5 Things to Know about Mayor Garcetti's Plans for LA Following the COP26 Climate Summit

In a first for a United Nations Climate Change Conference, mayors from cities around the globe addressed world leaders to talk about the commitments subnational governments are making to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among them was Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who, as chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, announced Monday that 1,049 cities around the world had joined forces, committing to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade.

Efficient Electric Water Heating Could Slash Multifamily Buildings' Carbon Emissions

Efficient electric water heaters in multifamily buildings cause less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of gas-fired products, presenting a key climate opportunity, according to a study released today. The report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and New Buildings Institute (NBI)—which arrives at a time of rising natural gas prices—calls for policymakers to ramp up efforts to help building owners replace old equipment. Ecotope and the Association for Energy Affordability served as data partners for the report.

The Build Back Better Act Can Advance Environmental Justice

The House just passed legislation that takes an all-of-government approach to the interconnected crises of climate change, rising  inequality, crumbling infrastructure, and ongoing racial injustice.

Is Solar Really Worth It?

On the day Wayne D. Alldredge writes this, parts of North America are hitting all-time record high temperatures from Oregon to Canada. Lytton, British Columbia, in Canada hit 121 degrees and is being destroyed by fire right now. The top human impact to the climate comes from combustion of fuels (including wood). Anthropogenic climate change is simply a fact of current times that we must deal with and do our best to cease going forward.

Historic Preservation is also Carbon Preservation

To demo or not to demo, that is the question.

For years when we spoke about our buildings’ carbon footprint, we focused on operational carbon related to the building’s use. Sophisticated energy modeling software, available high-performance lighting and HVAC, and low cost solar has allowed us to design, build, and operate buildings that are carbon neutral operationally. But what about the embodied carbon and existing buildings?