DC daily roundup: AI designs green buildings; TikTok purchase bid; Defense tech relocates to Arlington

Using AI to design green infrastructure

Artificial intelligence can be used to design blueprints for greener buildings, according researchers at Philadelphia’s Jefferson University. “We want to increase the quality of life in the city,” the director of the school’s Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities told Technical.ly. “It’s not just a beautiful rendering. It has a meaning behind the rendering.”

The institute worked on a project this year developing ideas for “urban interventions” that mediate climate change using AI tools, my colleague Sarah Huffman writes.

➡️ Learn more about the research’s strengths and limitations in Sarah’s article.

Alanah’s parting plea: Support public innovation

Technical.ly’s Baltimore reporter, Alanah Nichole Davis, is bidding the newsroom farewell. She’s done amazing coverage of the Maryland city, from profiles of impressive entrepreneurs to explainers on how to get into a tech career. I’ve only known her for the short time I’ve been here, but she’s been an inspiration as I get deeper into this beat.

Good news: Alanah will still be in Baltimore — she’ll be joining the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation as its chief storyteller, where she’ll be able to act on her passion for the importance of public innovation.

➡️ Read Alanah’s reflection and call to action here.

News Incubator: What else to know today

• Amid financial challenges, Lanham-based online learning company 2U has added a board seat and appointed a new member with experience navigating rocky times. [Washington Biz Journal]

• Capital One Coders, an initiative within the financial services company where technologists coach students in computer science, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. [Capital One]

• Billionaire and data privacy critic Frank McCourt is considering mounting a bid to buy TikTok, after a new law gave the Chinese company 270 days to sell or face a US ban. WaPo has an explainer on what users need to know. [Semafor/Washington Post]

• Tech defense contractor Auterion is moving its headquarters from California to Arlington to better tap into DOD spending on drones and other autonomous systems. [Auterion]

🗓️ On the Calendar

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