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.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie