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In celebration of Earth Day, affordable housing nonprofit Mercy Housing announced the roll out of its environmental sustainability program, Green Hope. The initiative is designed to reduce waste, reduce consumption of natural resources, and create healthier living environments in the affordable communities in which it serves. Green Hope will guide Mercy Housing in all aspects of its operations, from designing, building, and rehabilitating properties, to office practices, property operations, and Resident Services.

The National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 54 in the first quarter of 2016, dipping four points below the previous quarter but remaining in positive territory above 50.

Today’s overwhelming passage by the U.S. Senate of S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act, by a tally of 85-12 represents a significant step forward on the path toward a modernized energy economy. The Alliance to Save Energy applauds the widespread benefits this bill’s energy efficiency provisions will result in: more American jobs, enhanced national security and an improved environment. Today’s positive step sends a strong bipartisan message that will help this bill safely to the finish line and across President Obama’s desk

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) acknowledged CEMEX USA Brooksville South cement plant in Brooksville, Florida, as part of the 2015 Cement Industry Energy and Environment Awards at its 2015 Spring Meeting in Chicago.

Apartment markets appeared mixed in the April 2016 National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions, with two of four indexes landing below the breakeven level of 50. The Market Tightness (43) and Equity Financing (45) indexes showed declining conditions for the second quarter in a row, while Sales Volume (53) and Debt Financing (50) indicated improving and steady conditions, respectively.

The BPC’s Executive Council on Infrastructure, a group of corporate CEOs and executives, has been working over the past year to identify a new model for infrastructure investment. The United States needs a renewed approach that addresses the pervasive under-appreciation of future infrastructure liabilities, ensures local communities have tools at the ready to make needed investments, and increases the flow of private capital into projects, all while securing critical long-term public benefits.

This year, the Earth Day Network has unveiled the first of five large undertakings that will count down to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020: Planting 7.8 billion trees to help mitigate climate change and pollution, protect biodiversity and support communities. In keeping with the “Trees for the Earth” Earth Day 2016 theme, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has issued a list of strategies that commercial real estate professionals can use to create more environmentally friendly landscapes.

Nationwide housing starts fell 8.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.089 million units in March, according to newly released data from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Overall permit issuance was also down 7.7 percent.

Habitat for Humanity has been named “Brand of the Year” in the social services nonprofit category based on the 2016 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Equity Score. This is the second consecutive year the global nonprofit has been recognized for its strength in brand equity.

Early registration for the 2016 National Conference on Ending Homelessness is now available. The conference will take place at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel from July 26 to 28, 2016.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today urged Congress to take action to keep the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new silica standards from taking effect.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 21, 2016 - (RealEstateRama) -- The ICC/ASHRAE 700-2015 National Green Building Standard™ (NGBS) has been approved by the American National...

Bolstered by big gains in the Northeast and Midwest, existing-home sales bounced back in March and remained slightly up from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

Mortgage applications increased 1.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 15, 2016

Consumers Energy is reaching out to contractors and others as Michigan weather warms up to remind them to look up and look down – to watch out for overhead electric wires and underground electric lines and gas pipelines when doing work outdoors

Days after it closed seven Michigan coal plants, Consumers Energy today started operations at its first large-scale solar project on 17 acres at Grand Valley State University. “The first location in our Solar Gardens program demonstrates our commitment to building a sustainable future for Michigan,” said Dan Malone, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of energy resources. “We are pleased to work with Grand Valley State University to develop a new source of renewable energy that will help power homes and businesses.”

Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI), the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally, announced its incorporation in India. The new GBCI office, located in Gurgaon, will serve to facilitate the global growth of GBCI and its sustainability programs

Why do some affordable housing properties perform better than others? What characteristics are associated with stronger-performing and weaker-performing projects? HDC’s Deep Dive project aims to shed light on those questions, through an analysis of financial data from 142 affordable housing properties across Oregon

The National Apartment Association (NAA)’s first global alliance partner, the United Kingdom Apartment Association (UKAA), launched last week in London. With momentum building in the UK’s residential rental sector, UKAA is the first cross-industry organization in the country dedicated to improving the professionalization of multifamily housing

As global temperatures rise, cities in the Great Lakes region are adjusting to a new normal of more frequent and intense storms, heavy downpours, heat waves, and cold snaps. By far the hardest hit by extreme weather are those people in the region’s low-income communities and communities of color. The Center for American Progress has released a report analyzing steps that several Midwestern cities are taking to improve social equity and climate change resilience in these communities.