flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Mayors sign Chicago Climate Charter; will strive to meet Paris accord goals

Codes and Standards

Mayors sign Chicago Climate Charter; will strive to meet Paris accord goals

Pledge to push for more local authority to reduce emissions.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | December 14, 2017

Dozens of mayors from around the globe signed the Chicago Climate Charter early this month.

According to reports, 51 mayors attended the event, though it was unclear how many mayors signed the charter. The agreement is intended to spur cities to reach greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, similar to the Paris climate accord.

According to USA Today, the charter calls for:

— Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by an aggregate of at least 26% to 28% below the 2005 level by 2025. That would meet the commitment the Obama administration made for the U.S. in the Paris accord.

— Quantify, track, and publicly report the progress toward reaching each city's individual commitments.

— Advocate for greater local authority to allow municipal leaders to develop policies and local laws to have a greater impact on climate issues.

— Include women, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous people, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities in developing climate policy.

— Recognize the fiscal and social costs of carbon, and work toward “a just transition” for those impacted by changing policies.

Related Stories

Green | Feb 15, 2024

FEMA issues guidance on funding for net zero buildings

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently unveiled new guidance on additional assistance funding for net zero buildings. The funding is available for implementing net-zero energy projects with a tie to disaster recovery or mitigation.

Codes | Feb 9, 2024

Illinois releases stretch energy code for building construction

Illinois is the latest jurisdiction to release a stretch energy code that provides standards for communities to mandate more efficient building construction. St. Louis, Mo., and a few states, including California, Colorado, and Massachusetts, currently have stretch codes in place.

Modular Building | Jan 19, 2024

Virginia is first state to adopt ICC/MBI offsite construction standards

Virginia recently became the first state to adopt International Code Council/Modular Building Institute off-site construction standards.

Modular Building | Jan 19, 2024

Building with shipping containers not as eco-friendly as it seems

With millions of shipping containers lying empty at ports around the world, it may seem like repurposing them to construct buildings would be a clear environmental winner. The reality of building with shipping containers is complicated, though, and in many cases isn’t a net-positive for the environment, critics charge, according to a report by NPR's Chloe Veltman.

Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Jan 17, 2024

Waterproofing deep foundations for new construction

This continuing education course, by Walter P Moore's Amos Chan, P.E., BECxP, CxA+BE, covers design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.

Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2024

Office-to-residential conversions put pressure on curbside management and parking

With many office and commercial buildings being converted to residential use, two important issues—curbside management and parking—are sometimes not given their due attention. Cities need to assess how vehicle storage, bike and bus lanes, and drop-off zones in front of buildings may need to change because of office-to-residential conversions.

MFPRO+ News | Jan 12, 2024

Detroit may tax land more than buildings to spur development of vacant sites

The City of Detroit is considering a revamp of how it taxes property to encourage development of more vacant lots. The land-value tax has rarely been tried in the U.S., but versions of it have been adopted in many other countries. 

MFPRO+ News | Jan 12, 2024

As demand rises for EV chargers at multifamily housing properties, options and incentives multiply

As electric vehicle sales continue to increase, more renters are looking for apartments that offer charging options.

Student Housing | Jan 12, 2024

UC Berkeley uses shipping containers to block protestors of student housing project

The University of California at Berkeley took the drastic step of erecting a wall of shipping containers to keep protestors out of a site of a planned student housing complex. The $312 million project would provide badly needed housing at the site of People’s Park. 

MFPRO+ News | Jan 8, 2024

Canada turns to 1940s strategy to speed up housing construction

To address a severe housing shortage, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has begun a housing construction strategy pioneered in the years after World War 2. The government aims to use a catalog of pre-approved home designs to reduce the cost and time to construct homes.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021