\What is now hot and dry Mexico City used to be a lush agricultural area. Shifting water levels caused by flooding were controlled with floating agricultural infrastructure. The Spanish conquistadors decided to build there, but constant flooding resulted in draining the once enormous Lake Texcoco. Today, much of Mexico City rests in the lake basin; the city’s population explosion depletes groundwater.

‘Beneficial electrification’ refers to the need to electrify buildings to reduce emissions from combustion heating.

Wastewater energy transfer has risen to the top as a preferred initial method to begin the decarbonization efforts for commercial buildings and thermal energy networks of all types and sizes.

When imagining a distribution warehouse, setting up shop in an old, underground mine doesn’t come to mind. And while PHCP tools, equipment or building materials don’t need to be housed in a cool climate, an underground space can help curb the theft of expensive materials such as copper pipe and fittings. 

The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians have always been good stewards of their community’s environment. It was no different when it came time to replace the HVAC system in their health center with a geothermal system, empowering the tribe to achieve greater energy independence.

Proposals to develop high-density communities built around walking and biking paths to satisfy millennial homebuyers would certainly reduce traffic congestion and parking issues. However, a plumbing service call or site commissioning visit could become very difficult with a pickup truck in these neighborhoods. 

After the news about many single-use plastics bypassing the recycling cycle, clothing is the next problem as it is discarded and disintegrates into microscopic plastic particles. 

The Solar Decathlon challenges the next generation of building professionals to design high-performance, low-carbon buildings powered by renewable energy.

Water, food and air are essential for human survival. Today, about 30 crops provide 95 percent of human food globally. As climate change alters how and where we can grow crops productively, farming research and seed protection are critical.