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

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

Gas industry drops legal challenge to heat pump requirement in Washington building code 0 dbarista Wed, 08/23/2023 - 13:59 Regulations Gas and construction industry groups recently moved to dismiss a lawsuit they had filed to block new Washington state building codes that require heat pumps in new residential and commercial construction. The lawsuit contended that the codes harm the industry groups’ business, interfere with consumer energy choice, and don’t comply with federal law.  Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The code mandates electrification of new residential and commercial ..read more

Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies 0 dbarista Mon, 06/26/2023 - 11:25 Green The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance ..read more

Luxury farm resort uses CLT framing and geothermal system to boost sustainability 0 dbarista Tue, 05/23/2023 - 15:08 Mass Timber Construction was recently completed on a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn., that is dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable, productive land use. With sustainability a key goal, The Inn and Spa at Southall was built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, and a geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The Middle Tennessee property is focused on agricultural innovation and re ..read more

Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building 0 dbarista Mon, 05/15/2023 - 13:50 Office Buildings This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The tower's innovative HVAC system fea ..read more

New health sciences center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling 0 dbarista Fri, 05/05/2023 - 12:07 University Buildings The recently topped off St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University in New York City will feature impressive green features including geothermal heating and cooling along with an array of rooftop solar panels. The geothermal field consists of 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground which will help to heat and cool the 70,000 sf structure. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor  Flexible room layouts will accommodate ..read more

Lendlease secures grants for New York’s largest geothermal residential building 0 dbarista Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:30 Geothermal Technology Lendlease and joint venture partner Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, have acquired $4 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build a geoexchange system at 1 Java Street in Brooklyn. Once completed, the all-electric property will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system. Lendlease The funding will support the geoexchange syst ..read more

New building accentuates Boston University’s commitment to data sciences and sustainability 0 jcaulfield Mon, 12/12/2022 - 17:05 Geothermal Technology The 19-story tower, in staggered blocks, is fossil-fuel free. John Caulfield, Senior Editor The 19-story tower, in staggered blocks, is fossil-fuel free. Geothermal Technology The Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences has opened on the college's Charles River campus as one of the most sustainable and energy efficient buildings in Massachusetts. The GC and construction management firm Suffolk, which is headquartered i ..read more

Google spinoff uses pay-as-you-go business model to spur growth in geothermal systems 0 dbarista Tue, 12/06/2022 - 06:07 Geothermal Technology Dandelion Energy is turning to a pay-as-you-go plan similar to rooftop solar panel leasing to help property owners afford geothermal heat pump systems. Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor Dandelion Energy is turning to a pay-as-you-go plan similar to rooftop solar panel leasing to help property owners afford geothermal heat pump systems. Contractors Designers Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects Engineers Facility Managers Architects Buil ..read more