ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings.

The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release. It will recognize homes and apartments with increased energy efficiency; reduced on-site emissions through heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric cooking appliances; and residential electric vehicle charging.

Compared to typical code-level construction, homes earning ENERGY STAR NextGen certification will be 20% more efficient and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%–80%. Several early adopters have already begun to build to the ENERGY STAR NextGen specification including:

Beazer Homes (Maryland)
GreenSmith Builders (Minnesota)
New Tradition Homes (Washington)
Quantum Equities, LLC (Washington)
Thrive Home Builders (Colorado)

Several utilities have announced early incentives for builders to adopt the specification, namely:

EmPOWER Maryland, including Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), and Potomac Edison (PE) (Maryland)
Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1 (Washington)
Utah Clean Energy (Utah)
Xcel Energy (Minnesota)
Xcel Energy (Colorado)

The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.

Yale University breaks ground on the nation's largest Living Building student housing complex

University Buildings | Dec 8, 2023

Yale University breaks ground on nation's largest Living Building student housing complex

A groundbreaking on Oct. 11 kicked off a project aiming to construct the largest Living Building Challenge-certified residence on a university campus. The Living Village, a 45,000 sf home for Yale University Divinity School graduate students, “will make an ecological statement about the need to build in harmony with the natural world while training students to become ‘apostles of the environment’,” according to Bruner/Cott, which is leading the design team that includes Höweler + Yoon Architecture and Andropogon Associates.

Almost a million apartment units are currently under construction in the U.S., says Apartment List.

MFPRO+ News | Dec 7, 2023

7 key predictions for the 2024 multifamily rental housing market

2024 will be the strongest year for new apartment construction in decades, says Apartment List's chief economist.

Codes and Standards | Dec 7, 2023

New York City aims to spur construction of more accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

To address a serious housing shortage, New York City is trying to get more homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The city recently unveiled a program that offers owners of single-family homes up to nearly $400,000 to construct an apartment on their property.