Unused parking adds over $2M to typical multifamily projects: study

New Jersey should adopt new parking ratio standards that better align with usage, a Rutgers University white paper proposes.

By Mary Salmonsen • Sept. 27, 2023

‘Everybody’s going to be impacted’: Fed shutdown would delay civil work

Infrastructure projects will be held up if the government is not funded by Sunday, according to the White House and the American Society of Civil Engineers’ president.

By Julie Strupp • Updated 14 hours ago

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Top 5 Stories from Smart Cities Dive

Flying taxis and expanding high-speed rail promise to transform the urban transportation landscape, as cities increasingly harness the natural and built environments to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

NY sets first-in-the-nation concrete emissions limits for state agencies

Set for January 2025, the state’s Buy Clean Concrete rules establishing greenhouse gas emission limits will cover all agency projects.

By Sebastian Obando • Sept. 25, 2023

White House launches clean energy youth workforce program amid labor shortage concerns

The American Climate Corps aims to put more than 20,000 people to work in its first year. The plan “harkens back” to the New Deal, said International District Energy Association CEO Rob Thornton.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 22, 2023

Retrofits can cut office building emissions by up to 70%: Schneider Electric

New research from the company says its digital building and power-management tools can slash up to 42% of operational carbon emissions, while eliminating fossil fuels can cut an additional 28%.

By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 21, 2023

Airbnb’s marketing touts short-term rental benefits as local restrictions tighten

Restrictions such as New York’s Local Law 18 may have a greater impact on the city’s residents and tourism economy than on the company.

By Aaron Baar • Sept. 20, 2023

NREL tool models how building upgrades can reduce energy use, carbon emissions

Before the federal research center released its free, publicly available data, options for representing buildings’ energy use were limited and expensive, an NREL researcher said.

By Joe Burns • Sept. 19, 2023

To improve multifamily housing energy efficiency and resiliency, HUD offers $4.8B for retrofits

The first round of the $4.8 billion GRRP covers upgrades for 28 rent-assisted properties.

By Mary Salmonsen • Sept. 18, 2023

Building codes aren’t climate ready, but changes are coming

Risk is growing from flooding and wildfires, said National Institute of Building Sciences panelists, and builders are relying on outdated guidance.

By Julie Strupp • Sept. 15, 2023

NYC proposes leeway for building owners falling behind on net-zero emissions compliance

Building owners who demonstrate a “good-faith effort” to rein in emissions could get a two-year reprieve to comply with a climate law that kicks in next year.

By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 13, 2023

Older homes contributed to Hawai’i fire’s destruction

Buildings constructed under older codes helped last month’s wildfire spread quickly, a new report finds.

By Zachary Phillips • Sept. 11, 2023

California must ban gas in new buildings, local officials tell governor

With a federal appeals court overturning Berkeley, California’s landmark gas ban, the state needs a unified standard to remain a climate policy leader, 26 local leaders told Gov. Gavin Newsom.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 11, 2023

Is 3D-printed concrete the future of infrastructure projects?

A Canadian building giant bets the construction industry will increasingly use the material. But it isn’t covered by many building codes, and technical challenges remain.

By Julie Strupp • Sept. 8, 2023

Indianapolis downtown redevelopment project breaks ground

The city took over the $625 million hotel and convention center project this year after nearly a decade of planning, a pandemic and financial issues.

By Matthew Thibault • Sept. 6, 2023

ICC launches climate-resilience program to support community building and energy code changes

The initiative aims to help leaders implement and enforce new rules as buildings’ operational carbon emissions and energy use reach an all-time high.

By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 5, 2023

Cool pavement covers this LA neighborhood. Does it make a difference?

Project partners released their findings a year into what they described as “one of the most comprehensive studies of an urban cooling intervention.” 

By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 5, 2023

NYC earmarks record $19.4B for school-related construction

Funding from the School Construction Authority, which maintains 1,400 buildings and serves 1 million students, ranks as the largest investment ever for city schools.

By Sebastian Obando • Sept. 1, 2023

IIJA just the beginning of infrastructure remediation, civil engineering group president says

ASCE's Maria Lehman says the infusion of federal funding will help address long-neglected upkeep across the country, but states and the private sector must also pitch in.

By Julie Strupp • Aug. 30, 2023

Seattle’s downtown revitalization push continues with waterfront parks overhaul

The project will be entirely funded with philanthropic donations and is expected to be completed by 2026, when Seattle hosts World Cup matches.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 29, 2023

On clean energy tax credits, mayors want clearer federal guidance

New incentives could turbocharge local climate action, but resource-limited cities need clarity on how to use them, over 50 mayors said in a letter to the Treasury Department.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 28, 2023

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