Buildings & Design: Page 9

  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposed 2024-25 state budget on Jan. 10, 2024.
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    Retrieved from California Governor Gavin Newsom/YouTube.
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    Climate funding takes hit in California governor’s 2024 budget proposal

    Transit funding, however, was relatively unscathed in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2024-25 fiscal year budget, which represents $20 billion in cuts from last year.

    By • Jan. 11, 2024
  • Dollar bills and finance and banking on digital stock market financial exchange
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    What 2024 may hold for municipal bonds, a ‘crucial financing tool for cities’

    Interest rate trends, investor demand and the 2024 elections could all impact the municipal bond market, according to finance experts.

    By Gaby Galvin • Jan. 11, 2024
  • A hand holding a pencil hovers over model buildings and windmills. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Trendline

    Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards

    Cities are using these levers to meet climate goals and address everything from data centers to building decarbonization.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • Looking down a city street lined with colorful houses, trees, cars and power lines.
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    New buildings that use natural gas lose final utility subsidy in California

    Incentives that indirectly help expand the gas system don’t align with the state’s climate goals, the California Public Utilities Commission said.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 9, 2024
  • An artistic rendering of a building which is transitioning from fossil fuel use to renewable sources like solar panels
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    To define zero emissions for buildings, Biden administration seeks input

    Feb. 5 is the deadline to submit information on Part 1 of the definition, which addresses operating emissions, including those from tenants.

    By Nish Amarnath • Jan. 5, 2024
  • Aerial shot of high-rise buildings in a downtown
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    Office-to-residential conversions raise questions at the curb

    Plan for changes to parking use and curbside activity when approving office-to-residential or office-to-retail conversion, experts say.

    By Amanda Loudin • Jan. 5, 2024
  • Teal and orange color of NYC midtown view and the East river from Roosevelt Island
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    NYC starts first compliance period for building emissions reduction law

    Even though 89% of covered buildings are set to meet 2024 emissions targets, building owners must act promptly to achieve 2030 goals, experts say. 

    By Nish Amarnath • Jan. 4, 2024
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    Federal court won’t reconsider decision to overturn Berkeley, California, natural gas ban

    The denial of the city’s request for a rehearing left the court divided, with a strong dissent by 11 judges. 

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 2, 2024
  • Upward-facing shot of tall buildings and blue sky
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    What US cities could look like in 2024: 6 predictions

    Safer, greener communities with more housing, greater civic participation, and diversified downtowns are what these experts envision for the coming year.

    By the Smart Cities Dive Team • Jan. 2, 2024
  • natural gas stove flame
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    "Stove flame" by Paul Kretek is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Legal threats to city, state natural gas bans: A timeline

    A Maryland county’s law requiring building standards that mandate all-electric buildings is under fire from business and labor groups and a gas utility.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Updated Oct. 30, 2024
  • A view of the Statue of Liberty against the New York City skyline with a backdrop of the World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan high-rise buildings
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    NYC releases second set of final rules for Local Law 97 implementation

    The rules define what a good-faith effort to decarbonize is, create a framework for retroactive enforcement, limit the use of renewable energy credits and more.

    By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 20, 2023
  • The James V. Forrestal Building Building, the headquarters of the United States Department of Energy, in downtown Washington, DC at sunset.
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    $530M in building code technical assistance grants available from DOE

    The grants will support a wide range of energy code and building performance standards activities, including workforce development, by state, local and tribal governments.

    By Joe Burns • Dec. 20, 2023
  • An artistic rendering of a sustainable building representing the concept of corporate goals for net-zero emissions by 2050.
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    To be truly net-zero, buildings must buy 100% renewable energy, global council says

    A globally consistent definition of net-zero buildings is needed, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development says, while market commentators decry carbon compliance ambiguities.

    By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 18, 2023
  • Sun setting above the Phoenix city skyline.
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    Shutterstock/ f11photo

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    Sponsored by Rubicon

    Cities: Our time is now

    In recent years, cities have faced myriad challenges. Technological advancements in government operations and significant federal investment into cities are driving transformative change.

    Dec. 18, 2023
  • Aerial shot of Manhattan
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    Drew Angerer/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    More climate-friendly housing, faster, is the goal of NYC proposal to speed environmental reviews

    Each eligible housing project could save an average of $100,000 and two years of review time, the city estimates.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 14, 2023
  • The Seattle skyline, featuring the Space Needle and skyscrapers.
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    Seattle requires large buildings to zero out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

    As building performance standards gain traction nationwide, Seattle’s policy is the city’s most ambitious plan ever to reduce building emissions, the City Council said.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 13, 2023
  • The Statue of Liberty stands in the foreground as Lower Manhattan is viewed at dusk, September 8, 2016 in New York City
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    NYC overhauls zoning to boost renewables, electrification

    The “City of Yes” initiative, which took effect Dec. 11, is among the most significant zoning changes in New York City's history, the city's chief climate officer said.

    By Joe Burns and Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 12, 2023
  • Young businessman working alone at his desk on desktop computer in an open space modern coworking office.
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    Fully remote work plummets, EY finds

    The move away from full-time remote work is welcome news for the corporate real estate sector, but organizations face challenges in optimizing office space for their needs, the consulting firm said.

    By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 12, 2023
  • A Resideo smart thermostat mounted on a wall of a home.
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    Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
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    Ford, Resideo to study how EVs can power homes

    The automaker and smart home product company will test how Ford’s future electric vehicle batteries can reduce home energy costs.

    By Eric Walz • Dec. 12, 2023
  • A technician connects cable on a solar rooftop array.
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    Warehouse roofs house New Jersey’s largest rooftop community solar project to date

    The two installations will provide more than 1,400 nearby homes with discounted solar energy.

    By Joe Burns • Dec. 11, 2023
  • Interior renovation of an existing building
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    Existing building stock challenges decarbonization goals

    New construction codes that don’t align with performance standards for existing buildings pose a “serious problem,” said Sustainable Energy Partnerships’ managing director at an ASHRAE conference.

    By Joe Burns • Dec. 8, 2023
  • Closeup of a sign reading "United Nations Climate Change COP28 UAE" with blurred groups of people standing in the background
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    Sean Gallup/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    HUD announces new building decarbonization efforts at COP28

    As the U.S. pledges to make near-zero-emissions buildings the “new normal” by 2030, the housing agency is teaming up with other departments for access to the best available data and research.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 7, 2023
  • A person on a ladder reaches over to repair an air conditioning unit on a house
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Cooling cities while reducing emissions: 3 takeaways from UN report

    Increasing air conditioning and refrigeration needs threaten to drive up greenhouse gas emissions, pushing experts to recommend more passive solutions in a Dec. 5 report.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 6, 2023
  • Silhouette of hills and light emanating from faraway buildings under starry night sky
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    3 communities turning to the dark side with dark-sky retrofits

    Reducing light pollution has tourism, sustainability, safety and health benefits, proponents say.

    By Kalena Thomhave • Dec. 4, 2023
  • A sustainable green coworking office space
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    Demand for sustainable buildings outstripping supply, JLL says

    Rising demand has led to an over 7% rental premium on green-certified office buildings across major U.S. and Canadian markets, with significant variations from city to city.

    By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 30, 2023
  • Rendering of Mutual of Omaha's $600 million tower in downtown Omaha, Nebraska
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    Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha
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    Office construction may never return to pre-pandemic levels

    Despite some massive office towers breaking ground, the chief economist for a construction analytics firm expects starts in the sector to continue to tumble.

    By Sebastian Obando • Nov. 29, 2023