Fully electric Oregon elementary school aims for net-zero carbon and resiliency 0 dbarista Tue, 04/30/2024 - 13:16 K-12 Schools The River Grove Elementary School in Oregon was designed for net-zero carbon and resiliency to seismic events, storms, and wildfire. The roughly 82,000-sf school in a Portland suburb will feature a microgrid—a small-scale power grid that operates independently from the area’s electric grid.  Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor River Grove Elementary School is one of the first American schools to feature a microgrid design. Education Facilities K-12 Schools ..read more

ICC eliminates building electrification provisions from 2024 update 0 dbarista Fri, 04/12/2024 - 10:41 Codes and Standards The International Code Council stripped out provisions from the 2024 update to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that would have included beefed up circuitry for hooking up electric appliances and car chargers. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor Unexpected move provokes controversy in codes development process Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects Engineers Facility Managers Architects Building Owners Codes and Standards ..read more

First federal blueprint to decarbonize U.S. buildings sector released 0 dbarista Mon, 04/08/2024 - 13:33 Codes and Standards The Biden Administration recently released “Decarbonizing the U.S. Economy by 2050: A National Blueprint for the Buildings Sector,” a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from buildings by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The plan outlines pathways to reduce emissions 90% in buildings sector by 2050. Codes and Standards Regulations Standards Green Green Specifications Sustainability Sustainable Development Sust ..read more

LEED v5 released for public comment 0 dbarista Mon, 04/08/2024 - 13:33 Green The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for the first draft of LEED v5. The new version of the LEED green building rating system will drive deep decarbonization, quality of life improvements, and ecological conservation and restoration, USGBC says.  Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor New iteration promotes deep decarbonization, quality of life improvement, ecological conservation, and restoration. Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects ..read more

Boston’s plans to hold back rising seawater stall amid real estate slowdown 0 dbarista Mon, 04/08/2024 - 13:33 Codes and Standards Boston has placed significant aspects of its plan to protect the city from rising sea levels on the actions of private developers. Amid a post-Covid commercial development slump, though, efforts to build protective infrastructure have stalled. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor Dependence on private developers halts projects that include berms, sea walls. Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects Engineers Facility Managers Architec ..read more

World’s first TRUE-certified building project completed in California 0 dbarista Thu, 03/21/2024 - 14:45 Sustainability GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The new laboratory and office campus construction achieved a 98% waste diversion rate. Laboratories Office Buildin ..read more

New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan aims for building decarbonization 0 dbarista Tue, 03/05/2024 - 13:11 Green New York City’s recently revealed Green Economy Action Plan includes the goals of the decarbonization of buildings and developing a renewable energy system. The ambitious plan includes enabling low-carbon alternatives in the transportation sector and boosting green industries, aiming to create more than 12,000 green economy apprenticeships by 2040. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The climate initiative includes $100 million for the development of a Climate Innovation Hub ..read more

Nine states pledge to transition to heat pumps for residential HVAC and water heating 0 dbarista Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:00 MFPRO+ News Nine states have signed a joint agreement to accelerate the transition to residential building electrification by significantly expanding heat pump sales to meet heating, cooling, and water heating demand. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by directors of environmental agencies from California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.  Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The states will develop an ..read more

DOE releases RFI on developing national definition for a Zero Emissions Building 0 dbarista Mon, 01/08/2024 - 10:42 Green The Department of Energy released a Request for Information (RFI) for feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on a draft national definition for a Zero Emissions Building. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The project is intended to help move the building sector to zero emissions. Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects Engineers Facility Managers Architects Building Owners Code ..read more

WSP unveils scenario-planning online game 0 dbarista Fri, 12/22/2023 - 09:12 Sustainability WSP has released a scenario-planning online game to help organizations achieve sustainable development goals while expanding awareness about climate change. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The scenario-planning game helps organizations achieve sustainable development goals and increase awareness about climate change. Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects Engineers Facility Managers Architects Building Owners Codes and Standards Energy Energy Efficiency Green Green ..read more