This Week's News for LA’s Best Buildings
Heat Pumps Can Counter Putin and the Climate Crisis, Advocates Say
Last month, author and climate activist Bill McKibben proposed an unusual way that President Biden could simultaneously combat climate change and the war in Ukraine.
It all came down to heat pumps.
At the time, McKibben's musings largely flew under the radar. But today, the White House is seriously considering his plan, which would involve scaling up U.S. manufacturing of heat pumps and sending them overseas to counter Europe's reliance on Russian gas.
Governor Newsom's 2022 State of the State Address Provides Update to Homelessness & Housing Initiatives
On Tuesday March 8, Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his third State of the State, beginning with an acknowledgment of the immediate crisis in Ukraine and California's role as a national and global beacon for democracy and economic vitality. While vaguely mentioning the state's new Housing Plan, Newsom avoided the supply-side mantra and committed to action on homelessness as a mental health and public safety crisis. TPR shares this excerpt from Newsom's address highlighting remarks related to California's climate investments, economic recovery efforts, and homelessness.
How to Move Toward All-Electric Buildings
Building industry professionals are largely in agreement about the need for aggressive decarbonization to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, both in new construction and in the existing stock. To this end, a preliminary study developed by Buro Happold illustrates what would be required to achieve one of the most important solutions in support of this goal: the shift to all-electric buildings, connected to grids that are supplied primarily by renewable energy sources.
Utilities Show Promise in Using Innovative Financing for Efficiency Efforts
Energy efficiency as a service, or EEaaS, is a promising approach to financing energy-saving upgrades, but it must expand rapidly to help retrofit buildings at the speed and scale that climate change demands. An ACEEE report, published today, shows how utilities could provide the needed spark by offering EEaaS to their customers and supporting its growth.
The Sustainable City Podcast: Zero-Carbon, From Buildings to Cities
This month, William Shutkin and Andy Bush explore the ways cities, developers, and property owners can swap out fossil fuels for renewable, zero-carbon energy sources to power their buildings and communities. Their guest is Josh Radoff, former Senior Vice President for Built Environment Sustainability at WSP and faculty lead in Renewable and Sustainable Energy in the Masters of the Environment program at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Women Scientists on the Forefront of Climate Action
This International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to women who champion the science behind climate change. Over the last few decades, the world’s understanding of climate change has improved exponentially thanks to science, technology and the dedication of some of the world’s top climate scientists.
Image by Mary Altaffer via AP Images