Energy Earthshots™

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 19, 2023 - Industry News

The climate crisis calls for a different kind of moonshot. Energy Earthshots™ will accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade.  They will drive the major innovation breakthroughs that we know we must achieve to solve the climate crisis, reach our 2050 net-zero carbon goals, and create the jobs of the new clean energy economy. The Energy Earthshots target the remaining solution points of the most challenging technical problems across…

Emerging Ecologies Exhibition, MoMA

Posted by George Kontaroudis , December 15, 2023 - Member News

The climate talks at COP28 concluded this morning with a deal to “transition away from fossil fuels”, not phase them out. I have already expressed my distrust in the leadership of the summit, but I also have acknowledged that thousands of people with the best intentions were there. Headlines can sometimes be distracting, so before expressing an opinion, I plan to dig deeper, read the proceedings and reports from people who…

The House that Climate Change Built

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 13, 2023 - Industry News

The effort to climate-proof our housing is running into a mess of problems, including aging housing stock, out-of-date zoning laws, and NIMBY-ism. Can we build our way to a better future? When it comes to the American dream, home ownership looms large. “It’s that weird combination of stability and security,” Carlos Martín, the project director for the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, says.…

Dextall: Developments are on the horizon for the NJPAC

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 12, 2023 - Industry News

Newark's NJPAC Project to Pave the Way for Innovative Construction in 2024 NEWARK, Dec 11, 2023- Exciting developments are on the horizon as construction is set to commence in mid-2024 on a groundbreaking mixed-income housing project at the renowned New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. This project, encompassing 350 housing units, includes the construction of a remarkable 25-story, 199-unit tower. Dextall, a leader in construction innovation, has been…

HUD and DOE Announce New Partnership to Decarbonize U.S. Building Sector at COP28

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 8, 2023 - Industry News

WASHINGTON - Today, at the 28th U.N. Climate Conference (COP28), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new initiatives to address the challenges posed by the climate crisis and ensure that low- and moderate-income households and communities can benefit from a clean energy transition. These announcements include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Energy to work together on domestic efforts to reduce carbon emissions in…

“City of Yes” Zoning Changes Approved

Posted by NYPH , December 8, 2023 - Industry News, Policy

“The ‘City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality’ builds on the success of the influential Zone Green area bonus by restructuring it to focus on whole-building energy use,” said George Kontaroudis, vice chair, New York Passive House. “This change will incentivize the incorporation of a wider variety of low-energy building systems, from HVAC, to façade, and on-site renewable energy generation. Our city has demonstrated time and again that when we incentivize…

Catching you up on the latest doings at Dextall this Fall

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 4, 2023 - Industry News

DEAR EVERYONE, WITH SUMMER OVER AND REAL LIFE GETTING BACK UNDERWAY, WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO CATCH YOU ALL UP ON THE LATEST DOINGS AT Dextall Long-short: it’s promising to be a jam-packed autumn for us, as the company’s high-performance exterior system continues to attract attention and win over developers, designers and builders, helping us push the envelope for efficiency and carbon reduction in the construction industry. A few highlights of what’s…

Rock House

Posted by Kendall Rocco , December 4, 2023 - Industry News

Work In Progress- Passive House Located on 40 acres in Connecticut on a heavily wooded site, the house was sited to maximize views of the surrounding hills and seasonal views of the river below. Approached by a long winding driveway, this simple box is cantilevered over an old logging path and includes full height uninterrupted glass on the North, East, and South facades. The detached garage is nestled into the…

All-Electric Building Act – testify remotely on Friday, 12/1

Posted by NYPH , November 28, 2023 - Industry News

Can you testify remotely on Friday, 12/1 @ 10am?  Instructions and talking points are attached. There is a two minute limit for testimony.   Builders and fossil fuel companies have filed for a federal injunction to prevent the Building Code Council (BCC) from updating the Building Code to electrify new construction.  The matter has been assigned to Judge Glenn Suddaby, who held NY’s gun laws unconstitutional. Judge Suddaby has given the BCC…

US invests $2 billion for lower-carbon construction at federal buildings

Posted by Kendall Rocco , November 16, 2023 - Industry News

WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday said it will invest $2 billion in 150 federal building projects across 39 states that use materials that minimize carbon emissions, its latest effort to tackle climate change through government purchasing power. The General Services Administration will prioritize the purchase of asphalt, concrete, glass and steel produced and disposed of with lower levels of associated greenhouse gas emissions that meet…

Passive House Conference 2023- George Kontaroudis Architect

Posted by Kendall Rocco , November 10, 2023 - Member News

The annual Passive House Conference was held recently in Denver, Colorado and hosted by the Passive House Network. Attending the Passive House conference always leaves me inspired, energized, and optimistic, and never more so than this year. I have the sense that this is a pivotal moment for Passive House and that scaling-up is imminent. The need for climate change mitigation and adaptation has by now been made heartbreakingly clear…