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Declining office occupancy levels combined with a growing shortage of affordable residential housing has ignited renewed interest in converting office space to multifamily housing. This trend can be seen across the nation with CBRE reporting a 50% increase in conversions from 2022 compared to 2021. The Washington DC market has been no exception to this trend with Mayor Bowser unveiling an economic development strategy titled “DC’s Comeback Plan” with the hashtag #DistrictofComebacks on January… Read More

Higher education facilities managers and their teams are being challenged to adopt sustainability initiatives on expedited timelines to meet university leadership Net Zero commitments to staff, students and alumni.  Sustainability initiatives are being seen today as a necessity to be competitive across academic institutions to attract the best candidates, which is paramount to the health and success of these organizations. Additionally, many college and university presidents and chancellors… Read More

As available real estate continues to diminish, and become more expensive, data center developers are embracing the reality that if you can’t build out, you must build up. Typically, building up is more expensive especially if you stay within the constraints of low voltage power distribution systems (480 Volts, typical). In an effort to help contain those costs, consideration should be made for shifting to a medium voltage power distribution system (i.e., 5kV to 69 kV, typical) solution that… Read More

Energy intense labs present owners, developers, and designers alike with a unique challenge to balance functional lab design with corporate sustainability goals, anticipated emissions reduction requirements, and energy codes. Now more than ever, converting offices to lab spaces requires new, more innovative, and future-focused design strategies. A creative and collaborative team is also imperative to meet unique lab needs during our industry’s ever-changing regulatory and construction cost… Read More

Declining office occupancy levels combined with a growing shortage of affordable residential housing has ignited renewed interest in converting office space to multifamily housing. According to CBRE, in 2021 8 million SF of office space was converted, that number rose to 12 million SF in 2022 and is expected to continue rising in 2023.  While the majority of recent office space conversions have been to the laboratory and hospitality market, conversions to multifamily housing make up one-third… Read More

Energy intense labs present owners, developers, and designers alike with a unique challenge to balance functional lab design with new emission reduction requirements and energy codes. Decarbonization of the building sector is being accelerated in New England by Boston’s BERDO 2.0 and new DOER Massachusetts Energy Codes which pose stringent building emissions limits and highly efficient energy standards. Now more than ever, converting offices to lab spaces, requires new, more innovative, and… Read More

‘Carbon’ is the new sustainability metric. At Bala, we see the building industry transitioning from measuring a building’s “sustainability” based on its energy efficiency and energy use to a more comprehensive model that includes both the operational and embodied carbon from the building. With this critical shift, it’s important we understand the fundamental relationship between carbon and climate change and the frameworks of carbon measurement, as it relates to the built environment.   Carbon… Read More

We experience the world on two planes--physical and digital. The intersection of these points determines how we experience the buildings in which we work, live, and socialize. It is now possible to gauge the level of connectedness, and how reliably we will be able to integrate these two aspects of our lives in the built environment.   WiredScore is the global industry leader when it comes to building technology and digital connectivity assessment. WiredScore’s mission is “to make the world’s… Read More

Market forces have created an unprecedented demand for laboratory space in urban environments. In the past, lab space was more commonly found in suburban locations within industrial/office parks or sprawling campuses. Urban spaces appeal to smaller startup companies, as well as established firms that wish to be close to universities and other chemistry and biotechnology companies. With an influx of venture capital for life sciences deals, startups have found a source of capital that will… Read More

Effective November 15, 2019, New York City’s Local Law 97 (LL97) is one of many local climate action laws centered around protecting the environment, and subsequently people from the effects of climate change. LL97 is part of a long string of legislation dedicated to reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from NYC buildings – including but not limited to: LL84, LL87, and now LL154. LL84 (2009) – requires annual benchmarking of energy and water efficiency of buildings LL87 (2009… Read More