New affordable housing development comes to the Bay Area

MBH Architects, in collaboration with Jon Worden Architects, has designed a new affordable housing project that provides low-cost rentals low-income families and seniors in the heart of Sonoma County.

The first phase of the development is Fetters Apartments, which will comprise 60 units spread across five buildings. One-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts will be available. A sixth building will act as a community space and feature amenities such as a communal kitchen, computer lab, laundry room, and a classroom for after school programs. A shared garden and a school playground help to link residents while a public bike and pedestrian trail encourages outdoor activities.

Celestina Garden Apartments, the project’s second phase, provides 40 affordable units for low income seniors. Eight of these units are reserved for homeless seniors and seniors displaced by the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires.

Fetters Apartments.

Celestina Garden Apartments.

The Pittsburgh 2030 District, an alliance of property owners in the Pittsburgh area, says that it has reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% below baseline. Begun in 2012 under the guidance of the Green Building Alliance (GBA), the Pittsburgh 2030 District encompasses more than 86 million sf of space within 556 buildings.

Industry Research | Jun 15, 2023

Exurbs and emerging suburbs having fastest population growth, says Cushman & Wakefield

Recently released county and metro-level population growth data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the fastest growing areas are found in exurbs and emerging suburbs.

Engineers | Jun 14, 2023

The high cost of low maintenance

Walter P Moore’s Javier Balma, PhD, PE, SE, and Webb Wright, PE, identify the primary causes of engineering failures, define proactive versus reactive maintenance, recognize the reasons for deferred maintenance, and identify the financial and safety risks related to deferred maintenance.

Mixed-Use | Jun 12, 2023

Goettsch Partners completes its largest China project to date: a mixed-used, five-tower complex

Chicago-based global architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) recently announced the completion of its largest project in China to date: the China Resources Qianhai Center, a mixed-use complex in the Qianhai district of Shenzhen. Developed by CR Land, the project includes five towers totaling almost 472,000 square meters (4.6 million sf).

Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023

Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization

Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities.

Multifamily Housing | Jun 6, 2023

Minnesota expected to adopt building code that would cut energy use by 80%

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to soon sign a bill that would change the state’s commercial building code so that new structures would use 80% less energy when compared to a 2004 baseline standard. The legislation aims for full implementation of the new code by 2036.

Student Housing | Jun 5, 2023

The power of student engagement: How on-campus student housing can increase enrollment

Studies have confirmed that students are more likely to graduate when they live on campus, particularly when the on-campus experience encourages student learning and engagement, writes Design Collaborative's Nathan Woods, AIA.

Image by Rebecca Moninghoff from Pixabay

Multifamily Housing | Jun 1, 2023

Income-based electric bills spark debate on whether they would harm or hurt EV and heat pump adoption

Starting in 2024, the electric bills of most Californians could be based not only on how much power they use, but also on how much money they make. Those who have higher incomes would pay more; those with lower incomes would see their electric bills decline - a concept known as income-based electric bills.

Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2023

Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements

Phius certifications are expected to become more common as states and cities boost green building standards. The City of Boston recently adopted Massachusetts’s so-called opt-in building code, a set of sustainability standards that goes beyond the standard state code.