Yearly Archives: 2016

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced the publication of a white paper on the nation’s $3 trillion public infrastructure crisis and how public private partnerships (P3) offer a possible solution

In order to examine how the architectural community is evolving in regards to sustainable design practices, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) undertook an in-depth study of nearly 200 COTE Top Ten Award winning projects encompassing almost 20 years.

Construction Jobs Growing at Twice the Rate of Total Nonfarm Jobs as Sector’s Unemployment Rate Hits 10-Year March Low; Several Spending Segments Jump 20 Percent for the Year Despite Dip in Monthly Total

NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has announced the launch of its Sentiment Index, which outlines expectations about general conditions in the commercial real estate industry over the next 12 months

Building on a multi-year, industry-wide effort to include an outcome-based pathway for energy compliance into the 2015 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), the National Institute of Building Sciences has introduced a similar proposal to be considered for inclusion in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) (CE37-16). The International Code Council (ICC) Committee Action Hearings to review proposed changes to the IECC Commercial Building Provisions begin April 22 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Eight construction industry organizations filed a petition for review of the final crystalline silica rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today. Petitioning groups included: Mississippi Road Builders’ Association, American Subcontractors Association of Texas, Pelican Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Louisiana Associated General Contractors, Associated Masonry Contractors of Texas, Distribution Contractors Association, Mechanical Contractors Associations of Texas and Texas Association of Builders

Union leadership from 32BJ SEIU and Councilman Robert Lavelle (D-6th) today met with representatives of the Steelers concerning the termination of the Heinz Field security contractor, U.S. Security. The termination leaves 15 union security officers without a job. With little notice, the security officers – members of 32BJ SEIU – were notified that their last day is this Sunday. The meeting followed a noon press conference where the security officers were supported by colleagues, commercial office cleaners, faith leaders, and allies.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that nearly $174 million will soon be made available through first-ever allocations of the National Housing Trust Fund. HUD Secretary Julián Castro made announcement to a gathering of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition meeting in Washington. Read more about the National Housing Trust Fund.

New research from the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) shows that strong debt-collection reforms do not restrict credit availability. Despite claims from the debt-collection industry, CRL analysis of data from North Carolina and Maryland – two states with recent debt-collection reforms – establishes that there was no sign of any negative impact to consumer credit.

The Moving to Work (MTW) Office announced that Congress, as part of the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, has authorized HUD to expand the MTW demonstration program by an additional 100 high performing Public Housing Authorities (PHA) over a period of seven years.  HUD seeks to solicit recommendations for specific policy proposals and methods of research and evaluation to be implemented as part of the expansion of the MTW demonstration.  Agencies will be added to the MTW demonstration by cohort and the Act requires that for each cohort of agencies “the Secretary shall direct one specific policy change to be implemented by the agencies.”

The National Real Estate Investors Association (NREIA) said today that new guidelines issued Monday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development go too far and will have a chilling effect on criminal background checks used to screen potential tenants. According to HUD, because a disproportionate number of African Americans & Hispanics have criminal records, they face potential discrimination in housing options based on race, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The Environmental Protection Agency today finalized a new, nationwide water-quality criterion for cadmium that is nearly 40 percent higher than the standard the National Marine Fisheries Service concluded would be safe for endangered salmon in Idaho. Used in the manufacturing of batteries, plastics and electronics, cadmium is toxic to people and wildlife and regulated under the Clean Water Act. But despite the recommendation from the Fisheries Service that the EPA consult with it, as required by the Endangered Species Act, the EPA refused.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (CA-34) today joined 163 current and former House Members as well as 44 current and former Senators in signing on to an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit defending President Obama’s Clean Power Plan

NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has announced a new scholarship program to support graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a degree that will lead to a career in the commercial real estate industry.  Preference will be given to students who have been traditionally under-represented in the commercial real estate field.

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) closes its second development within in a week by lending tax exempt note proceeds to finance a portion of the debt required to acquire and construct Plaza West, which is located at the intersection of 307 K Street NW and 1035 4th Street NW. DCHFA, through a direct purchase of bonds by Citi Community Capital, is providing $44.1 million in tax exempt financing to construct the $89.7 million project. The Agency also underwrote $32 million in four percent low income housing tax credit equity syndicated by Enterprise Community Investments, Inc.

The Department of Labor’s new union persuader rule violates business owners’ First Amendment rights, making it nearly impossible to consult with legal counsel when facing union organizing, said the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today.

CEI Ventures, Inc., the for-profit venture capital subsidiary of CEI, announces the initial closing of its fourth fund, Coastal Ventures IV, and the fund’s first investment in Pika Energy, Inc. This investment in the clean energy manufacturer advances CEI’s socially responsible fund portfolio

Scientists at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have been able to pinpoint for the first time what happens during a key manufacturing process of silicon solar cells.

Come visit the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) in Booth 1252 at the 4th USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., April 16-17, and take a virtual walk through Mars City. Tour the research facility, sleeping rooms, bathrooms, food production station, manufacturing area and even the Mars Rover garage, all by wearing three-dimensional (3D) oculus rift goggles while virtually walking through the Mars City building information model (BIM).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today kicked off Fair Housing Month 2016 with the launch of a new national media campaign that helps the public to envision what communities with shared opportunity for all might look like. The new campaign is designed to further educate the public about their housing rights and the ideals behind HUD’s new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) initiative