February 16, 2023 – Large-scale infrastructure projects can profoundly affect local economies, but assessing these effects is challenging. In a new study, a researcher evaluated all large-scale hydroelectric dams built in the United States in the 20th century. He found that dams constructed in the first half of the century spurred short- and long-term growth, […]
Carnegie Mellon University
Team projects 2 out of 3 glaciers could be lost by 2100
Assistant Professor David Rounce of Civil and Environmental Engineering led an international effort to produce new projections of glacier mass loss through the century under different emissions scenarios. The projections were aggregated into global temperature change scenarios to support adaptation and mitigation discussions, such as those at the recent United Nations Conference of Parties (COP […]
Study finds Airbnb units expand market but reduce long-term rentals, including affordable housing
Marketplaces for short-term accommodations have emerged as a way for landlords to promote their properties to short-term renters. This can lead some landlords to switch from long-term rentals and affect the supply and affordability of rental housing. Despite recent government regulations to address this concern, it is unclear how many and what types of properties […]
Analysis: Businesses Have a Moral Duty to Explain How Algorithms Make Decisions That Affect People
May 14, 2021 – Increasingly, businesses rely on algorithms that use data provided by users to make decisions that affect people. For example, Amazon, Google, and Facebook use algorithms to tailor what users see, and Uber and Lyft use them to match passengers with drivers and set prices. Do users, customers, employees, and others have […]
Study Shows Regulators Are Allowing Utilities Higher Returns
October 26, 2019 – For many years, all electric utilities in the U.S. were regulated monopolies. Although some states deregulated electricity generation over the past 20 years, electric utility companies in other states today remain monopolies. Providing an essential service without facing competition, unchecked monopolies have little incentive not to overcharge customers. This presents a […]