This is what we need to invent to fight climate change

Posted by NYPH , May 12, 2022 - News, Renewable Elements

climate change

The world now has many of the tools needed to keep climate change in check, the United Nations’ climate research team reported last month. But humanity will still need to invent newer and better ones too. The question is what kinds of research governments and companies should invest in. In the final installment of its latest comprehensive assessment of climate science, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change examined tactics to mitigate climate…

Three Sustainable Design Questions for MAP’s Sara Bayer

Posted by NYPH , May 8, 2022 - Featured Stories, News

sustainable design

Article courtesy of MAP Architects While the work of sustainable development is a year-round pursuit, Earth Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on our progress and advocate for more. So, we asked our Director of Sustainability, Sara Bayer, three quick questions to talk about where we stand. In the last couple of years we’ve signed the AIA 2030 commitment and won 7 NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence awards, what are…

Vancouver To Be Home To World’s Tallest Passive House Building

Posted by NYPH , May 3, 2022 - Construction, News

vancouver passive house

Canadian developer Brivia Group has selected downtown Vancouver as the location of its newest and most sustainable project yet. CURV, a 60-storey residential development between Burrard and Thurlow Streets, will be the world’s tallest passive house building – a modern, low carbon and energy efficient building that contributes to a healthier planet, mirroring the environmental ethos of the city of Vancouver. Passive House is the highest standard for energy efficiency in commercial…

Washington State Passes All-Electric Heating Mandate for New Buildings

Posted by NYPH , April 28, 2022 - News, Policy

electric heating

The first mandate in the U.S. to require all-electric heating has passed in Washington state, where newly constructed buildings will need to install electric heating and hot-water systems. The mandate will go into effect in July 2023. The mandate passed 11 to 3 in a vote by the State Building Code Council to restrict the use of natural gas in multifamily housing complexes and commercial buildings by requiring installation of electric heat pumps. A…

The New Six Senses in Norway Will Be the World’s First Energy-Positive Hotel

Posted by NYPH , April 27, 2022 - Construction, News

six senses

The 94-room hotel, which is set to open in 2024, will be completely off-grid and carbon neutral. Six Senses already operates 21 hotels and resorts in 17 different countries, but its new Norway location is going to stand out in a big way. Located at the foot of the breathtaking Svartisen glacier, the Six Senses Svart will be the first energy-positive hotel on Earth when it opens in 2024, according to the brand.…

Passive House is at the heart the Next Wave of Sustainable Infrastructure

Posted by NYPH , April 25, 2022 - Featured Stories, News

sustainable passive house

Transportation has been the focus, due to Tesla’s rise, but houses and commercial buildings are next When Tesla was still just an oddball upstart, there was plenty of skepticism that they would survive, let alone change the industry and define sustainable transportation and the future of EVs. This was before Tesla’s stock price soared, even as the climate crisis has become more serious. Although the stock market is as irrational as ever, on another level…

Using Passive House to Fast-Track Building Electrification

Posted by NYPH , April 13, 2022 - News, Policy

electrification

A growing body of research tells us achieving deep carbon reduction targets of 75% or more will require electrification, including all furnaces and water heaters across the country, and powering those buildings with 100% renewable energy. Nationally, approximately 27% of the total natural gas consumption occurs directly in residential and commercial buildings. This has led policymakers in many U.S. jurisdictions to consider building electrification policies and incentives as a way to meet climate goals. And with research…

New York pension leaders back calls for less fossil fuel financing

Posted by NYPH , April 12, 2022 - News

fossil fuel

(Reuters) -New York pension officials on Monday said they will support shareholder resolutions filed at major banks seeking quick cuts to the financing of new fossil fuel development, pushing climate issues to the fore of another springtime shareholder meeting season. Shareholders should support resolutions filed at Bank of America Corp, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and four other banks "in order to mitigate the systemic risks posed by unfettered climate change,"…

Biden launches green buildings partnership with states, cities

Posted by NYPH , March 22, 2022 - News, Policy

president biden

The Biden administration is launching a new partnership with two states and several cities aimed at reducing planet-warming emissions from buildings. President Biden is expected to announce the new "Buildings Performance Standards Coalition" during remarks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Friday. According to a White House fact sheet first shared with The Hill, the partnership will include 33 state and local governments that encompass 20 percent of the country’s…

Biden Administration Launches Effort to Improve Ventilation and Reduce the Spread of COVID-⁠19 in Buildings

Posted by Andreas Benzing , March 21, 2022 - HVAC, News, Policy, Ventilation

FACT SHEET: Earlier this month, the Biden-Harris Administration released the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, a roadmap to move the country forward safely and continue to fight COVID-19 as Americans get back to their more normal routines.  Today the Administration is launching the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, a key component of the President’s Plan, that calls on all building owners and operators, schools, colleges and universities, and organizations of all kinds…

If your hospital suddenly feels more like an Apple store or greenhouse, biophilic design is why

Posted by Andreas Benzing , March 17, 2022 - Featured Stories, News, Sponsor

Healthcare spaces are increasingly using nature as a way to make their buildings better for patients. Among a certain subset of designers, there’s a growing feeling that the more natural a space is, the better. So-called biophilic design, or design that integrates nature and natural processes, is making its way into the world of architecture and urban development. In architecture, biophilia is seen as a way to make people happier and…