Engineers have joined a growing movement to declare a climate emergency. But what does this mean in practice? According to early signatories such as Arup and Inhabit Group, it means a commitment to change the way engineers do business. It could also mean losing clients.

OXYGEN FILES: In recent weeks, air quality in Sydney and Brisbane, and in many regional areas, has ranged from bad to extremely hazardous because of bushfire smoke. With health experts telling people to stay indoors because no amount of exposure to the smoke is safe, a deeper issue is emerging: most of our buildings can’t block the pollution.

The Queensland town of Yarrabilba is expected to be the first circular economy community in the country but you wouldn’t guess it from walking down the street.

Tomorrowland19 – I, human: Where would you look to for inspiration to create sustainable, affordable and liveable communities? Landcom’s Lauren Kajewski has some ideas.

If government won’t explore innovative ways to grow Sydney’s CBD, perhaps the private sector – with all its faults – may be our only hope. It sometimes seems that planning…

Tomorrowland19 – I, human: Property consultant Abdul Khan told Tomorrowland19 about plans for a new style of sustainable housing, with apartments to suit everyone from youth with disabilities to retirees looking to downsize. But will politicians and developers back this vision?

The fast growing Darebin City Council has appointed its first city architect to ensure new developments are up to scratch.

Tomorrowland19 – I, human: Creating sustainable, liveable communities is no cake walk, but some of the key visionaries in the public sector are using ambitious targets, planning controls and a big dose of grit and determination to make the impossible possible.

Water scarcity is a serious issue for densely populated cities, especially in Australia. Fortunately, technology can help us reduce huge amounts of water in our buildings, with the good old vacuum toilet leading the way.

What’s the future for coalminers? Thanks to some deep dive work from Beyond Zero Emissions and collaboration with unions, the prospects are quite positive. Check out the Western Australian coal mining town of Collie, for instance.

App-based hire ride taxi services like Uber and Lyft have added millions of miles travelled – and therefore air pollution, congestion, and millions of tonnes extra greenhouse gas emissions – and pulled riders away from public transport in cities wherever they operate, new research shows.

In the Northern Territory’s World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park, AI technology has come together with modern science and Indigenous knowledge systems to help stamp out its dreaded para grass problem.

It has been a busy few weeks for the Planning Institute of Australia as the state and territory Awards for Planning Excellence have been announced around the country.

Expansive suburbs of single-family, freestanding housing are ubiquitous in countries such as Australia, the US and the UK. Most Australians still aspire to own a large detached house in the suburbs.

The narrative of an urban-rural divide reared its head again in recent days, when Nationals leader Michael McCormack derided “inner-city raving lunatics” who linked the bushfire crisis to climate change.