As demand for AI and cloud computing skyrockets, data centers are being built across the country to meet those needs. This piece attempts to demystify data centers and give insight on how they are built.
About Regional Plan Association
For 100 years, Regional Plan Association has been an indispensable source of ideas for policy makers and opinion shapers across the tri-state region.
Our Region
RPA operates in the interconnected 31-county New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region.
Our Areas of Expertise
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![Energy & Environment]()
Energy & Environment
learn moreRPA’s Energy & Environment program helps the region to rise to the challenge of climate change through proactive regional planning, smart policy development, and advocacy for sustainable land use practices.
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![Housing & Neighborhood Planning]()
Housing & Neighborhood Planning
learn moreRPA’s Housing & Neighborhood Planning program explores how to make the region affordable for everyone and builds collaborative local plans focused on healthy, inclusive, and well-designed communities.
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![Transportation]()
Transportation
learn moreRPA’s Transportation program helps shape and strengthen the network of railways, roads, airports and ports that binds the region together and connect us to the rest of the world.
RPA Lab
World Cup, Local Issues
While it’s tempting to think the 2026 FIFA World Cup will come off without a hitch, this event will be unlike any other we’ve had. Below we consider the logistical implications of the forthcoming mega-event.
As state legislatures and local governments throughout the tri-state region continue to debate various policy proposals to address housing costs and shortages, a recent analysis conducted by McKinsey & Company for Regional Plan Association shows that the region may face a housing gap of 920,000 units by 2035. The analysis also highlights a current shortage of 540,000 housing units in the region. To address this housing shortage, building…
If planners are not careful and intentional, equity could become a buzzword instead of an outcome people experience as a result of our work.”
The Fourth Plan seeks to address issues including housing affordability, overburdened transportation infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change—by addressing the underlying shortcomings in the region’s governance structures.
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