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

New program to promote mass timber construction launched in Boston

Codes and Standards

New program to promote mass timber construction launched in Boston

City’s planning and development agency to award grants for projects in early-stage planning.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | October 11, 2021
Boston

Courtesy Pixabay

The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) recently launched the Mass Timber Accelerator to promote the use of mass timber by the local building industry.

The program will provide technical support and award up to ten $25,000 grants for development projects in the early phases of planning. “The expansion of mass timber construction practices is a critical step to reaching zero net carbon building and zoning standards,” according to a BPDA news release.

The program includes the Think Wood Mobile Tour, a traveling visual exhibit showcasing the environmental and economic benefits of wood products and their current and future use in commercial, multifamily, and residential construction. It features a variety of interactive elements including building models ranging from single family homes to tall wood structures.

The Accelerator initiative will help Boston reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, the release says.

Related Stories

Codes | Jul 10, 2023

Water Demand Calculator outperforms traditional plumbing codes for energy, carbon, and water savings

Using IAPMO’s Water Demand Calculator tool can result in energy, carbon, and water savings as compared to using traditional plumbing specification methods in plumbing codes, according to a study by Arup.

Contractors | Jun 30, 2023

Construction industry task force aims for standardized carbon reporting

A newly formed Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) task force on decarbonization and carbon reporting will address the challenges around reporting and reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry.

Standards | Jun 30, 2023

New ASHRAE standard aims to reduce disease transmission risk in indoor spaces

ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of disease transmission by exposure to infectious aerosols in new buildings, existing buildings, and major renovations. Infectious aerosols are tiny, exhaled particles that can carry pathogens that cause infections or disease.

Affordable Housing | Jun 27, 2023

Racial bias concerns prompt lawmakers to ask HUD to ban biometric surveillance, including facial recognition

Two members of the U.S. House of Representative have asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development to end the use of biometric technology, including facial recognition, for surveillance purposes in public housing. 

Standards | Jun 26, 2023

New Wi-Fi standard boosts indoor navigation, tracking accuracy in buildings

The recently released Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11az enables more refined and accurate indoor location capabilities. As technology manufacturers incorporate the new standard in various devices, it will enable buildings, including malls, arenas, and stadiums, to provide new wayfinding and tracking features.

Contractors | Jun 26, 2023

Most top U.S. contractors rarely deliver projects on time: new study

About 63% of leading U.S. contractors are delivering projects out of schedule, according to a survey of over 300 C-suite executives and owners in the construction industry by XYZ Reality. The study implies that the industry is struggling with significant backlogs due, in part, to avoidable defects, scan, and rework. 

Green | Jun 26, 2023

Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.

Office Buildings | Jun 26, 2023

Electric vehicle chargers are top priority for corporate office renters

Businesses that rent office space view electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as a top priority. More than 40% of companies in the Americas and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) are looking to include EV charging stations in future leases, according to JLL’s 2023 Responsible Real Estate study.

Urban Planning | Jun 15, 2023

Arizona limits housing projects in Phoenix area over groundwater supply concerns

Arizona will no longer grant certifications for new residential developments in Phoenix, it’s largest city, due to concerns over groundwater supply. The announcement indicates that the Phoenix area, currently the nation’s fastest-growing region in terms of population growth, will not be able to sustain its rapid growth because of limited freshwater resources. 

Multifamily Housing | Jun 15, 2023

Alliance of Pittsburgh building owners slashes carbon emissions by 45%

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. 

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