Portland, Oregon lives up to its reputation as a testing ground for urbanism innovation by approving what will become the nation's tallest wood framed building.

"An 11-story timber high-rise planned in Portland's Pearl District has been approved for construction," reports Elliot Njus, "a milestone for wood technology that could allow for even taller timber buildings."
"At 148 feet, the Framework building will be the nation's first high-rise building made of wood," adds Njus.
As reported in another article by Njus and Molly Harbarger, Portland is pressing for more wood construction to support the region's timber industry.
Other cities around the world, like Toronto, are allowing larger wood framed buildings because they tend to be cheaper than steel framed buildings. High profile examples of timber skyscrapers have been proposed in Paris and Minneapolis. Skepticism toward the building practice can still be found in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, however, which recently took steps to limit the construction of wood framed buildings.
FULL STORY: Timber high-rise planned in Pearl District gets construction permit

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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