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GSA adopts new accessibility guidelines for federal properties

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) adopted a new rule with new accessibility guidelines for federal buildings. The rule establishes that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. 




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Codes and Standards | Feb 21, 2022

More bad news on sea level rise for U.S. coastal areas

A new government report predicts sea levels in the U.S. of 10 to 12 inches higher by 2050, with some major cities on the East and Gulf coasts experiencing damaging floods even on sunny days.

Codes and Standards | Feb 21, 2022

New standard for ultraviolet germicidal irradiation

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recently introduced the standard, ANSI/IES RP-44-21 Recommended Practice: Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation.

Wood | Feb 18, 2022

$2 million mass timber design competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon (entries due March 30!)

To promote construction of tall mass timber buildings in the U.S., the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and USDA Forest Service (USDA) have joined forces on a competition to showcase mass timber’s application, commercial viability, and role as a natural climate solution.
 

Codes and Standards | Feb 18, 2022

Proposal would make all new buildings in Los Angeles carbon-neutral

Los Angeles may become the next large city to ban fossil fuels from new construction if legislation recently introduced in the city council becomes law.

Exterior | BD+C University Course | Feb 17, 2022

Metal roofing trends

New ideas in design and constructability are radically changing how metal systems are used as roofing for commercial and institutional buildings. Behind the investment in these new kinds of expressions and construction approaches is a growing interest in improved performance and reduced environmental impact. Metal roofing systems can cut cooling and heating loads significantly, according to the EPA.

Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022

Norshield Products Fortify Critical NYC Infrastructure

New York City has two very large buildings dedicated to answering the 911 calls of its five boroughs. With more than 11 million emergency calls annually, it makes perfect sense. The second of these buildings, the Public Safety Answering Center II (PSAC II) is located on a nine-acre parcel of land in the Bronx. It’s an imposing 450,000 square-foot structure—a 240-foot-wide by 240-foot-tall cube. The gleaming aluminum cube risesthe equivalent of 24 stories from behind a grassy berm, projecting the unlikely impression that it might actually be floating. Like most visually striking structures, the building has drawn as much scorn as it has admiration. 

Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2020

New seismic provisions for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program released

The provisions present a set of recommended improvements to the ASCE/SEI 7-16 Standard.

Resiliency | Mar 13, 2020

Feds push use of eminent domain to force people out of flood-prone homes

Local officials that don’t comply could lose federal money to combat climate change.

Building Technology | Burns & McDonnell | Jan 7, 2020

Tariff whiplash for bifacial solar modules

Bifacial solar systems offer many advantages over traditional systems.

Building Owners | Dec 2, 2019

What building owners and AEC teams need to know about New York’s Climate Mobilization Act

On April 18, 2019, the New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a suite of laws aimed to meet the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

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