The View From Here

Most Have Accepted RRP Rule as Common Practice

Nov 4th, 2019

The Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule has been one of the most highly debated policies in the building and construction industry for years. We’ve seen it change forms and evolve over time. Most everyone in our industry remembers the about-face that occurred when the EPA withdrew its opt-out clause – and the controversy […]

Are Builders and Developers Steps Ahead of Consumers?

Oct 21st, 2019

A new report commissioned by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) revealed some surprising statistics, indicating that: consumers are concerned about the environment but aren’t necessarily acting, and there is a disconnect between “living green” and the benefits of green building. According to the report, respondents viewed “living green” as recycling, composting, using reusable grocery […]

Portman-Shaheen Bill Hits New Milestone

Oct 8th, 2019

In my last post, I talked about two energy bills making progress in the House and Senate for the first time in a long time. Today, I am happy to report that one of those bills is continuing to move forward. The Portman-Shaheen Bill is one that has been around for as long as I […]

Energy Legislation Watch: Two Bills Making Progress

Sep 24th, 2019

With budget cuts and trade tariffs taking center stage lately, I couldn’t remember the last time I was able to report on energy legislation reaching the floor of the House or Senate. Looking back, it was early in 2017 when I gave my last federal legislation watch list. Today, I am finally able to report […]

Global Interest in Reducing Carbon Emissions Is Mounting

Sep 9th, 2019

In June 2019, the UK passed historic legislation that will require net-zero carbon emissions by 2050—making compliance legally binding. And the plan is said to come at a relatively low cost. Some of the tactics for achieving this bold measure include the electrification of cars, decarbonization of heating systems, carbon capture, setting thermostats no higher […]

A Tale of Two Passive House Standards

Aug 19th, 2019

The first time I learned about the Passive House rating system, was some time in the mid-1990s. At the time it was being developed in Germany and was primarily a Western European initiative. I remember thinking that it would be seemingly impossible to apply the same standards in the U.S. and certainly unachievable in commercial […]

Deep Energy Retrofits Critical to Aging Houses

Aug 5th, 2019

Potential homebuyers are finding themselves priced out of the new home market before they even get started, leaving them to choose between continuing to rent or purchasing from the inventory of aging home stock in the U.S. According to a recent report compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak […]

Skinny Triples Offer Viable Alternative in California – and Beyond

Jul 16th, 2019

On July 9, the CEC (California Energy Commission) held its High-Performance Windows Forum workshop at the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District building. With regional and national builders and window manufacturers in attendance, the purpose of the meeting was to introduce the concept of “Skinny Triples” (also referred to as “Thin Triple”) and to present an economic […]

Affordability, Wages and Demographics Cause Shifts in Housing Strategy

Jul 3rd, 2019

Of late, home prices have climbed while wages have failed to keep up, leaving a gap between the current housing market and affordability. According to Lending Tree analyses of the homebuying market, home prices have increased by 44% while wages have only gone up by 15% since 2012. Further, a Freddie Mac survey on housing […]

Another Report Calls for Rapid Growth in Green Construction

Jun 17th, 2019

Market Research Future (MRFR) released a report last week that shows the green building market growing at a faster rate than conventional construction. North America holds a lion’s share of the market, owning just over 29% of green building globally. The report credits “technological superiority and a high level of environmental awareness” for driving domestic […]

X
This site uses cookies which allow us to give you the best browsing experience possible. Cookies are files stored in your browser and are used by most websites to help personalize your web experience. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please see our Privacy Policy.