Buildings & Design: Page 5

  • An aerial view depicts acres of homes and land burned and destroyed by wildfire.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    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
  • Close-up of lit gas stove.
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    FotoCuisinette via Getty Images
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    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 • Sept. 11, 2023
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendline➔
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    jamesteohart via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 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 in 2024.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • Close up of looping layers of concrete.
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    Courtesy of RCAM Technologies
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    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
  • A lone piece of heavy machinery looms on a flat construction site. It's evening, and the ground is paved tile.
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    Permission granted by Indiana Convention Center
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    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
  • A cityscape with sustainable buildings that include solar panels, wind turbines and green roofs
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    Eoneren via Getty Images
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    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
  • Aerial shot of street with sun mural and sports courts
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    Permission granted by GAF
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    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 • Sept. 5, 2023
  • A person walks past the entrance the PS 179 school building on November 19, 2020 in New York City.
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    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    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
  • Aerial view of a long bridge with triangular arches spanning a large body of water.
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    The image by Komzet is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Q&A

    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
  • Aerial shot of waterfront parks and city skyline
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    SEASTOCK via Getty Images
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    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 • Aug. 29, 2023
  • Two people install rooftop solar on a building. One person is holding the panel and the other person is holding a drill.
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    Joe Raedle/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    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 • Aug. 28, 2023
  • Twin multi-lane, open bridges filled with cars span a bright blue body of water.
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    The image by Tobias Haase is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    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
  • A rendering of a two story building with a glass facade at sunset.
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    Courtesy of Skanska | Emersion Design
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    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
  • The Colorado flag waves in the breeze in front of an American flag.
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    rarrarorro via Getty Images
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    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
  • A photo of people dining outside.
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    Byron Smith/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
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    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
  • Housing on a residential street with city skyline in background.
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    DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images
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    Boston grants aim to lower carbon footprint of affordable housing

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

    By • Aug. 16, 2023
  • A tall building obscured behind a tree.
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    Moeru Matsunoo via Getty Images
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    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
  • The Executive Order harnesses new capital investments to drive decarbonization by retrofitting or constructing fossil-fuel-free buildings.
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    Sean Pavone via Getty Images
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    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
  • A shift to remote work has softened the demand for office space, accelerating the need for commercial-to-residential conversions.
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    Fang Xia Nuo via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    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
  • A row of green bicycles on a rack next to a sidewalk.
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    Diy13 via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    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
  • A man speaks at a podium with out of focus construction machinery behind him.
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    Courtesy of Office of Gov. Josh Shapiro
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    $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
  • A red construction frame in front of a high-rise building under construction.
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    JARAMA via Getty Images
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    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
  • U.S. flag reflects on the glass facade of the DOE.
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    Timothy Epple via Getty Images
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    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
  • New building codes targeting net-zero and climate goals are placing substantial strain on facilities managers whose roles have traditionally focused on keeping buildings safe and secure.
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    Porcorex via Getty Images
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    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
  • An exterior shot of an Indeed office building.
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    Screenshot: Google Maps

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    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
  • Electric vehicles charge under a solar panel.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    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