Construction
Builders Balk At New Energy Requirements
A handful of residential code revisions went into effect in Ohio on January 1st, including an energy conservation code with stricter standards on insulation that is causing an uproar among homebuilders.
The Economic Impact of Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Cary Lowe, Los Angeles-based attorney and advocate for energy efficiency, makes the case for the economic benefits of energy efficiency retrofits to the state of California.
Future Olympic Host Working Around the Clock
Sochi, Russia, is set to play host to the Winter Olympics in 2014. Preparations are fast underway, with construction work happening practically around the clock.
Honolulu Law Would Reduce Construction Waste
Legislation working its way through the Honolulu City Council could require construction companies doing work in the Hawaiian city to recycle or reuse as much as 60% of construction materials.
Best Apps for Building and Construction
Houston Neal from Software Advice picks the best apps for construction, from carpentry and electrical calculators to design tools like REVIT and Google SketchUp.
House of Garbage
A Welsh company is using ground-up plastic remnants to create a building material sturdy enough for housing.
With Financing Frozen, Construction Workers Feeling the Pinch
Construction unions are reporting that 30% of their members are still unemployed or between jobs. Public projects are raising hopes, but as one carpenter's union spokesperson puts it, "The private sector is dead."
California Plan Would Block Projects From Environmental Lawsuits
California is looking to fast-track a pilot project that would exempt some construction projects from environment-related legal challenges. It's a move aimed at speeding development and creating jobs, but critics say it will harm the environment.
Residential Construction Declines Sharply in New York City
2009 is expected to turn out as a bad year for residential constructoin in New York City. After five consecutive years with more than 30,000 units constructed, at total of 6,300 are expected this year.
Stimulus Projects Bring Delays to Nation's Roads
Thousands of stimulus-funded transportation projects are underway this summer, creating thousands of delays on the nation's roads.
Illinois Approves $31 Billion Construction Plan
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that will bring about $31 billion worth of road, transit and school construction projects.
Officials Demand High-Rise Crane Come Down
City officials in Chicago are demanding the removal of a high-rise crane which stands at the half-built Waterview Tower, a monument to the economic downturn.
Regulating Stalled Construction Projects for Safety
New York City is considering new legislation that seeks to address problems brought by the national recession to stalled construction sites and New Yorkers endangered by them.
Dubai's Migrant Construction Workers Bear Brunt of Downturn
The economic downturn is hurting Dubai, as glitzy skyscraper projects come to a halt. But the biggest pain is being felt among the hundreds of thousands of migrant construction workers who came to the city seeking their fortunes.
Bend it Like Concrete
Advances in material development have brought to the market a new type of concrete that can bend under pressure and heal cracks with the addition of water.
Hot Trend in Architecture: The Appearance of Instability
Witold Rybczynski takes a look at the new tendency toward buildings that look collapsible, rather than the solid-looking buildings of the past. Is this trend a symptom of our shaky times?
The Best Laid Plans of New York City's Building Boom
This slideshow from New York looks at a handful of residential and office buildings in New York City that have either stalled or completely halted development.
States Enjoying Lower Bids for Construction Projects
The recession is causing construction contractors to branch out -- from subdivisions to road projects. And the market is now flooded, giving state more and lower bids to choose from.
Lightweight Blocks Cut Rail Costs and Timelines
Light rail developers in Utah are cutting costs and timelines with a new and unlikely track base: foam.
A Building Boom with a Human Cost
This piece from Next American City looks at the human toll major building projects are taking on construction workers in China, Dubai and other rapidly developing places.
Pagination
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
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