Housing density in Los Angeles could help climate change fight

Reducing the number of vehicles on the road is one outcome of infill projects, per a report from nonprofit Next 10 and the University of California, Berkeley.

By Katy Tomasulo • March 30, 2017

Q&A: Former Autodesk CEO Carol Bartz on the past, present and future of construction tech

As the AEC software giant grows and the industry embraces mobile, smaller third-party providers will continue to play a critical role.

By Hallie Busta • March 29, 2017

PlanIT Impact launches cloud-based building-performance assessment tool

The initiative makes public data available for energy modeling while opening the cost and resource consumption software to more users.

By Hallie Busta • March 29, 2017

NYC's first WELL Building certification awarded to Structure Tone headquarters

With input from architect Gensler, the company was able to address all of WELL's core performance categories.

By Kim Slowey • March 16, 2017

St. Patrick's Cathedral moves to geothermal for temperature control

The upgrade to the New York cathedral's heating and cooling system is just one of several updates bringing the landmark's amenities up to 21st century standards.

By Chris Wood • March 15, 2017

HI developer breaks ground on off-grid housing community

The project will feature energy efficiency as one of the hallmarks of its design — a trend that is growing in popularity with builders and homeowners.

By Sean Barry • March 15, 2017

Builders eye certifications, products for greener homes

Low-e windows, efficient HVAC systems and smart thermostats are the most common green products today, per a National Association of Home Builders report.

By Sean Barry • March 14, 2017

The first BREEAM USA In-Use certified building is a CA shopping mall

The 1.3 million-square-foot retail facility was upgraded with energy efficient systems to meet the new benchmarking standard for existing buildings.

By Kim Slowey • March 13, 2017

Developer cancels plans for wooden tower in NYC

SHoP Architects' 10-story condo building had won a 2015 USDA contest showcasing mass timber design. 

By Kim Slowey • March 10, 2017

Mortenson tapped to build $1B Xcel Energy wind farm in CO

The 300-turbine wind farm at Rush Creek will be the largest such single-phase facility in North America.

By Kim Slowey • March 10, 2017

Activity-based workplace design boosts employee well-being

Task-specific workstations, private spaces and modular design are key to increased productivity according to a white paper from Perkins Eastman and Three H.

By Chris Wood • March 8, 2017

VA considers energy-efficiency update to residential building code

Homebuilders are pushing back on the move to change the state's model code for new residential construction.

By Sean Barry • March 8, 2017

Property Markets Group plans luxe student apartments for Chicago's University Village

U will target the neighborhood's student population with amenities such as co-working space, a yoga room, a communal kitchen and a roof deck.

By Sean Barry • March 3, 2017

Microsoft tests deep-sea data centers for energy-efficient cooling, security

Submerging servers in oxygen-free pods could significantly reduce construction and cooling costs while lowering the equipment's vulnerability to attack.

By Chris Wood • March 1, 2017

MIT startup Sistine Solar debuts camouflaging photovoltaics

The race to make residential rooftop solar systems more visually appealing — a factor, along with cost, that has been holding back adoption — continues.

By Sean Barry • March 1, 2017

Home appraisals to include energy rating scores

The Residential Energy Services Network and the Appraisal Institute will add Home Energy Rating System scores to appraisals, which could help finance green design.

By Sean Barry • Feb. 28, 2017

Lancaster, CA adds power requirement to rooftop solar rule

New houses in the city already must have solar panels, unless builders pay an opt-out fee. Now, those systems must average 2 watts per square foot.

By Sean Barry • Feb. 24, 2017

Report: Lack of data preventing sports venue energy savings

The National Institute of Building Sciences said a scarcity of benchmarking data is holding back conservation efforts at the nation's 1,500 sports facilities.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 17, 2017

Balfour Beatty scores $100M TX school contract

The project, which breaks ground this spring, follows the growing trend of new schools focusing on sustainable design.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 16, 2017

New CO2-eating concrete takes less energy to produce

The process to make the material's production less energy intensive continues, specifically around aggregate production.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Metamaterial film could change the game for cool-roof technology

The residential rooftop continues to draw the attention of energy researchers looking to maximize and minimize the heating and power possibilities from the sun.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Researchers push for life-cycle analysis of net-zero water systems

As the world's groundwater supply draws lower, water recycling needs optimization within and beyond buildings.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

German researchers develop low-glare LEDs for streetlighting

An innovation in circuitry leads to a high-efficiency lighting array that can help the new lighting technology make inroads in residential areas.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Get the LED out: Builders warm to new lighting tech, but challenges remain

Lighting is a key conduit of the smart-home features consumers crave, but price and perception woes are keeping LED lamps and fixtures off the spec list.

By Jeff Marcus • Feb. 15, 2017

LG kicks off $300M NJ headquarters project

The electronics giant will pursue LEED Gold certification for the 350,000-square-foot building and expects to employ 2,000 construction workers between now and 2019.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 14, 2017