Retrofits
Boston Pilot Program Funds Electrification of Small Residential Properties
Owners of small buildings can get up to $50,000 per unit to fund decarbonization retrofits.
Pennsylvania Law Ties Building Repair Loans to Affordability
A new state program provides forgivable loans for residential repairs and retrofits to landlords who don’t raise rents by more than 3 percent.
Efficiency Retrofits Get Expanded Tax Credits Under Inflation Reduction Act
The doubled incentive could be a ‘tipping point’ for innovative construction materials that were too expensive for most projects.
D.C. Adds New Safety Requirement in Wake of Recent Collapses
A series of incidents including the fatal collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida have prompted the District to implement safety enhancements to its building safety review.
Budget Crunch Threatens California's Climate Resilience Plans
Facing a massive budget due to the declining revenues created by the coronavirus pandemic, California will have to cut a program intended to retrofit homes and roofs as a protection against wildfire, among other climate resilience programs.
Designing for Social Distance Requires Creative Solutions
Modular systems and flexible use of shared spaces are priorities as urban designers begin to consider how design requirements will change in the future.
Study: Density Better Than Retrofits for Emissions
Just because a study says density is more effective than energy system retrofits in reducing emissions, doesn't mean that we have to settle for just one.
Retrofitting Vulnerable Buildings Becomes Mandatory in Earthquake Prone LA..
Decades in the making, the Los Angeles City Council has approved regulations requiring the retrofit of vulnerable wood and concrete buildings.
Planning for the 'Big One'—In Salt Lake City
Many people outside of Salt Lake City might not realize that the city's proximity to the Wasatch Fault puts it at risk for an earthquake likely in the range of 7.1 on the Richter scale.
Brainstorm: What Are the Creative Uses of a Roofless Building?
Becky McCray recently posed the question: "What can you do with a roofless building?"
Green Carrot Incentivizes More Efficient Buildings; Will Owners and Utilities Bite?
Felicity Barringer looks at an innovative program being tested in Seattle to incentivize commercial property owners to undertake major energy efficiency retrofits. A partnership between skeptical building owners, investors, and utilities is key.
Transit Seen as Crucial to Tysons Transformation
The ambitious plan to transform the auto-oriented D.C. suburb of Tysons Corner into vibrant, walkable Tysons will require building a culture of public transportation, and buses are seen a central piece of that effort, reports Luz Lazo.
Mall Makeovers, For Better or Worse
Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin reviews a few mall retrofits and finds that breathing life back into a dead mall can be a challenge.
Urban3
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
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.
