A press release and fact sheet about the accomplishments of the Obama Administration's "Better Building Initiative" includes three new national programs designed to improve the efficiency and resilience of the built environment.
The White House put out a fact sheet and press release announcing the accomplishments of the Better Building Initiative—designed to partner the Department of Energy "with leading organizations in every state across the country to drive increased investment in energy efficiency and overcome the barriers that prevent many organizations and consumers from capturing these benefits."
According to the fact sheet, there are now more than 750 organizations engaged in the Better Buildings Initiative, with partnerships and energy savings more than tripling over than past five years.
The fact sheet also announces new partnerships and progress updates on behalf of U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and the U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, including three new programs in collaboration with all 50 states, 17 new examples of businesses, states, and cities achieving Better Building challenge goals, and additional energy savings accomplishments.
The three aforementioned programs include the Clean Energy in Low Income Communities Accelerator, the Combined Heat and Power for Resiliency Accelerator, and the Wastewater Infrastructure Accelerator.
Energy Department Resumes Loan Program with Hydrogen Storage
The Energy Department's loan office, known for a bad loan to the solar panel startup Solyndra in 2011, will loan $504 million to a company that will use renewable energy to create 'green hydrogen' and store it in salt caverns in Utah.
'Green' Houses Come Up Well Short in Phoenix
City inspectors and federal regulators will not be favorably portrayed in this story.
Even Older Buildings Are More Energy Efficient Than Ever
An analysis of trends in energy-efficiency improvements reveals the success of policies enacted during the previous decades.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
California Set to Increase Electric Truck Chargers by 25%
The California Transportation Commission approved funding for an additional 500 charging ports for electric trucks along some of the state’s busiest freight corridors.
21 Climate Resilience Projects Cancelled by the EPA
The federal government has pulled funding for at least 21 projects related to farming, food systems, and environmental justice to comply with one of Trump’s early executive orders.
Trump Executive Order on Homelessness Calls for Forced Institutionalization
The order seeks to remove legal precedents and consent decrees that prevent cities from moving unhoused people from the street to treatment centers.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie