding historical interpretations to street signs ******************************************************** Question: There are views that street signs are not only road identification signs, but also historical carriers recording the city's evolution. While some old T-shaped street signs are still retained in Hong Kong for heritage conservation reasons, merely preserving the materials may not enable the public to fully and accurately understand their historical significance. As Hong Kong enters a new stage from stability to prosperity, the Government should take the initiative to provide explanations on street signs to establish a correct historical perspective. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether, as some streets are named after British officials, the Government will install additional interpretation facilities at the relevant locations to give an objective account of the relevant historical context through words and images; with the development of smart cities, whether the Government will consider installing QR codes next to the street signs with historical value to link them to official national education databases or web pages (such as the National Education One-stop Portal); (2) whether the Government will shortlist streets in Hong Kong with significant historical transitions (such as streets related to the background of the Opium Wars, relics of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression or the process of our return to the motherland), incorporating elements of national education into the explanations on street signs to enable members of the public and tourists to gain an in-depth understanding of the journey of national rejuvenation through city walks; and (3) whether the Government has formulated policy guidelines with a macroscopic vision when planning the streets in the Northern Metropolis and naming the streets in other new development areas, with the aim of incorporating elements of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture, achievements in national development and education on
May 20, 2026 · via info.gov.hk
*This video has been created using generative AI.
Don’t worry, Be Hechi!
There is a bus in Seoul that begins service 30 minutes earlier than regular buses to support residents who commute in the very early hours of the morning.
To make commuting easier for people who begin their day before dawn, Seoul is expanding early-morning transit services, starting with heavily congested routes.
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At 3 AM, while the city is still dark and quiet, a bus prepares to depart with no driver at the wheel.
Leaving from Gupabal Station and heading toward Yangjae Station, Hechi rides alongside the city’s early commuters, quietly offering encouragement for the long day ahead.
As the sun slowly rises, morning light spills through the bus windows, filling the city air with a sense of hope and reassurance.
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*Read a webtoon on Early-Morning Autonomous Bus:
https://english.seoul.go.kr/episode-1-the-weight/
**See more articles on Autonomous Mobility (hashtag):
https://english.seoul.go.kr/hashtag/?tag=autonomous-mobility&tag-name=Autonomous%20Mobility
May 20, 2026 · via english.seoul.go.kr
Q&A: What is IKEA Doing to Decarbonise its Operations? IKEA is continuing to deepen its focus on sustainability and responsible business conduct, driving initiatives that embed environmental and social considerations into daily decision-making across its global footprint. In Canada, these efforts are being led by Peter Jones, Head of Sustainability at IKEA Canada, who joined the company in January 2026. He brings a wealth of international experience across finance, operations and business performance, having worked in the UK, Canada and Sweden. Throughout his career, Peter has prioritised integrating sustainability into core business strategy, ensuring that environmental and social factors are built into performance metrics, resource allocation and long-term value creation. Before joining IKEA Canada, he headed Sustainability Analytics & Impact at Ingka Group, where he played a key role in embedding sustainability into strategic planning and decision-making across the organisation. He has also supported organisations through Ikano Insight, helping them design and implement sustainability strategies with measurable results. In his current position, Peter is focused on progressing IKEA Canada’s sustainability agenda while supporting the company’s ambition to create a better everyday life for many Canadians. This involves working closely with co-workers, customers, partners and communities to scale solutions that are accessible, affordable and deliver meaningful impact for both people and the planet. In this Q&A, Peter shares his perspectives with Energy Digital. What are IKEA Canada’s sustainability priorities? Our approach is guided by three interconnected priorities: Healthy & Sustainable Living, Climate, Nature & Circularity and Fair & Equal. These pillars shape how we design products, operate and engage with society. Healthy & Sustainable Living focuses on helping Canadians live more sustainably at home. While many want to make better choices, barriers such as cost and convenience can stand in the way. We aim to close that gap with solutions across
May 19, 2026 · via energydigital.com