City inspectors and federal regulators will not be favorably portrayed in this story.
Elizabeth Whitman reports on the sage of broken promises association with "Zero Energy Ready" homes (as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy) built by Mandalay Homes in Phoenix.
Mandalay has built swaths of homes around the Phoenix metropolitan area, and Whitman is able to find horror stories in examples all over town.
"What initially confused, then frustrated, and now infuriates these Mandalay homeowners is how their houses passed a raft of inspections and certifications — not just by local code-enforcing authorities like the city of Phoenix, but also by third-party inspectors — to receive the DOE’s energy-efficiency stamp of approval," writes Whitman.
This fully researched feature article includes details of the history of the company, the political and regulatory environment that made Mandalay's abuses possible, and the group of homeowners who worked to bring Mandalay's failures to light.
FULL STORY: Broken Homes: How Award-Winning, Dream 'Green' Houses Turned Into Nightmares
Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.
How Buildings Can Lead the Way to a Decarbonized Future
A public utilities building in Santa Rosa shows how innovations in architecture and grid management can reduce energy use and prepare buildings for a more sustainable energy future.
Boston Plans To Restrict Fossil Fuel Use in Buildings
As part of the city’s broader climate goals, Mayor Michelle Wu wants to require all new buildings to eliminate the use of fossil fuels.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Toronto Condo Sales Drop 75%
In two of Canada’s most expensive cities, more condos were built than ever — and sales are plummeting.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
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City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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