The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we think about the spaces where we live. As millions spent more time indoors than ever before, the quality of housing suddenly became a public health issue rather than just a comfort concern. This shift has brought renewed attention to housing retrofits, particularly those guided by Passive House standards. Unlike […]
The earth’s average temperature has risen by about 1.1°C since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, driven primarily by human activities that release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The construction and operation of buildings accounts for nearly 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making the residential building sector a critical
The home energy efficiency market has long struggled with an equity gap. Publicly subsidized programs aimed at electrifying and decarbonizing homes, including those funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, have predominantly served single-family homeowners. Renters and low-income households, who stand to benefit the most from lower utility bills and healthier indoor environments, are often left
Municipal governments across the United States are racing to decarbonize their operations, from electrifying commercial buildings and retrofitting homes to transitioning public transit away from fossil fuels. The gap between ambition and execution remains wide. A clean energy transition on a citywide scale is a massive logistical, financial, and political undertaking. It requires legislative support,
Not long ago, identifying greenwashing was a simple exercise. When BP ran its “Beyond Petroleum” campaign or Dupont touted environmental stewardship, the gap between rhetoric and reality was wide enough to drive a truck through. Those were the days when greenwashing meant making outright false or laughably misleading claims about environmental benefits. Today, the landscape
The World Economic Forum selects 100 early- to growth-stage startups each year as part of its Technology Pioneers program, spotlighting innovations across climate science, renewable energy, decarbonization, and healthcare. The 2024 cohort spans 23 countries with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and smart-energy solutions. Among these pioneers are three companies developing technologies that directly
The building and construction industry stands at a critical crossroads. For decades, architects and builders have focused almost exclusively on operational energy the energy consumed by heating, cooling, and lighting buildings after they are occupied. Yet a growing body of research reveals that this narrow focus overlooks an equally significant problem: the carbon emitted during
Wildfires pose an increasing threat to communities across the United States, particularly in regions where suburban development pushes into fire-prone wildlands. Prolonged drought, rising temperatures, and expanding populations at the wildland-urban interface have created conditions where catastrophic fire events are not a question of if, but when. The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) provides a
The City of Minneapolis comprehensive plan, known as Minneapolis 2040, has had a dramatic journey through the legal system since its adoption in 2018. After being temporarily halted by a court injunction in 2023, the plan was reinstated in May 2024 following both a state legislative intervention and a court of appeals ruling. This ambitious
Corporate sustainability reporting has become a defining practice for forward-thinking companies, yet its application within the construction and building industry remains uneven. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) tracking offers construction firms a structured way to measure carbon emissions, monitor labor practices, and ensure regulatory compliance across project lifecycles. While the concept of sustainability reporting is
