Building Energy Use on the Decline
Architecture 2030 | READ STORY

The annual forecasts of U.S. building energy consumption, published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), have decreased consistently since 2005. In the 2005 report, the EIA predicted that American energy consumption would increase 44.4% by 2030; they now predict an increase of only 13.7%. The improvement is likely due to increasingly energy-efficient design methods, and will save U.S. consumers $3.66 trillion.

Improved Lending in Rural Areas

Daily Yonder | READ STORY

Residents of rural areas seeking mortgage loans remain more likely to be rejected and still pay higher interest rates than residents of urban areas. However, rural finance trends, much like those in urban and exurban areas, continue to show improvement. After decreasing by more than 50% between 2003 and 2011, the number of rural mortgage applications saw a 19% increase in 2012, and the number of mortgages issued increase by 27%.

Water Scarcity to Become More Common
CU Boulder | READ STORY

This study from the University of Colorado Boulder shows that nearly one in ten U.S. water supplies is "stressed," meaning local demand for water exceeds the supply's natural capacity. Most areas of stress are due to agricultural needs, with some scattered cases due to electric power plant cooling needs. The study predicts that watershed stress will become more common.

Cost-Competitive Wind and Solar Energy
U.S. Dept. of Energy | READ STORY

A report by the U.S. Department of Energy predicts that, if development in renewable energy continues to concentrate in productive areas, alternative forms of energy like wind and solar power may become cost-competitive by 2025. The study identifies Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico as potential alternative energy providers for the Western United States.

Charting American Migration
The Atlantic Cities | READ STORY

The Atlantic reports on a database (compiled by the University of Wisconsin, Michigan Technological University, and the University of New Hampshire) which represents migration patterns within the United States during the past fifty years. The interactive map and database are available online. The Atlantic observes how broad trends--such as rural brain drain--are demonstrated quite clearly in the data.

Climate Change and Societal Disruption
Nature | READ STORY

Ecological and societal disruptions by modern climate change are critically determined by the time frame over which climates shift beyond historical analogues. A new article in Nature presents a new index of the year when the projected mean climate of a given location moves to a state continuously outside the bounds of historical variability under alternative greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.