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and Urban Development Department grant will give much-needed guidance on projects stalled by zoning hurdles and outdated permitting processes.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

Explore the Trendline➔

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

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Even as Congress faces pressure to overhaul outdated permitting processes, builders, architects and property owners cite complex zoning laws as barriers to converting existing office space to residential and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

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

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

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

Massachusetts city mandates net-zero emissions for some large buildings by 2035

Cambridge, Massachusetts, touted its new requirements as the most aggressive in the country, as building performance standards emerge as a key tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 30, 2023

San Francisco invites proposals to convert downtown office spaces into housing, other new uses

The city’s initiative to repurpose underused downtown commercial space solidifies legislation passed last week to simplify commercial building conversion processes.

By Nish Amarnath • June 29, 2023

Coastal cities are sinking as sea levels are rising, increasing flood risks

Individual communities are limited in their ability to stop either phenomenon, experts say, but governments can take steps to minimize the flooding that might result.

By Adina Solomon • June 28, 2023

US will need to triple building retrofit rate to meet decarbonization targets: report

The report urges building owners and occupiers to strengthen their relationships, upskill the labor force and electrify major building systems to avoid a “brown discount” on lease negotiations.

By Joe Burns • June 26, 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 • June 22, 2023

When wildfires hit, homes built under fire-resistant codes are surviving. Communities are noticing.

Building code changes resulted in more saved homes in the 2018 Camp Fire in California. With more frequent, intense wildfires likely, Western communities are taking a look but hearing concerns about costs and property rights.

By Amanda Loudin • June 16, 2023

To reduce carbon footprint of existing buildings, Seattle proposes new standards

Mayor Bruce Harrell called the legislation “among the most impactful proposals [the city] can advance to reduce emissions.”

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 15, 2023