Recent winner of the Solar Decathlon's affordability category, the Empowerhouse costs under $230,000 to construct and uses an estimated 90% less energy than the typical U.S. home.
Writes Ben Schiller: "Parts of the design [a joint entry from the Parsons The New School for Design, the Milano School of International Affairs, and the Stevens Institute for Technology] is already being used by Habitat in new units it is building in the D.C. area.'We didn't want to design just one house, but something that Habitat for Humanity could replicate. So we used simple materials, and simple building methods that they would be able to use,' says Steve Scribner, a project leader, and one of 200 students working on the project."
FULL STORY: The Empowerhouse: An Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home Built By College Students
Habitat for Humanity and Missoula Land Trust Team up on Affordable Housing
The partnership will ensure the new homes will remain affordable for future buyers.
The Afterlife of 30 Rock’s Christmas Trees
Where do the iconic trees go after the holidays?
How 3D-Printing Can Make Housing More Affordable
Habitat for Humanity is working with 3D-printers to reduce the costs of construction and provide more housing for families in need.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Restoring Northern India’s Himalayan ‘Water Temples’
Thousands of centuries-old buildings protect the region’s natural springs and serve as community wells and gathering places.
Milwaukee to Double Bike Share Stations
Bublr Bikes, one of the nation’s most successful, will add 500 new e-bikes to its system.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service