Buildings & Design

  • An intersection in Washington, DC, showing two facades of an office building about seven stories tall.
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    "1625 Massachusetts Avenue NW.jpg" by APK is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Office-to-housing conversions grew 28% last year

    New York City led other cities in converted residential units by a wide margin, followed by Washington, D.C., and Chicago, according to RentCafe.

    By • March 30, 2026
  • A rendering shows an aerial view of a professional baseball stadium.
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    Retrieved from Tampa Bay Rays on March 09, 2026
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    Tampa Bay Rays unveil plans for $2.3B ballpark, mixed-use development

    The Major League Baseball franchise has long sought a new home. Last week it published video renderings that depict a 31,000-seat venue anchoring a “walkable, retail-rich district."

    By Zachary Phillips • March 10, 2026
  • A hand holding a pencil hovers over model buildings and windmills. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Trendline

    Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards

    Cities are using these levers to meet climate goals and address everything from data centers to building decarbonization.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • geothermal, 1515 Surf, LCOR, Ecosave
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    Courtesy of Ecosave
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    Brooklyn project shows feasibility of using geothermal in dense urban areas

    Although installation costs are higher than for conventional systems, geothermal is cheaper over the long term, project consultants say.

    By Robert Freedman • March 4, 2026
  • People stand near a stone building with two doors with the words Women and Men above them surrounded by spring foliage.
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    After years of delays, NYC makes $4M bet on modular public toilets

    New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the plan to deliver 20 to 30 new portable, self-cleaning units this year will ensure people can “travel through our city with a little less anxiety.”

    By Danielle McLean • March 3, 2026
  • Heat pumps sit on the side of a brick building.
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    Oregon mandates heat pumps in new housing

    The update to the state’s residential energy code could save residents of housing built after the change an average of $125 a month in energy costs, an analysis found.

    By • Feb. 19, 2026
  • Large room with windows on one side and stacks of books on another and a long table with several chairs along the window wall.
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    Libraries are central to community life. Many are in aging buildings that are falling apart.

    Most U.S. library buildings face deferred maintenance, aging systems and limited funding options that put core civic services at risk, a new GAO report found.

    By Vicky Uhland • Updated Feb. 13, 2026
  • stock photo with a city background and charts in squares
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    iStock.com / artisteer

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    Sponsored by Avolve

    Why local governments need real-time plan review performance insights

    Learn how local governments are moving from after-the-fact reports to live, executive-ready insight.

    By Natasha Geldard • Jan. 20, 2026
  • City skyline with high rises.
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    With zoning and regulatory changes, cities aim to spur housing growth

    The goals include increased housing density and quicker and cheaper construction. Read how Dallas’ approach stacks up against what experts see coming this year.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
  • Aerial view of city buildings and lights at night.
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    Getty Images
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    14 predictions about what 2026 may hold for cities

    AI, infrastructure needs and shifting mobility patterns will shape how cities function in 2026, experts say.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 7, 2026
  • Construction on the Hudson Gateway Tunnel project
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    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    NYC expands project labor agreements for more than $7B in city projects

    The new agreements aim to standardize labor rules, embed community hiring requirements and streamline capital delivery for projects including recreation centers, schools and water infrastructure.

    By Sebastian Obando • Dec. 5, 2025
  • data center energy management, UC Riverside,
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    Smart permitting, phase-out of diesel generators could curb data center impacts

    A look at what’s happening in California shows that even in an environmentally progressive state, unhealthy emissions and resource depletion are problems needing a solution, an academic report says.

    By Robert Freedman • Dec. 3, 2025
  • A rendering of a remodeled office / modern apartment
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    Getty Images
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    Adaptive reuse projects accelerate, driven by schools, offices

    Chicago is leading the nation in conversions, as the pipeline for these projects has increased 19% across the U.S, according to RentCafe.

