Lessons learned from decades of Superfund cleanups guide contaminated land reuse

After decades of remediation of contaminated properties funded by the federal Superfund program, some important lessons have emerged for reusing these sites.

Involving the local community and creating a vision for reuse early in the cleanup process is vital. It’s also critical to perform the right level of remediation for the intended use.

For example, a site intended for a new school or residential development needs more thorough cleanup than one meant for a new parking lot. Solar energy generation has become a popular choice for reuse, as this option takes land that was out of use instead of more valuable farmland or forestland.

Based on EPA analysis of 487 of the 888 Superfund sites in reuse, there were about 6,600 businesses in 2017 located on remediated properties. Their operations employed more than 156,000 people and generated annual sales of $43.6 billion.

Associated Builders and Contractors has released an artificial intelligence (AI) technology guide for the U.S. construction industry. AI in Construction — What Does It Mean for Our Contractors? outlines definitions, construction use cases, and considerations for the implementation of AI in construction.

Codes and Standards | Feb 20, 2024

AISC, AIA release second part of design assist guidelines for the structural steel industry

The American Institute of Steel Construction and AIA Contract Documents have released the second part of a document intended to provide guidance for three common collaboration strategies.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 19, 2024

Sports stadium developers sweeten projects with affordable housing to gain support

In recent years, sports stadium developers have been including affordable housing in their projects to win support from local governments and community activists.

MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024

UL Solutions launches indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects

UL Solutions recently launched UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for New Construction, an indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects.

MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024

Nine states pledge to transition to heat pumps for residential HVAC and water heating

Nine states have signed a joint agreement to accelerate the transition to residential building electrification by significantly expanding heat pump sales to meet heating, cooling, and water heating demand. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by directors of environmental agencies from California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.

MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024

Oregon, California, Maine among states enacting policies to spur construction of missing middle housing

Although the number of new apartment building units recently reached the highest point in nearly 50 years, construction of duplexes, triplexes, and other buildings of from two to nine units made up just 1% of new housing units built in 2022. A few states have recently enacted new laws to spur more construction of these missing middle housing options.

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.