Climate & Resilience: Page 11
-
Los Angeles commercial waste system at a crossroads amid contract renegotiation
The recycLA program has seen positive results, but haulers are lagging on diversion targets and organics service. The city, while trying to amend the program, could issue a new RFP or even take over service itself.
By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 22, 2023 -
DOE allocates $40M for energy audit training
The funds aim to help states upskill a workforce that will evaluate energy efficiency to help building owners save money and combat climate change.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 22, 2023 -
Trendline
Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
EPA picks 11 ‘grantmakers’ to dole out $600M for environmental justice projects
By selecting community-based organizations as pass-through entities for grants, the Environmental Protection Agency says it is reducing barriers to federal funding.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 22, 2023 -
Gas industry sues DOE over new furnace efficiency rule, citing cost and other concerns
The new rule will require gas furnaces to be 95% efficient, but the American Gas Association and other stakeholders say it effectively bans a product class and will drive prices higher for many consumers.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2023 -
$530M in building code technical assistance grants available from DOE
The grants will support a wide range of energy code and building performance standards activities, including workforce development, by state, local and tribal governments.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 20, 2023 -
Microgrids can drive resiliency, efficiency and profitability: JLL
Government buildings and healthcare facilities are among those that can benefit most significantly from microgrids, the report says.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 19, 2023 -
Senators call for changes to ‘inefficient’ disaster recovery funding program
The status quo leaves disaster-struck communities in the lurch as they wait for Congress to OK recovery funds, experts said at a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 18, 2023 -
To be truly net-zero, buildings must buy 100% renewable energy, global council says
A globally consistent definition of net-zero buildings is needed, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development says, while market commentators decry carbon compliance ambiguities.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 18, 2023 -
More climate-friendly housing, faster, is the goal of NYC proposal to speed environmental reviews
Each eligible housing project could save an average of $100,000 and two years of review time, the city estimates.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 14, 2023 -
Seattle requires large buildings to zero out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
As building performance standards gain traction nationwide, Seattle’s policy is the city’s most ambitious plan ever to reduce building emissions, the City Council said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 13, 2023 -
NYC overhauls zoning to boost renewables, electrification
The “City of Yes” initiative, which took effect Dec. 11, is among the most significant zoning changes in New York City's history, the city's chief climate officer said.
By Joe Burns and Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 12, 2023 -
For climate resilience, housing is ‘the name of the game’ in this fast-growing US city
Population is booming in Jacksonville, Florida, but to avoid putting people at increased risk, the city is eyeing paradigm shifts in development patterns.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 11, 2023 -
Warehouse roofs house New Jersey’s largest rooftop community solar project to date
The two installations will provide more than 1,400 nearby homes with discounted solar energy.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 11, 2023 -
Existing building stock challenges decarbonization goals
New construction codes that don’t align with performance standards for existing buildings pose a “serious problem,” said Sustainable Energy Partnerships’ managing director at an ASHRAE conference.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 8, 2023 -
HUD announces new building decarbonization efforts at COP28
As the U.S. pledges to make near-zero-emissions buildings the “new normal” by 2030, the housing agency is teaming up with other departments for access to the best available data and research.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 7, 2023 -
House passes CARS Act to halt EPA’s proposed tailpipe emission standards
Proponents of the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act have said the environmental agency’s proposal is a de facto EV mandate.
By Kalena Thomhave • Dec. 7, 2023 -
Cooling cities while reducing emissions: 3 takeaways from UN report
Increasing air conditioning and refrigeration needs threaten to drive up greenhouse gas emissions, pushing experts to recommend more passive solutions in a Dec. 5 report.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 6, 2023 -
3 communities turning to the dark side with dark-sky retrofits
Reducing light pollution has tourism, sustainability, safety and health benefits, proponents say.
By Kalena Thomhave • Dec. 4, 2023 -
Detroit joins growing cohort in adopting energy, water benchmarking policy
The ordinance, which requires large buildings to annually report their energy and water use starting in 2024, is a key component of the city’s climate strategy.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 4, 2023 -
‘COP28 must be the COP of cities’: Local leaders want fossil fuel phaseout, collaboration
Financing for local climate action is top of mind for some city leaders at the summit. C40 Cities’ cochairs demanded in a letter that nations redirect fossil fuel subsidies toward the clean energy transition.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 1, 2023 -
Opinion
The US could still get to net-zero
The country could reduce nearly 90% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without any Hail Mary innovations.
By Michael Jung and Adam Agalloco • Dec. 1, 2023 -
White House unveils national greenhouse gas monitoring strategy ahead of COP28
The plan looks to combine scattered emissions measurement, monitoring and data capabilities across federal and nonfederal entities into a streamlined resource to better support climate action.
By Zoya Mirza • Nov. 30, 2023 -
Demand for sustainable buildings outstripping supply, JLL says
Rising demand has led to an over 7% rental premium on green-certified office buildings across major U.S. and Canadian markets, with significant variations from city to city.
By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 30, 2023 -
As building performance standards gain steam, noncompliant owners face business risks
Some cities respond to policy violations with financial penalties, but green lease clauses and submetering provide other levers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says real estate firm CBRE.
By Joe Burns • Updated Dec. 11, 2023 -
DOE releases $31M+ in grants for retrofits, infrastructure upgrades
Some cities will use the funds for resilience hubs, while others plan to conduct energy audits and upgrade facilities. Local governments can continue applying for the grants through April 2024.
By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 28, 2023