Sue Sylvester

🏢 Seattle’s 12-Storey Mass Timber Tower Tackles Housing Crisis! 🏘️The affordable U District Tower is set to be Seattle’s tallest mass timber building, addressing the city's housing shortage with sustainable innovation. 🔍 Key Insights: 1️⃣ Innovative Housing Solution: The Washington-based Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) is partnering with Sound Transit and the Seattle Office of Housing to build a 12-storey mass timber affordable housing complex near U District Station. With a US $15 million investment, the project will become Seattle’s tallest timber building once completed, offering affordable units for people earning 30%, 50%, and 80% of AMI. 2️⃣ Environmental and Economic Benefits: Designed by Hewitt and Pyatok, the building integrates glulam and cross-laminated timber, significantly reducing embodied carbon. “LIHI is excited about the prospect of working with mass timber framing, a more environmentally sustainable way of building,” said LIHI director Sharon Lee. Mass timber projects are 25% to 40% more carbon efficient than traditional steel-and-concrete buildings. 3️⃣ Regulatory Support: Changes to the 2021 Washington State and Seattle Building Code now allow developers to build up to 18 stories of timber, making Washington the first state to incorporate tall, mass timber buildings into its building code without alternate methods. This regulatory shift is facilitating more mass timber construction in Seattle. 🚨 Addressing Climate and Social Needs: Due to top out in 2026, the building will prioritise residents from neighbourhoods experiencing unaffordable rents and displacement. Architects are leveraging timber's natural warmth and biophilic benefits, which have been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, creating more emotionally resonant living spaces. 🔗 Explore the comprehensive analysis of Seattle’s mass timber developments and their impact on the housing crisis: https://lnkd.in/gvwribxr 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can mass timber construction help address urban housing crises while promoting sustainability? Share your thoughts on the potential of timber in creating affordable and eco-friendly housing solutions. 💬 Join the conversation on sustainable architecture's future and mass timber's role in solving urban housing challenges. #masstimber #masstimberconstruction #timberconstruction #timberengineering #affordablehousing #washington #woodworks #woodsolutions #sustainableconstruction #architecture #seattle #greenbuilding #UDistrictTower #lihi #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #clt #floors #engineers #socialhousing #environmentalsustainability #urbanplanning #constructioninnovation #biophilicdesign

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Office-to-home conversions now dominate adaptive reuse projects across the Golden State, with Los Angeles poised to become the nation’s top commercial-to-residential conversion hotspot.

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Reminder to building owners in Colorado: the State extended the deadline for performance standards benchmarking to August 1. To help you navigate these changes and what they may mean for your building, we updated our guide to the new performance standards: https://bit.ly/3Up8ymt

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With buildings accounting for over one-third of domestic climate pollution, #decarbonization is a frequent topic around the office. #GGA's Director of Sustainability Casey Castor joined experts and guests on this topic and more as part of the AIA Los Angeles 1.5°C Symposium 2024 last week. A few takeaways from the day included working #biomaterials back into the supply chain, #embodiedcarbon pilot projects, and during Casey’s Lunch Think conversation, they dived deep into Project Drawdown’s best decarbonization strategies such as Grid Energy solutions and even Indigenous Farming and Forest Management Practices. #gogreen #forthefuture #greenbuilding #sustainability 

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Is your city or town facing complex real estate and land use challenges like affordable housing, economic development, placemaking, or improving infrastructure? Your municipality might be ideal for a ULI Technical Assistance Panel (TAP). ULI TAPs offer expert, multidisciplinary advice on urban and rural development issues, including: - Urban Revitalization - Land Use Planning - Community Development - Real Estate Development - Transit-Oriented Development - Environmental Sustainability - Public-Private Partnerships - Cultural and Heritage Preservation These panels provide objective, practical solutions and market-driven strategies from senior real estate and land use professionals. TAPs are recognized for enhancing and expediting community development processes. Upon completing a TAP, the sponsor receives: - A comprehensive presentation of findings and recommendations. - A detailed report with analysis, strategic recommendations, and next steps. GRANTS FOR TAPs: ULI Utah, in partnership with Salt Lake County Regional Development, offers matching grants for TAP studies at key sites in Salt Lake County communities. While TAP applications are accepted from all Utah municipalities and non-profits, only those in Salt Lake County are eligible for the grants. HOW TO APPLY: Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. To be considered for our Fall 2024 TAP, submit your application to Kristen.Cordova@uli.org by May 31, 2024. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g6iXDh57

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SAR+'s Kevin Eronimous, AIA, LEED AP, a member of the Governor-appointed Colorado Energy Code Board, wanted to share this great opportunity to learn more about one of our strongest tools to 1) lower energy bills, 2) improve indoor air quality and comfort, and 3) reduce climate pollution! You can register below for a webinar on why energy codes matter and how you can help shape the State of Colorado’s model low energy and carbon code. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gBa3P7z6

