Key Issues for Architects from Biden’s State of the Union Address
White House unveils plan to boost use of U.S.-made goods in infrastructure
Energy savings from home insulation "vanishing" after four years
Adding insulation to UK homes only provides short-term energy savings that are cancelled out within a few years by an increase in energy use, according to a study by the University of Cambridge.
The study, which analysed the gas-use patterns of more than 55,000 homes across England and Wales, found that any fall in gas consumption achieved by retrofitting wall insulation was voided within four years.
Flexible Work Has Reshaped Downtown San Francisco
Downtown San Francisco has experienced significant changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced tourism and growth in remote work have resulted in a dramatic decline in economic activity. Despite the city’s efforts to encourage people to return to work, downtown is now characterized by semi-vacant offices, vacant storefronts, and an absence of employees and visitors. Yet a spin of the clock back to early 2020 would reflect a lack of progress on long-standing issues like traffic congestion, transit capacity, homelessness and inequality.
Despite OSHA’s efforts, construction’s death rate hasn’t budged in 10 years
Despite OSHA’s best efforts the share of workers dying from well-known hazards remained stagnant from 2011 to 2020 while the workforce grew 31%.
CO27 and the Built Environment
At COP27, Building Emissions Loom Larger
Cleaning up the carbon-intensive construction industry and reducing energy consumption in buildings have emerged as major topics at the UN climate summit.
‘It’s a sanctuary’: the magic of quiet, low-cost, allergy-free ‘passive’ homes
Energy-efficient passive design is catching on in New York and other cities as climate concerns rise
Visualizing All the Vacant Office Space in San Francisco
There is now 13.8 Salesforce Towers or 815 Salesforce Tower floors worth of empty office space spread across San Francisco,