Sustainability

  Zumtobel, in Europe, has launched the first remanufacturing service by a luminaire manufacturer. The new standardized remanufacturing service extends the life of lighting systems to at least two product life cycles. The full-service, turnkey package covers everything from deinstallation and remanufacturing to reinstallation. The as-new remanufactured system will provide at least equivalent performance, as [...]

  Argentina’s first solar highway, inaugurated in San Juan province, is a pilot infrastructure project that uses distributed photovoltaic generation to power all of the road’s nighttime lighting and showcases the region’s strong solar resource. Project overview The highway installation is located along National Route A014 (Circunvalación Avenue) in San Juan, making it the first [...]

  Apartment conversion projects surged across the U.S. in 2024, characterized by both the volume and pace of adaptive reuse—where underperforming properties are redeveloped into multifamily residential units. According to a new RentCafe report, nearly 25,000 apartments were completed through adaptive reuse in 2024, representing a 50% increase compared to 2023 and double 2022’s output. [...]

Augusta, Georgia has launched its first large-scale deployment of solar-powered streetlights along Windsor Spring Road, marking a significant step in the city’s efforts to modernize infrastructure and promote sustainability. This initiative is a pilot project aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and benefits of solar technology for public lighting. The solar streetlights were installed to address [...]

  Boston has become the first city in the US to mandate that most large new buildings achieve net-zero carbon emissions from the day they open. This regulation, within amended zoning codes, passed in January 2025, and is considered the most stringent building emissions rule in the United States. The new requirement marks a significant [...]

The Smart Surfaces Coalition, in partnership with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, has launched an updated Smart Surfaces Policy Tracker, a comprehensive tool designed to help U.S. cities and states track, compare, and implement policies that address extreme urban heat and flooding through innovative surface design strategies. The tool compiles over 1,935 policy [...]

  The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) has launched a new Building Performance Standard (BPS) program aimed at improving energy efficiency in existing large commercial buildings across the state. This initiative, established through the passage of House Bill 3409 by the Oregon Legislature in 2023, marks Oregon as the fourth state in the nation to [...]

Fagerhult has taken an important step towards sustainability by announcing that its extruded aluminum profiles for several high-volume product lines will now consist of 75% recycled material. This change marks a significant move in the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact, particularly its carbon footprint.  The transition to recycled aluminum affects some of [...]

InventWood, a Maryland-based company, is pioneering a revolutionary building material called SUPERWOOD that promises to transform the construction industry by combining exceptional strength with sustainability. Patented in 2018 by Dr. Liangbing Hu, SUPERWOOD is produced by removing certain components of wood’s cellular structure and compressing it, resulting in a material that is up to 12 [...]