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New affordable housing is coming to Carlsbad this Summer!⁠ ⁠ The additional 81 affordable units help move the city closer to its required affordable housing allotment under the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).⁠ ⁠ Who else is excited to see more of this project?⁠ ⁠ #commercialinteriorsolutions #moderninteriordesign #interiordesigntrends⁠ ⁠ [Interior Design Trends, Modern Interior Design, Contemporary Interior Design]

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Starting July 1, a new amendment to the California building code mandates that new commercial buildings over 100,000 square feet must adhere to rules aimed at reducing embodied carbon.    A recent Bisnow article provides insight into these initial compliance requirements and anticipates a transformative future aligned with the state’s broader net-zero goals, and shares ways that developers can comply by reusing parts of existing buildings, conducting in-depth whole-building carbon assessments, or documenting low-emission material usage. Globally, emissions from buildings account for nearly 42% of all carbon released into the atmosphere. In SOCOTEC and Bisnow’s collaborative article, "’You Only Get One Shot’: Why Reducing Carbon Emissions is a High Priority for Buildings," we address the crucial role of the architectural and engineering industries in tackling the climate crisis, reflecting the objectives of this new California amendment.     SOCOTEC is at the forefront, partnering with building owners and project teams across the US and in various cities where building energy mandates and ordinances are setting a higher standard. Our Energy & Sustainability team is here to lead the charge towards a more sustainable future by conducting whole-building life cycle assessments, analyzing environmental impacts, and navigating new regulations like this one, all while embracing future challenges.     To read the collaboration article and learn more about SOCOTEC’s role in reducing carbon emissions, please visit Bisnow’s website here:    https://lnkd.in/e2asZdVD    To read about the new CA building code amendment, click here: https://lnkd.in/d4xfx6p9 Andrew Graceffa, RA Jesse Rittenhouse #weareSOCOTEC #SOCOTEC #SOCOTECUSA #Bisnow #CarbonEmissions #SustainableBuilding #NetZeroGoals #GreenBuilding #GreenFuture #ESG #ClimateAction #BuildingEmissions #California #Sustainability #Architecture #Engineering #CarbonReduction #ASHRAE

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🎉⚡💵 So excited for the USDN members who won $3.5mil for the DOE's Resilient & Efficient Codes Implementation grant with wonderful partners New Buildings Institute! Shout out to Leslie Ethen of Tucson, AZ for her leadership in pulling this together. 🏢 The Resilient Southwest Building Code Collaborative is a partnership between local governments, states, nonprofit and academic institutions, and community organizations. Through an inclusive engagement process, they’ll adapt the latest International Energy Conservation Code for use in the Southwest and support adoption of these updated codes in local jurisdictions (and beyond!). These technical solutions will prioritize the needs of communities on the frontlines of climate change. That means people will have a say in how their buildings can be more resilient, and how the building industry can foster more high-quality, good-paying job opportunities. The Collaborative is committed to long-term trust building by creating feedback loops with historically disinvested communities that encourage genuine engagement. In turn, these more efficient and resilient building codes will reduce energy burden and environmental exposure for all residents, including those prioritized by the #Justice40 initiative. We’re pumped to collaborate with you and support this work. From Leslie: “Putting together a federal grant application with 36 partners was challenging, but we leveraged existing relationships between USDN members to build a coalition, connected through USDN with potential technical partners, and benefited greatly from the grant writing assistance USDN provided. This project demonstrates the incredible reach and value of collective action among communities that USDN exists to facilitate.” USDN members: here’s how Leslie stacked USDN support to go after this huge chunk of funding! 💡Leslie applied for an Emergent Learning Fund grant to support the initial organizing around the opportunity in AZ and NM. The initial city and county partners convened in person prior to the grant opportunity opening. This emerging coalition was able to develop a detailed project concept that formed the core of this successful grant application. 🧑‍💻 Then, she utilized our Federal Funding Technical Assistance to support the proposal development. Having a knowledgeable third-party grant reviewer evaluate both the concept paper and full application with respect to how well we met the evaluation criteria helped is fine-tune the proposal into a well-received grant application. ⭐ And, she had the support of our awesome colleague Brianne Fisher all along the way! To learn more about the Collaborative, listen to this recent podcast with Leslie from U.S. Green Building Council: https://lnkd.in/ebUCSFzx #InflationReductionAct

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In a recent article for Commercial Property Executive, PMA Senior Project Manager David Williams discusses the implications of a new generation of seismic ordinances springing up across California to improve the safety and stability of certain building types that have been historically vulnerable to earthquake activity. Writing alongside Michael J. Korolyk and Jasen Armes of Tipping Structural, Williams lays out the challenges and opportunities CRE building owners face in today's volatile commercial market. Read their full thoughts below: #projectmanagement #commercialrealestate #california #seismicordinance

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Albuquerque The Magazine - 💥#Superwomen Profile 2024 💥 "The Visionary" Angela M. Piarowski - As #CEO of Modulus Architects & Land Use Planning, Inc., being a female #visionary means more than leading a company; it’s about pioneering with purpose and passion. Leading in an industry ripe for change, I strive to transform challenges into stepping stones, empowering a diverse team to bring #visionary ideas to life. At Modulus Architects & Land Use Planning, Inc., we don’t just design + plan for today—we #innovate for a better tomorrow.

