It is no secret that retrofitting an existing structure to a high standard is more challenging than building a new one. In part, retrofitting is challenging because of the diversity of obstacles faced by designers when considering insulation, airtightness, and thermal bridge mitigation strategies – every house is different. With unprecedented retrofit targets outlined by both Irish and UK governments, it is important to develop scalable retrofit approaches, that can…
NYC Enacts Legislation to Promote All-Electric Buildings
NYC is now the largest city in the U.S. to enact legislation relating to the electrification of buildings. On December 15, 2021, the NY City Council voted in support of Int. 2317A-2021, which effectively mandates the electrification of most new buildings by prohibiting the on-site “combustion of a substance that emits 25 kilograms or more of carbon dioxide per million British thermal units of energy.” Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, a…
“Green Zones: Do Buyers Want Sustainable Buildings?” – Observer article
By Emily Nonko From the Observer: [caption id="attachment_4922" align="alignright" width="300"] PHOTO CREDIT: Hayes Davidson[/caption] "Last winter, Carroll Gardens resident Laura Mackall didn’t turn the heat on in her home once. “We just didn’t need it,” she said, “And the house stayed between 68 and 70 degrees all winter.” Ms. Mackall lives in a four-story rowhouse that she retrofitted as a Passive House last year. She stumbled upon the notion,…