New York State has positioned itself at the forefront of climate action in the United States, with ambitious targets set forth in its Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Among the most consequential aspects of this legislation are the provisions targeting the building sector, which accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions across […]
As the building industry moves toward more rigorous environmental standards, fenestration manufacturers are increasingly publishing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs) for their core products. These third-party verified documents provide transparent data about the environmental and health impacts of windows and doors across their entire life cycle. For builders, architects, and specifiers,
Embarking on a journey into biomaterials for construction can feel overwhelming, yet the path is more accessible than many builders expect. Biomaterials typically include agricultural residues like straw, purpose-grown crops such as bamboo and hemp, timber from sustainably managed forests, and innovative lab-grown materials like algae-based composites. These materials capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
The intersection of affordable housing and high-performance building standards has long been seen as a difficult pairing. Tight budgets, strict timelines, and the need for rapid housing production often push energy efficiency targets to the bottom of the priority list. Yet a Canadian charitable organization called Indwell has proven that this trade-off is not only
The construction industry has long been at the mercy of weather, labor shortages, and unpredictable project timelines. In a polar vortex, extended hard freeze, steady rainfall, extreme heat, or a global pandemic, construction often slows down or can come to a complete halt. With the rise of panelization, the rules of engagement are changing rapidly.
Deep energy retrofits represent one of the most effective strategies for reducing carbon emissions from existing building stock, yet cost-effective implementation remains a significant challenge. The Passive House Institute recognized this difficulty by creating EnerPHit certification specifically for phased retrofit projects. In response, NYSERDA has been pioneering industrialized retrofit approaches modeled on the Dutch Energiesprong
The gap between designing an energy-efficient industrial retrofit and actually building it has long been one of the most stubborn challenges in the construction industry. Unlike new construction, where every element can be optimized from the ground up, retrofitting an operational industrial facility demands careful coordination between existing constraints and modern performance standards. A roundtable
Massachusetts has emerged as a national leader in Passive House design and construction, driven by two state-level incentive programs that reshaped the economics of high-performance multifamily building. Since 2018, targeted grants from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and performance-based incentives from Mass Save have spurred developers to embrace Passive House certification for affordable and market-rate
The building industry is navigating a moment of rapid change. Rising energy costs, stricter environmental targets, and more frequent extreme weather events are forcing designers and contractors to rethink how buildings perform under real-world conditions. Material supply chains remain unpredictable, labor shortages persist, and project budgets are under constant pressure. Yet within this turbulence lies
As climate change intensifies, buildings designed under outdated assumptions about weather stability are proving dangerously inadequate. Rising global temperatures, more frequent heatwaves, and aging energy infrastructure are combining to create conditions where conventional buildings can become uninhabitable during extended power outages. The concept of thermal insulation in buildings is no longer just about energy savings