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📣 CALGreen's groundbreaking building codes to reduce whole building embodied carbon went into effect this month! The codes apply to projects that have a combined floor area of >100,000 SF for commercial buildings and >50,000 SF for schools. Three compliance paths are offered: 1) Reuse: If reusing a structure, maintain 45% of the existing structure and enclosure. 2) Product GWP Compliance: Products must comply with GWP values and have published environmental product declarations (EPD). 3) Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment: Demonstrate a 10% reduction in GWP compared to a reference building. Projects could be at risk of not receiving their construction permit if they are not in compliance. Read the article below to learn more. #Sustainability #CarbonReduction #GreenBuilding #ClimateAction #California #EmbodiedCarbon

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Did you know that U.S. federal building vacancy rates are as high as 75%? 🏛️ California is taking action with a new bill to convert these spaces into much-needed #AffordableHousing! At #MercerMassTimber, we're strong supporters of this pro #AdaptiveReuse legislation! In fact, our very own Ricardo Brites wrote about this topic earlier this year here: https://ow.ly/1P4950RojAA Why does this matter? 🏠 Creates more affordable housing options ️ ❇️ Revitalizes underused spaces 🦺 Reduces environmental impact of new construction What are your thoughts on the growing trend of adaptive reuse? Read more about the recent legislation: https://ow.ly/jC6n50RojOb #MercerMassTimber #GreenLegislation #AdaptiveReuse #MassTimber

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Innovation Districts are designed to foster energy, connection, and collaboration that’s fundamental to research and discovery. Sadie Cline and Ryan Velasco, AIA discuss the key considerations to ensuring Innovation District success in Colorado and beyond. https://bit.ly/4chbXtM

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Join New Buildings Institute tomorrow for a webinar on June 27 to learn about the Building Electrification Technology Roadmap (BETR) for K-12 schools and hear a California school district’s firsthand experience with electrification. BETR for Schools provides high-level guidance for schools and districts that may be considering system and equipment upgrades in educational facilities. Learn more and register today: https://hubs.li/Q02C4gbG0.   BETR for Schools summarizes a comprehensive set of electrification technologies that can replace traditional fuel-fired equipment and includes information about typical upfront and operational costs. Webinar participants will learn about common electrification options, especially for space and water heating, and receive information about potential installation and maintenance challenges, indoor air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. This webinar is in partnership with San Diego LEARN.

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Seattle making adaptive reuse projects more feasible. This will of course catch the eyes of many developers looking to convert their current spaces. My question, do you have updated records, as-builts/models, and full transparency of the space? With Multivista's cutting edge laser scanning and deliverables we can capture an existing space including the MEP to create a digital twin of your project. This allows for a more efficient design, eliminating costly change orders caused by unforeseen conditions, and more precise cost estimating. Thinking about diving into a commercial conversion? Office to resi? Let's connect and discuss how our documentation can reduce costs and make a project like this pencil. #Construction #Multivista #Leica #Scanning

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In the face of today’s myriad codes and regulations, the need for a holistic approach to decarbonizing campus buildings and infrastructure becomes evident. #AEISeattle’s Building Performance Practice Leader Lyle Keck, PE delves into a critical component of decarbonization – operational energy use – in a Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce’s Sustainable Building & Design piece titled, “A Primer on Campus Decarbonization in Washington.” Read more to gain expert insights ➡ https://bit.ly/4b2NqIP #AffiliatedEngineers #AEI

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Ensuring affordability in density bonus projects is crucial for maintaining the long-term stability of affordable housing options in Los Angeles. The Density Bonus Program includes safeguards such as recorded covenants to ensure that designated affordable units remain affordable for a set period, typically at least 30 years for low and very low-income units. Understanding and implementing these safeguards requires expert guidance to ensure compliance and contribute to the community's housing needs. Want to know more? Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gGQijQpd Developers, gain clarity on Density Bonus requirements and maximize the potential of your projects. Schedule a strategy call to ensure compliance and explore the benefits of the Density Bonus Program: https://lnkd.in/gUA5PbC2 #flashfacts #work #road #project #construction #architecture #constructionsector #site #sector #business #building #industry #news

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