    By Joe Burns • Dec. 1, 2025
  • Rendering of a tall building with many windows and a glass awning with neon letters that say UNDERGROUND.
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    Permission granted by Page, now Stantec
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    The World Cup is coming to Atlanta, spurring a historic district’s rebirth

    With new pedestrian zones, adaptive reuse projects and a focus on local business, Underground Atlanta aims to make downtown thrive long after the soccer fans have gone home.

    By • Nov. 25, 2025
  • A person sits on a wooden bench on the grass with houses behind.
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    Permission granted by Anderson York
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    There was no place for his family to sit. Now the ‘Bench Mench’ has installed 22 benches in Indianapolis.

    Anderson York calls his DIY project “a little bit of good mischief.” 

    By Vicky Uhland • Nov. 20, 2025
  • A person carrying a wet dog wades through a flooded street while two people look on.
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    Andy Manis via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Building climate-resilient communities: The case for performance-based codes

    As communities face increasingly severe climate-related disasters, a shift to performance-based building codes is one of the most effective tools they have for protecting against future natural catastrophes and reinforcing community resilience.

    By Charlie Sidoti • Nov. 18, 2025
  • A shot of a building during daylight from an angle, in front of a green lawn.
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    Courtesy of Michigan State University
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    Michigan bets on mass timber to build economy and shrink carbon footprint

    A new state grant program aims to accelerate adoption of renewable building materials across public and private projects.

    By Matthew Thibault • Nov. 4, 2025
  • A man framing the roof of a small cabin
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    Building a granny flat or tiny house in Charlotte, North Carolina? The city might spot you up to $80K.

    Housing-strapped Charlotte is loaning homeowners money to build smaller rental accessory dwelling units on their properties.

    By • Oct. 27, 2025
  • Aerial shot of high-rise buildings in a downtown
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    Getty Images
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    New York City is having an office-to-housing conversion boom. Could Chicago be next?

    Chicago has a higher downtown office vacancy rate than the Big Apple. Housing advocates say those buildings could help address the affordable housing shortage.

    By • Oct. 20, 2025
  • Rendering of stadium surrounded by city.
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    Permission granted by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group
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    Stadiums

    As stadium boom resumes, ‘private funding’ often comes with public strings

    Cities eager to tout privately financed sports stadiums are still spending big through tax breaks, land deals and public financing that shift costs back to taxpayers.

    By Vicky Uhland • Oct. 20, 2025
  • A crowd of people gather on the front steps of an older multistory building decorated with blue banners.
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    Bill Pugliano via Getty Images
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    Detroit to build new multimodal transportation hub

    The proposed intercity bus and Amtrak station next to the restored Michigan Central Station “will grow our regional economy,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

    By • Oct. 17, 2025
  • An aerial view of a city with mountains in the distance
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    Getty Images
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    Stairway to housing? This California city legalized single-staircase apartments

    Culver City, California, joins a growing number of cities rethinking two-staircase building code requirements, a move advocates say could boost affordable housing development.

    By • Oct. 16, 2025
  • Scaffolds covering a building in New York City.
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    Getty Images
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    Zoning reforms, tax incentives help drive NYC’s office-to-housing boom

    Office conversions have nearly tripled as the city takes action to address a housing shortage and historically high office vacancy rates.

    By Joe Burns • Oct. 9, 2025
  • Low angle view of a modern style apartment building, with lots of windows on a sunny, cloudy day
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    Getty Images
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    Modern multifamily buildings see ‘far better fire safety outcomes’ than other housing types, Pew report finds

    Fire deaths in modern multifamily homes occur at one-fourth the rate of those in modern single-family homes, the report found.

    By • Oct. 1, 2025
  • Rows of seated people facing a stage and large screen showing a woman speaking.
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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    Top smart city conferences in 2026

    Technology, housing, climate action, transportation, public safety and more take center stage at events for local government leaders in 2026.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Updated Jan. 29, 2026
  • A curved wall of windows with concrete between them.
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    Getty Images
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    5 forces driving building retrofits and how cities can lead the shift

    With nearly 1.5 billion square feet of aging stock in sustainability-focused markets, local governments are positioned to accelerate decarbonization, a JLL report finds.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025