Buildings & Design
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Rene Notenbomer via Getty Images
‘Smart surfaces’ policy tracker shows how cities boost green infrastructure, solar, cool pavement
Local officials can use the over 450 resources in the tracker to develop their own policies, according to Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Smart Surfaces Coalition.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 20, 2024 -
RyanJLane via Getty Images
Washington local governments sue to block builder-supported measure favoring natural gas
Voter-approved I-2066, which prevents the state and local governments from restricting access to natural gas, is unconstitutional, said Seattle, King County and other groups in a lawsuit filed last week.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 19, 2024 -
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jamesteohart via Getty Images
TrendlineTop 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
welcomia via Getty Images
OpinionThe key to successfully deploying heat pump water heaters? Funding innovation.
Small grants allow local organizations to test new technologies and approaches, a vital step in scaling climate solutions.
By Chris Badger • Dec. 17, 2024 -
Nafiz Rahat via Getty Images
92% of large NYC buildings meet 2024 carbon emission limits: report
Site energy use in buildings over 25,000 square feet dropped for the fifth year in a row, with 43% of buildings set to meet Local Law 97’s stricter 2030 targets, the Urban Green Council says.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 16, 2024 -
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5 community-scale geothermal systems to be built with $35M from DOE
The projects will demonstrate how communities can leverage energy underground to decarbonize buildings, the Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office says.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Updated Dec. 18, 2024 -
halbergman via Getty Images
Deep DiveA Michigan city’s ‘sustainable energy utility’ got the green light from voters. What now?
By creating a supplemental utility that will focus on scaling up rooftop solar, battery storage and microgrids, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is taking its clean energy future into its own hands.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 10, 2024 -
Bim via Getty Images
The US cities where central business district office vacancy rates are low
Labor, transportation infrastructure and employee experience are among the factors driving downtown office site selection, experts say.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 6, 2024 -
Nafiz Rahat via Getty Images
New York makes $10M available for building heating and cooling tech
HVAC manufacturers and building owners can use the funds to develop and demonstrate cold-climate heat pumps as the state aims to reduce buildings' on-site energy consumption by 2025.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 3, 2024 -
Retrieved from City of Phoenix.
New group wants to help US cities scale up climate-resilient ‘smart surfaces’
Exclusive access to data, funding opportunities and model ordinances to expand cool pavement, green surfaces, porous pavement and solar panels will be among the benefits for the peer learning network participants.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 3, 2024 -
M_a_y_a via Getty Images
Seattle encourages co-living housing with new law
Young people looking to live in popular neighborhoods and retirees seeking community are among those who may be interested in co-living, a Washington state lawmaker said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 27, 2024 -
Ysabelle Kempe/Smart Cities Dive
AI could help cities tackle climate change, but only if it solves ‘real problems’: NYC climate chief
“We don’t need AI or big data to tell us with much greater detail how screwed we are as a city or as a planet,” Rohit Aggarwala said at Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Summit last week.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 26, 2024 -
Permission granted by AE7
Pittsburgh to transform waterfront industrial site for housing, entertainment and shopping
In addition to the $740 million development, the Steel City is getting a $64 million concert venue expected to attract events that might otherwise bypass the area for places like New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia.
By Matthew Thibault • Nov. 25, 2024 -
Courtesy of Skanska
Florida city’s $1.3B ballpark project timeline in jeopardy after hurricane
After Hurricane Milton, local officials delayed the approval of bonds to fund the stadium, which was to serve as the centerpiece of a major redevelopment project in St. Petersburg.
By Zachary Phillips • Nov. 22, 2024 -
Michael Swensen via Getty Images
Half of IIJA funds unspent with Trump set to take office
Biden administration officials are rushing to get infrastructure funds out the door ahead of the incoming administration.
By Julie Strupp • Nov. 20, 2024 -
Retrieved from City of New Braunfels.
OpinionSuburban cities focus on infrastructure expansions, upgrades
These smaller-but-growing markets are generating a range of public works construction projects, writes consultant Mary Scott Nabers.
By Mary Scott Nabers • Nov. 19, 2024 -
Magnus Manske. (2006). "Como Park Zoo and Conservatory-2006" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
Automation, efficiency upgrades at Minnesota zoo could save city up to $1.8M over 3 years
Groundwater-based geothermal heat pumps and building automation systems are among the changes at St. Paul's Como Park Zoo, which a city official said accounts for about 25% of total energy use among city properties.
By Brian Martucci • Nov. 15, 2024 -
Timothy Epple via Getty Images
Local decarbonization, energy efficiency projects get over $17M from DOE
The “highly flexible” grant program allows communities to pursue a broad range of projects, from home energy efficiency rebate programs to workforce training initiatives, according to the Department of Energy.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 15, 2024 -
Go Nakamura via Getty Images
Heat pumps could save these Texas households money, reduce grid strain: ACEEE
The state should focus on deploying heat pumps in homes that currently use inefficient electric resistance heaters, say the authors of a paper from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 11, 2024 -
Kalen Roach, Courtesy of the DCSEU
Sponsored by VEICThe gaps in building decarbonization programs – and how to fix them
Clean energy specialists at VEIC break down the barriers and solutions to designing equitable programs.
Nov. 11, 2024 -
Michael Ciaglo via Getty Images
Denver to invest $570M in downtown revitalization after voters pass bond measure
The city plans to use newly authorized bond financing to invest in housing, local entrepreneurs, new businesses and public spaces.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 8, 2024 -
Retrieved from Corix on October 30, 2024
Low-carbon district energy system launches in a Washington city’s waterfront neighborhood
The system, which captures waste heat for districtwide heating and cooling, is expected to help the buildings served meet Washington state energy code requirements, the Port of Bellingham says.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 31, 2024 -
halbergman via Getty Images
Vacant office space is costing US cities billions in annual rental losses: report
Residential conversion challenges call into question their potential role in stemming the rent losses in cities including New York and Los Angeles, Switch On Business says.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 24, 2024 -
Fang Xia Nuo via Getty Images
Office-to-residential conversions are tough. Could dorm-style co-living be the answer?
Microapartments with shared bathrooms and kitchens could suit service workers, retirees and young professionals and cost 25% to 35% less than converting offices to traditional apartments, Pew and Gensler researchers said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 22, 2024 -
Fahroni via Getty Images
How to address a key building decarbonization barrier: the ‘split incentive gap’
While landlords and developers foot the bill for efficiency upgrades, tenants benefit from lower energy costs. A Sustainable Markets Initiative road map outlines policies and other ways to address the mismatch.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 11, 2024 -
Retrieved from City of Boston.
Green roofs on bus shelters are Boston’s latest climate resilience move
It's the nation’s largest single installation of green roofs on bus shelters, the city says. It hopes the infrastructure will ease stress on Boston’s aging drainage system.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 11, 2024
