Sustainability

  Signify in Europe expanded its circular lighting portfolio, last year, with the launch of the Philips MASTER LEDtube T8 EM/mains, the first LED tube in Europe to incorporate a significant proportion of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic into a mainstream, specification-grade lamp. Engineered for retrofit applications, the product integrates approximately 40% PCR plastic while maintaining [...]

  Famostar’s O-Lux Lighting System shows how emergency lighting can be both highly functional and more sustainable. Built as a fully integrated oval luminaire, it combines general and emergency lighting in one design while also addressing glare control, flexible mounting, and an 8-year battery warranty. At the center of the product story is bio-circular attributed [...]

  California’s SB 343 law creates a new “accurate recycling labels” framework meant to reduce misleading recycling claims and make packaging labels better reflect what is actually recycled in the state. The core idea is that companies can’t use the chasing arrows symbol, or any other recyclability indicator, unless certain criteria are met, and those [...]

  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 [...]