Five Real Estate Turkeys for 2025
It’s that time of year again, when we recognize the dumb ideas, political cowardice and dodo development plans that add a little extra spice to life in Massachusetts.
How New Projects Are Responding to Climate Concerns in Boston
Like other waterfront cities, Boston faces existential risk from climate change – not just rising sea levels, but also sudden rainstorms and extreme temperatures.
Buildings Play a Key Role in Massachusetts’ Energy Future
If we want to maintain momentum on climate goals, we must be strategic in how and when building performance is integrated into the construction process.
How to Talk to Building Owners About Embodied Carbon
Recent municipal regulations mean designers face an urgent need to translate these rules’ implications for building owners and developers.
Who’s Got an ‘Abundance’ Agenda in Massachusetts?
Some top Democrats on Beacon Hill say they’re big fans of the book roiling the party’s intellectual circles with its critique of why blue states build too little housing.
Massachusetts’ Clean Energy Plans Face a Reckoning
The wheels are coming off our current plans to transition to a clean energy future. It’s time for a debate on how we balance the speed of transition with making Massachusetts affordable.
Watertown Hits Pause on BERDO Ordinance
Watertown leaders hit pause on new building emissions regulations after objections from the business community and condominium associations about the potential costs and complications.
Drastic Changes Needed to Balance Emissions Reductions and Housing Production
The costs of meeting the state’s energy policies are showing up as a stealth tax in the form of higher housing ownership costs and higher rents. A lot of that has to do with town and city policy.
Sustainability Standoff in Watertown
Potential new requirements to discourage fossil fuel use at approximately 150 large buildings in Watertown would drive up housing costs and penalize developers of recent lab projects, opponents say.
Wu Pledges Office Conversion Expansion
The city will also launch its first-ever anti-displacement program, Mayor Michelle Wu said during her annual State of the City address.
Top Mass. Politicians Turn Out to Praise Sublime Systems, WS Seaport Tower
One phrase was uttered over and over again Tuesday morning by the movers and shakers of Beacon Hill and D.C.: Who knew concrete was so exciting?
Commission Rejects Boston Fossil Fuel-Free Zoning Code
In a surprise vote Wednesday night, Boston’s Zoning Commission rejected the Wu administration’s attempt to limit carbon emissions in new developments.
Healey, Wu Will Attend Vatican Climate Conference
Healey will discuss “governing in the age of climate change” and Wu will talk about “governance, health and energy.”
These Show Homes Take Different Paths
Two model homes being showcased at this week’s International Builders’ Show try to offer solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges: sustainability and the difficulty of “trading up” as your family changes.
Experts’ Voices Must Be Part of Decarbonization Conversation
We are experiencing a sea change in regulations related to sustainability and decarbonization in the built environment. And technical experts like architects need to have central roles in their development.
Holyoke Seeks an On-Ramp to Mass. ‘Climate Corridor’
As MIT-trained scientists pursue clean energy breakthroughs at Cambridge and Somerville incubators, Gateway Cities are seeking to capture a share of Massachusetts’ growing decarbonization economy.
More Green Building Requirements Coming to Boston in 2024
The next hurdle for developers that want to build in the city will challenge them to include decarbonized materials and green building designs to reduce their fossil fuel footprints.
BERDO Turns Up the Heat on Landlords
Boston’s groundbreaking law cutting large buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions is set to gain a set of teeth, but a leading real estate group says the measure could drive up rents and make the affordability crisis worse.
Hot Property: La Victoire Condominiums
An adaptive reuse project is transforming an 1891 church in Boston’s Bay Village into 18 residential condominiums.
Concrete Getting Pulled into Beacon Hill’s Carbon Battle
As lawmakers look at regulating building and infrastructure materials in pursuit of the state’s emission reduction goals, the concrete industry wants to been seen as a partner, not a foe, in the effort to make Massachusetts greener.
