Nearly 7% of US bridges in poor condition

Bridges in Dallas, Seattle and New York City were newly rated in poor condition this year, according to a report.

By Julie Strupp • Aug. 28, 2023

Cincinnati’s first mass timber project breaks ground

The $32-million public radio headquarters will also be the Midwest's first two-story mass timber building.

By Zachary Phillips • Aug. 23, 2023

Colorado mandates new building energy performance standards despite criticism

The ruling unfairly burdens existing buildings, operators and owners say. The state Air Quality Commission touts the rules’ flexibility.

By Joe Burns • Aug. 22, 2023

New York mayor signs permanent outdoor dining program into law

Dining Out NYC will address previous concerns over sanitation and quality-of-life issues related to outdoor dining structures and provide a more streamlined process for restaurants to participate. 

By Julie Littman • Aug. 17, 2023

Boston grants aim to lower carbon footprint of affordable housing

Building owners can get up to $10,000 each for comprehensive energy assessments.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 16, 2023

Office-to-residential, other adaptive reuse construction reaches record high

Los Angeles has the largest development pipeline in the country, followed by New York City and Chicago.

By Mary Salmonsen • Aug. 9, 2023

Boston mayor bans fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings

The executive order, which also prohibits fossil fuel use in renovations of existing city-owned structures, is part of a larger push for carbon neutrality by 2050.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 8, 2023

Commercial-to-residential conversions could accelerate under HUD initiative

Building industry experts say the Housing and Urban Development Department grant will give much-needed guidance on projects stalled by zoning hurdles and outdated permitting processes.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 4, 2023

How to safely store e-bikes, e-scooters in apartments

The uptick in micromobility battery fires shows electrification is "moving faster than we’re able to necessarily adapt to," a fire protection expert at an engineering consulting firm said.

By Mary Salmonsen • Aug. 3, 2023

$400M job training program in PA aims to boost infrastructure projects

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has created a workforce development grant designed to help employers pay wages and training costs.

By Zachary Phillips • Aug. 1, 2023

Apartment construction slows amid difficult financial conditions

Starts of buildings with five or more units fell 11.2% YOY in June, according to federal data.

By Leslie Shaver • July 31, 2023

Energy-efficient buildings save lives during extreme weather events: Department of Energy

Meeting or exceeding current codes can improve habitability by up to 140% during extreme heat events, a report found.

By Joe Burns • July 28, 2023

Building code, energy code updates face pushback due to cost concerns

Codes that seek to curb emissions and fossil fuel consumption will save money in the long run, supporters say, but builders and facility managers wonder if “the juice is worth the squeeze.”

By Nish Amarnath • July 26, 2023

Regulations, building layouts impede office conversion projects

Even as Congress faces pressure to overhaul outdated permitting processes, builders, architects and property owners cite complex zoning laws as barriers to converting existing office space to residential and other uses.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Colorado releases new statewide building energy codes

The standards, set to take effect July 1, will require local municipalities to meet minimum requirements, including electric vehicle and solar panel compatibility.

By Joe Burns • Updated July 25, 2023

Vermont delays residential building energy code implementation to July 2024

A legislative committee wants more time to create a state entity to improve international energy conservation code compliance.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

California clears path for safe conversion of underused commercial buildings

The California Building Standards Commission’s vote to amend existing building code allows multiple compliance paths for adaptive reuse.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Cost concerns spur North Carolina’s move to delay vote on building code update

The state’s Building Code Council has shelved a vote on a proposed overhaul of building energy efficiency rules as it waits for reports detailing the costs and benefits of implementing the changes. 

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Federal agencies struggle with office utilization, excess space

Officials noted that reconfiguration costs and uncertainty over in-office attendance policies are roadblocks to effective space utilization.

By Joe Burns • July 24, 2023

Northampton mulls adoption of energy efficient opt-in stretch code

The Massachusetts city is weighing the pros and cons of embracing a specialized stretch energy code to dissuade fossil fuel use in new building construction.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

These 5 cities aim to cool down by scaling up ‘smart surfaces’ in coming years

The benefits of implementing these surfaces across a city may far outweigh the costs, according to the nonprofit Smart Surfaces Coalition, which is leading the initiative announced Thursday.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 24, 2023

$90M for greener building energy codes awarded by DOE

“Modernizing energy codes is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses and make communities more resilient to extreme weather events,” the Energy Department said.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 14, 2023

Oregon plans to install 500,000 new heat pumps by 2030. Who’s going to do the work?

The state plans to train and provide provide technical assistance on installing energy-efficient appliances to developers, builders, contractors, technicians and others. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 13, 2023

Scottsdale, Arizona, greenlights commercial green code for new construction, renovations

Scottsdale is Arizona’s first city to implement an amended edition of the 2021 International Green Construction Code.

By Nish Amarnath • July 10, 2023

California greenlights $4.3B funding for energy efficiency, targets underserved and rural communities

The funding will support energy efficiency efforts from 2024 through 2027. Regulators also approved a forecasted budget of another $4.6 billion from 2028 through 2031.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 5, 2023