In today’s column, “The Splendor of Cities,” David Brooks follows Rahm Emanuel around Chicago and praises cities for their inherent ability to help people communicate — an attribute especially appealing in an era of “instant global information flows.” The New York Times.

A group of planners, doctors and scientists are calling for better preparedness for the “the looming threat of explosive urban epidemics” — especially in rapidly developing countries. Science and Development Network.

A recent report reveals that green office space is increasingly in demand among commercial tenants, who are looking both to save money and support a corporate culture of sustainability. The Guardian

Treehugger’s Lloyd Alter finds a flaw in TD Bank’s new net-zero energy branch. Treehugger.

A new study in the Journal of the American Planning Association reveals that the land-use decisions behind sprawling subdivisions are contagious — or, as Kaid Benfield puts it, sprawl begets more sprawl. Switchboard/NRDC

Edward Glaeser talks to The Atlantic about his belief that skyscraper living and taller cities are keys to successful cities. The Atlantic