The federal government set aside $5.5 billion in stimulus funding to retrofit its huge fleet of buildings. $4.5 billion is to be spent on green building projects, some of which have already been launched.
"Even with the U.S. government's large efficiency improvement, its defense, safety, and science missions require so much juice that energy per square foot still is 30 percent higher than that of the private sector. And efficiency progress appeared to be slowing. Energy improvements had to be made out of the $1 billion per year the GSA typically is budgeted for new construction or renovation of its portfolio of federally-owned buildings. Last year, a report by the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program said that overall government energy intensity improvement was only 1.2 percent in 2008, less than half the goal of 3 percent per year set both by Congress and under an executive order by former President George W. Bush. "The Federal Government is not likely to meet its goals in the coming years using a business-as-usual approach," the report said."
Projects like roof retrofits and water conservation projects have already been funded, as have various solar power projects.
Read the full story: Green Design Spree Aims to Trim U.S. Government's Big Energy Bill
Government Plans Vertical Garden on Portland Skyscraper
As part of a $133 million renovation of a federal building in Portland, the Government Services Administration plans to add 200-foot high "vegetated fins" that will carpet the building with plants and - hopefully - energy savings.
Trump administration says DC height limits don't apply to federal projects
A federal commission cleared the way for the president's proposed 250-foot arch.
Land use as protest: How American cities are fighting federal immigration detention centers
Across the country, city officials are using zoning codes and land use law to limit where ICE detention facilities can be built.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework
The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.
Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off
After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.
How Chicago, New York and Seattle are funding transit projects amid tough times
Notes from the American Public Transportation Association's TransForm conference in Chicago.
Transport for London tackles hate crime spike with free bystander training
Recorded hate crime offences on the London's transport network have increased by 36 per cent.
Denver is solving homelessness. Why aren't the rest of us?
Since 2023, Denver's street homeless population has decreased by 64%, proving that effective tools exist to support those in need of housing.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority