🏠 Building Blocks - Week 26 (#131)

Welcome to Building Blocks where we explore real estate, technology, and the future of urban living. 

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From the Editor

This week, we’re proud to introduce Smart Solutions — our new spotlight series on the startups helping cities evolve. These are the small companies rethinking infrastructure, mobility, energy, and circular design. They are agile, often overlooked, and laser-focused on solving the complex challenges of urban life.

Smart Solutions is a natural extension of our Future Cities series. If Future Cities is the big picture, Smart Solutions is the on-the-ground detail. Startups are where change begins. They prototype, adapt, and scale quickly — offering the tools cities need to build smarter and more sustainably.

Look for new stories every Tuesday and Friday, written by our student researchers at the Smart Solutions Research Team. These stories are meant to inform, inspire, and invite conversation.

Meanwhile, our Future Cities series continues with rich insights from across the globe. In Copenhagen, we explored circular waste systems and design-led infrastructure. In Seoul, we saw how digital tools and green design combine to drive inclusive growth. And in Pittsburgh, we learned how a former industrial capital is rewriting its story through innovation, AI, and adaptive reuse.

Cities are not just adapting, they are experimenting, leading, and sharing. We are here to document that work.

Thank you to our contributors and researchers for driving this forward.

Let’s keep building with intention and imagination — Johan Tellvik

Smart Solutions – Sun Metalon 

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Meet Sun Metalon Inc., a Chicago-based startup rethinking how cities recycle and reuse metals. Their zero-emission, on-site metal recycling tech flips the traditional supply chain, cutting costs, carbon, and waste.   

This is circular industrial innovation, built for the smart cities of tomorrow.   

This story is part of our Smart Solutions series that is spotlighting startups and SMEs solving real challenges inside the world’s smartest cities. 

Future Cities – Copenhagen, Denmark 

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Constantly ranked among the world’s most livable cities, Copenhagen combines walkable infrastructure, a strong economy, and cutting-edge technology to deliver a high quality of life for its 630,000 residents.   

• Adaptive Energy – >50% of Copenhagen’s energy is renewable, mainly from wind and biomass.   
• Green Urban Planning – Copenhagen’s flat, compact layout supports extensive bike infrastructure with 397 km of lanes.    
• Design as Infrastructure – Projects like CopenHill and Superkilen Park combine sustainability with social inclusion through innovative design.   
• Circular Economy – Residents sort waste into 12 categories, helping Copenhagen recycle over 70% of municipal waste and cut CO2 emissions.    
• Inclusive Growth – Citizen engagement shapes policies and fosters shared responsibility across communities, businesses, and government.   

Future Cities – Seoul, South Korea 

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From post-war reconstruction to global smart city leader, Seoul is building a future that is digital, green, and deeply inclusive.   

• Smart Governance  Digital Twin Seoul and real-time dashboards help the city model disasters, manage traffic, and plan resilient infrastructure.   
• Green Design  Projects like Seoullo Skygarden and rooftop farms boost climate resilience, cut heat, and bring nature back into the city.   
• Affordable Housing  110,000 new affordable units by 2028 and co-living models support students, seniors, and working families.   
• Clean Mobility  Electric buses, bike lanes, and car-free zones move Seoul closer to zero-emission transport.   
• Global Partnerships  As a leader in WeGO, Seoul shares tech and policy with cities worldwide—from Jakarta to Nairobi. 

Future Cities – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   

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From steel powerhouse to innovation testbed, Pittsburgh is redefining what post-industrial cities can become.   

• Adaptive Reuse – 1.2M+ sq. ft. of office space is being converted to housing and mixed-use.   
• Riverfront Renewal – Trails and parks generate $26M+ in local economic impact annually.   
• AI & Talent – CMU-led AI Strike Team aims to make Pittsburgh a global AI hub by 2028.   
• Green Innovation – Hazelwood Green sets a national bar for sustainable district development.   
• Inclusive Growth – Community land trusts and CBAs offer models for equitable reinvestment.