Utah, Louisiana building code measures seek to build climate change resilience

The measures in both states follow a spate of forest fires.

By Nish Amarnath • July 25, 2023

Energy-efficient buildings save lives during extreme weather events: Department of Energy

Meeting or exceeding current codes can improve habitability by up to 140% during extreme heat events, a report found.

By Joe Burns • July 25, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Facilities Dive

Top 5 stories from Facilities Dive

By Facilities Dive staff

Climate tech startup Aeroseal nets $67M

The company said the funding, led by Climate Investment and Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, will be used to seal leaky air ducts in about 260,000 buildings per year by 2026.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

New York completes state’s largest rooftop solar project atop Medline distribution center

Governor Hochul says the 7.2-megawatt community solar project is expected to power over 1,600 homes and reduce energy costs for both Medline and local residents.

By Joe Burns • July 21, 2023

HVAC manufacturer Modine adds high-efficiency heating and cooling systems to K-12 portfolio

The new product line, slated to merge into the company’s distribution network, aims to help facilities managers install cost-efficient air systems.

By Nish Amarnath • July 21, 2023

Digital Realty picks IBM software to elevate ESG performance

IBM’s ESG suite is expected to accelerate sustainability goals through refined tracking, monitoring, analysis and reporting.

By Nish Amarnath • July 20, 2023

Feds award $2M to Penn College for workforce development

The college will match the investment, creating a $4 million budget for initiatives such as construction to add capacity for worker training programs.

By Megan Ruggles • July 19, 2023

Oregon plans to install 500,000 new heat pumps by 2030. Who’s going to do the work?

The state plans to provide developers, builders, contractors and technicians with technical training to install energy-efficient appliances.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 19, 2023

Johnson Controls buys FM:Systems to expand digital building capabilities

The $455 million acquisition is expected to strengthen Johnson Controls’ OpenBlue platform and ramp up its net-zero building capabilities with workplace management software.

By Joe Burns • July 18, 2023

Department of Energy awards ASHRAE $2.85M building code training grant

The initiative is expected to save four partner states more than $18.5 million by providing officials training to boost compliance with building energy codes.

By Joe Burns • July 17, 2023

JPMorgan transforms 27-year-old Polaris facility in Ohio into a smart building

The 2-million-square-foot building’s renovations involved installing almost 40,000 rooftop and carport solar modules, and will help achieve a 40% decarbonization target by 2030.

By Nish Amarnath • July 17, 2023

DOE awards $90M for greener building energy codes

The Energy Department says modernizing energy codes is one of the most cost-effective routes to improved energy efficiency in buildings and increased resilience to climate risk.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 17, 2023

Poppy releases air tracer system to help buildings meet new ASHRAE standard

The company’s BreatheScore Certify product measures the effectiveness of building ventilation within 20 minutes and provides data on compliance with ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols.

By Joe Burns • July 14, 2023

Northampton mulls adoption of energy efficient opt-in stretch code

The Massachusetts city is weighing the pros and cons of embracing a specialized stretch energy code to dissuade fossil fuel use in new building construction.

By Nish Amarnath • July 13, 2023

Fidelity Building Services snaps up ESC to meet sustainability demand

The acquisition will become part of Fidelity Energy & Sustainability, guiding its foray into the thriving New England energy market.

By Nish Amarnath • July 13, 2023

Financial woes prompt resistance to building code updates

Misgivings about expenses are fueling dissent against new building codes, which seek to aggressively curb emissions and fossil fuel consumption.

By Nish Amarnath • July 12, 2023

GSA selects nZero to track carbon emissions across its federal building portfolio

The company will provide real-time carbon management and accounting to help the federal government test novel and historical sustainability-focused building technologies.

By Joe Burns • July 12, 2023

US Green Building Council seeks votes on LEED update through open ballot

While USGBC committees develop LEED v5, the ballot for the LEED v4 energy update, open through August 10, is set for release in January 2024.

By Nish Amarnath • July 12, 2023

Colorado Clean Energy Fund launches low-interest financing for commercial LED upgrades

The 3.45% interest rate financing, part of a partnership with the National Energy Improvement Fund, aims to entice commercial entities to upgrade their lighting systems.

By Joe Burns • July 11, 2023

Choice Hotels on how sustainable practices can help hotels cut costs, drive revenue

The hotel brand has set a goal to roll out an automated utility tracking dashboard to 100% of its managed and owned hotels and 90% of its franchised hotels by 2025.

By Jenna Walters • July 11, 2023

LaGuardia taps Leviton to update Terminal B facilities

Airport officials are working with lighting manufacturer Leviton to upgrade LaGuardia’s Terminal B facilities to keep up with passenger demand and energy code requirements.

By Nish Amarnath • July 11, 2023

USPS facility closures disrupt mail services across multiple states

Amid climate risks, safety concerns and building renovations, the U.S. Postal Service’s suspensions in Alaska, Washington, Rhode Island and Ohio come on the heels of closures across seven states in June.

By Nish Amarnath • July 10, 2023

Optimum Energy and Tignis join forces for embedded smart building HVAC solution

The multi-year partnership will leverage AI to help identify operational anomalies, potentially resulting in more efficient energy use in manufacturing processes and smart buildings.

By Joe Burns • July 10, 2023

From power to pharma, companies need better carbon emissions reporting

The key to progress is interoperability, or the ability to compare, share and use information across greenhouse gas accounting and reporting systems.

By Liv Watson and Marian Van Pelt • July 10, 2023

Emcor bolsters energy efficiency operations with ECM acquisition

The transaction brings specialized retrofit services and $60 million in estimated 2023 revenue to the engineering and construction company.

By Joe Burns • July 7, 2023