Walking is one of the most recommended physical activities by doctors, especially for those who do not engage in much exercise. However, doing so in the summer on the streets of cities, especially in their central areas, can be a dangerous task for certain groups. Who hasn't suddenly felt the effects of a heatstroke? The heat in cities is not only present in their central … [Read more...] about How to identify heat islands in cities? Discover URSA, the new intelligent software from the IDB
Carolina Piedrafita
Carolina Piedrafita is a Senior Specialist in Urban Development and Housing at the Inter-American Development Bank. She has over 20 years of experience leading and executing social and urban development projects in Latin America, specifically in the areas of social housing, local economic development, comprehensive neighborhood improvement and revitalization of degraded urban areas. She was Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of Argentina on the IDB Board of Directors from 2016-2019. She currently leads the Cities Laboratory of the Urban Development and Housing Division. She has a Masters in Public Administration with a specialty in urban development from Columbia University in New York, and a degree in Political Science from Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina.
URSA: A Tool to Guide Urban Planning with Satellite Data
The way our cities are designed and planned significantly impacts our quality of life. Whether we are aware of it or not, factors such as commute time, access to parks and green areas, availability of schools, and pedestrian zones all contribute to our well-being. So, why not leverage all available means to enhance our cities? At the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), we … [Read more...] about URSA: A Tool to Guide Urban Planning with Satellite Data
Citizen-led Urbanism: Another way to create cities
In recent years, a new approach to urban planning has been gaining ground around the world: citizen-led urbanism. This concept is based on the idea that cities should be designed and developed taking into account the needs and aspirations of their inhabitants. Rather than being a process led exclusively by experts and planners, citizen-led urbanism empowers the community to … [Read more...] about Citizen-led Urbanism: Another way to create cities
Urban Intelligence: Urban laboratories as catalysts for innovation
What is an urban laboratory? How do cities experiment? Why do they exist? How are they initiated? These are some questions that the IDB Cities Lab will answer through the new podcast series: Urban Intelligence. With the purpose of inspiring cities to innovate in the search for solutions to complex problems and demonstrating the potential of urban laboratories as catalysts … [Read more...] about Urban Intelligence: Urban laboratories as catalysts for innovation
Healthy Cities: your zip code influences your health more than your genetic code
A person's zip code affects their life expectancy more than their own genetic code. We often relate chronic diseases to habits such as diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking or heredity. However, the factor that most influences health is the environment in which we live and circumstances such as poverty, lack of decent housing, overcrowding, environmental safety or exclusion … [Read more...] about Healthy Cities: your zip code influences your health more than your genetic code