These 5 cities aim to cool down by scaling up ‘smart surfaces’ in coming years

A Baltimore analysis showed that cool roofs, green roofs, porous pavement, tree cover and similar investments could provide value of more than 10 times their cost.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 28, 2023

Energy-efficient buildings save lives during extreme weather events: Department of Energy

Meeting or exceeding current codes can improve habitability by up to 140% during extreme heat events, a report found.

By Joe Burns • July 25, 2023

Federal agencies struggle with office utilization, excess space

Officials noted that reconfiguration costs and uncertainty over in-office attendance policies are roadblocks to effective space utilization.

By Joe Burns • July 24, 2023

Northwestern Mutual taps Gilbane, CG Schmidt for $500M office renovation

The contractors have posted bid packages to renovate the 540,000-square-foot North Office Building at the insurance giant’s Milwaukee campus.

By Matthew Thibault • July 24, 2023

New York completes state’s largest rooftop solar project atop Medline distribution center

Governor Hochul says the 7.2-megawatt community solar project is expected to power over 1,600 homes and reduce energy costs for both Medline and local residents.

By Joe Burns • July 21, 2023

Amtrak looks to upgrade maintenance facilities in 4 major cities

The rail company has issued Requests for Qualifications for Boston, New York City, Seattle and Washington, D.C., as part of a push to modernize facilities across 20 U.S. sites.

By Joe Burns • July 20, 2023

South Richmond approves $1M fire training facility despite initial rejection

A zoning appeals board has greenlit the construction of the proposed building amid air quality, pollution concerns.

By Nish Amarnath • July 18, 2023

Department of Energy awards ASHRAE $2.85M building code training grant

The initiative is expected to save four partner states more than $18.5 million by providing officials training to boost compliance with building energy codes.

By Joe Burns • July 17, 2023

Northampton mulls adoption of energy efficient opt-in stretch code

The Massachusetts city is weighing the pros and cons of embracing a specialized stretch energy code to dissuade fossil fuel use in new building construction.

By Nish Amarnath • July 13, 2023

C&W Services’ Life Science SVP: Labor consistency more important than dollar increase in wages

Chisolm recently assumed a leadership role at Cushman & Wakefield Services to drive the development of the firm’s life sciences portfolio.

By Joe Burns • July 13, 2023

GSA selects nZero to track carbon emissions across its federal building portfolio

The company will provide real-time carbon management and accounting to help the federal government test novel and historical sustainability-focused building technologies.

By Joe Burns • July 12, 2023

Colorado Clean Energy Fund launches low-interest financing for commercial LED upgrades

The 3.45% interest rate financing, part of a partnership with the National Energy Improvement Fund, aims to entice commercial entities to upgrade their lighting systems.

By Joe Burns • July 11, 2023

Emcor bolsters energy efficiency operations with ECM acquisition

The transaction brings specialized retrofit services and $60 million in estimated 2023 revenue to the engineering and construction company.

By Joe Burns • July 7, 2023

California clears path for safe conversion of underused commercial buildings

The California Building Standards Commission’s vote to amend existing building code allows multiple compliance paths for adaptive reuse.

By Nish Amarnath • July 6, 2023

JLL leans into collaborative owner, tenant relationships to decarbonize office portfolio

The firm’s sustainability report found that due diligence was vital to gathering usage data, driving building sustainability efforts and earning green certifications.

By Joe Burns • July 6, 2023

Gen Z values education — but doesn’t think a four-year degree is the only option

A new survey found that high school students are weighing the time investment college requires as seriously as the financial investment.

By Laura Spitalniak • July 5, 2023

JLL takes over operations, facilities management of Javits Federal Building Complex

The contract for the NYC building highlights a changing landscape for government operators.

By Joe Burns • June 29, 2023

Regulations, building layouts impede office conversion projects

Even as Congress faces pressure to overhaul outdated permitting processes, builders, architects and property owners cite complex zoning laws as barriers to converting existing office space to residential and other uses.

By Nish Amarnath • June 28, 2023

Accruent, ServiceChannel to launch integrated workplace management software

Both companies are under tech conglomerate Fortive, and bring real estate and energy management, as well as asset monitoring to the system.

By Joe Burns • June 28, 2023

Hawai’i looks to tackle equity considerations of siting energy infrastructure as part of new docket

The state has some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and regulators opened a docket in December focused on ensuring more equity in its energy landscape. 

By Kavya Balaraman • June 28, 2023

Despite challenges, real estate pros are optimistic

After hitting rock bottom, industry sentiment is on the rise again despite fears of a mild recession.

By Mary Salmonsen • June 27, 2023

San Francisco invites proposals for adaptive reuse commercial building projects

The city’s initiative to repurpose underused downtown commercial space solidifies legislation passed last week to simplify commercial building conversion processes.

By Nish Amarnath • June 27, 2023

US will need to triple retrofit rate to meet decarbonization targets: JLL

The report urges building owners and occupiers to strengthen their relationships, upskill the labor force and electrify major building systems to avoid a “brown discount” on lease negotiations.

By Joe Burns • June 23, 2023

KPG secures $50M to convert NYC building into luxury office space

The Crosby, which is expected to debut early next year in SoHo, will feature open workstations and private conference rooms.

By Joe Burns • June 21, 2023

City Wide opens 5th New Jersey location

The expansion points to the growth of a franchise model for facilities management as companies face labor shortages.

By Joe Burns • June 20, 2023