The historic carriage houses of Brooklyn Heights stand as architectural gems from a bygone era, but their brick masonry shells and single-glazed windows make them energy sieves by modern standards. When architect Michael Ingui of Baxt Ingui Architects took on the challenge of transforming one such 19th-century carriage house into a high-performance home, the goal […]
The construction industry has long been criticized for its slow pace of innovation. While other sectors have undergone rapid digital transformation and material evolution, the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) world has often lagged behind. However, a powerful shift is underway. As Paul Hawken described in his book Blessed Unrest, we are witnessing an unprecedented
The push toward net-zero construction has created a new challenge for architects, contractors, and developers: finding the right materials for high-performance buildings. Traditional supply chains were not designed for the specialized requirements of Passive House design, where thermal performance, airtightness, and embodied carbon matter as much as cost and availability. As the building industry races
The building industry stands at a pivotal crossroads where energy performance standards are rapidly evolving. While Passive House certification has set a remarkable benchmark for energy-efficient construction, forward-thinking architects and builders are now asking what comes next. The principles of ultra-low energy building remain essential, but the conversation is shifting toward regenerative design, net-zero carbon
New York State has set some of the most ambitious climate targets in the United States through its Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, commonly known as the Climate Act. For building professionals, these goals translate into real changes in how structures are designed, constructed, and operated. The push for zero-emissions new construction, the phase-out
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 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
