The Latest
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US office vacancy rates break 20% for first time ever
Preliminary second quarter data from Moody’s shows the third straight record-breaking quarter beyond previous historic peaks seen between 1986 and 1991.
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Office real estate is now a tale of three markets, Cushman & Wakefield says
The office vacancy rate will peak at 21.6% in late 2025, but performance between the best and worst buildings varies greatly, according to the firm’s mid-year macro outlook for commercial real estate.
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‘There’s been a ton of progress’ on energy efficiency this year. Next up: court cases and an election
2024 has been a banner year for energy efficiency so far, particularly with a slate of new appliance standards finalized by the U.S. Department of Energy. But a court case and upcoming election could stall progress, say experts.
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With thermal energy tech, Emerson College aims to decarbonize 100% of its heating
The higher education institution will integrate eSteam into its building management systems without requiring upgrades, retrofits or additional investments, says an exec at Vicinity Energy, which developed the technology.
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Canada Infrastructure Bank invests $100M in deep energy retrofits across aging buildings
GDI Integrated Facility Services will channel the loan toward implementing measures that are expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions in each building by at least 30% annually.
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Data center demand continues despite supply bottlenecks
Pre-leasing rates of over 83% show that a strong demand for data center space is meeting supply at an impressive pace, says a CBRE executive.
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Hybrid work is now the norm, but attendance requirements rarely enforced: CBRE
Average turnover rates are highest for firms that are fully remote compared with those that are fully in-office or other approaches, a survey of more than 340 U.S. companies found.
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SolarEdge platform aims to be ‘single source of truth’ for building energy management
The cloud-based energy optimization platform for commercial and industrial applications manages energy production and utilization across photovoltaic, energy storage, EV charging and HVAC systems.
Updated July 5, 2024 -
OSHA proposes rule to protect workers from extreme heat
The standard would require employers to evaluate heat risks and, when necessary, provide drinking water, rest breaks and control of indoor heat.
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Retrieved from ASHRAE on July 02, 2024
ASHRAE establishes Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization
The center will track emerging issues and trends, provide reliable technical information and coordinate joint initiatives, ASHRAE says.
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Henry Ford Health aims for net-zero emissions with Central Energy Hub
The healthcare organization says it plans to provide its new Detroit facilities with electric heating and cooling through a hot and chilled water pump system as part of a $2.2 billion campus expansion.
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State employees in Texas not subject to overtime rule, judge holds
The ruling — which relies on the Supreme Court’s same-day decision that overturned the Chevron doctrine — is likely to foreshadow similar pending challenges, attorneys noted.
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R-Zero rolls out short-term leasing for office sensors
The wireless, battery-powered sensors can help organizations study patterns of peak utilization and find the right space to support employee productivity, the building intelligence firm says.
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Hybrid employees show higher rates of workplace engagement: Gallup
Most U.S. and Canadian employees surveyed say they are not engaged at work, with remote and on-site employees reporting higher levels of anger and loneliness, a new report states.
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NYC Council approves legislation requiring proactive building inspections
If signed into law, the bill would require the Department of Buildings to use predictive analytics to identify and address hazardous structures before they become dangerous.
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Lack of power pushes rental increases in major U.S. data center markets: CBRE
Demand growth and shrinking availability of data centers are pushing companies to tertiary markets with greater power availability, a new report says.
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Wendy’s inks deal with solar company to cut restaurant emissions
The collaboration with Ampion Renewable Energy will help provide renewable electricity to local utility grids and decrease restaurants’ reliance on fossil fuels.
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T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods parent company to adopt Kode Labs’ energy management system in the US
The off-price retailer’s move to integrate its U.S. building management systems into a single, centralized platform comes as it mulls the prospect of adding more than 100 U.S. stores this year.
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Budderfly expands energy savings portfolio with water conservation technologies
The company says it plans to roll out its new water-saving solutions to more than 200 new and existing customer sites, with more deployments planned for the rest of the year.
Updated June 28, 2024 -
California adopts rule limiting indoor workplace heat exposure
Employers will have to provide workers with cooldown spaces and water if the indoor temperature or heat index cracks 87 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Q&A
HFOs are the best replacement for HFC refrigerants, Honeywell Advanced Materials’ president says
Hydrofluoroolefins have a lower global warming potential than earlier refrigerants and foaming agents, Jeff Dormo says, and they’re at the heart of Honeywell’s innovations in this space.
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Grid limitations are the biggest barrier to commercial EV charger deployment, survey finds
Of the EV charging developers and operators Xendee surveyed, 75% say they struggle with electric grid constraints.
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The image by EEJCC is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
US airports invest in tech for enhanced traveler experience, sustainability
With upgrades ranging from building management systems to smart restrooms, airports are working to streamline operations, predict passenger needs, optimize energy use and cut carbon emissions.
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$80M GSA initiative aims to add smart building tech to federal facilities
Advanced metering, smart sensors and HVAC controls are among the technologies the GSA will use to cut costs and increase efficiency in an estimated 560 federal buildings across the U.S.
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ABM Vantage parking platform gets a boost with Rezcomm integration
The partnership brings advanced analytics, mobile applications and customer engagement tools, helping facilities managers optimize parking operations, the companies say.