Vermont Catalog of Pre-Approved Middle Housing Designs Harkens Back to Sears Catalog Homes
Vermont has launched the 802 Homes catalog, a publicly accessible library of pre‑approved, construction‑ready designs for missing‑middle housing types such as ADUs, duplexes, townhomes, cottages and small multiplexes. The initiative integrates design, permitting, infrastructure and financing into a single production system, shifting plan vetting upstream to reduce uncertainty. By aligning new zoning reforms with ready‑made, code‑compliant plans, the state aims to accelerate development, lower soft costs and mitigate financing risk. The catalog also embraces modular and factory‑built construction methods, echoing the historic Sears catalog model for mass‑produced homes.
Deepki Launches New Benchmark for Decarbonising Real Estate
Deepki has introduced a Sustainability CapEx Index that benchmarks the capital expenditure required per square metre to decarbonise real‑estate portfolios by 2050. The index leverages Deepki’s AI and thermodynamic software to model virtual renovation scenarios across more than 3,000 European...
AI Pulse Exclusive: How Spacely AI Is Bringing Generative AI Into Spatial Design Workflows
Spacely AI delivers a generative AI platform that converts floor plans and rough concepts into realistic 3D visualizations within minutes, targeting architects, interior designers, and real‑estate professionals in the US and Europe. The company embeds AI across its product and...
Facing the Age of Robots? Material Innovation in Architectural Structures
Robotic systems are reshaping architectural construction by moving beyond simple automation to become material makers. Advanced six‑axis arms, mobile platforms and 3D‑printing robots now translate computational designs directly into built forms, enabling complex geometries and on‑site adaptation. Projects such as...
Construction’s Future of Work Comes Into Focus
At ConExpo‑Con/Agg 2026, construction leaders spotlighted AI, IoT, automation and workforce development as the next wave of jobsite innovation. Caterpillar unveiled Cat Compact, new high‑horsepower engines, an AI Assistant and its first autonomous soil compactor, building on a decade of...
What to Consider When Taking on a Lighting Upgrade Project
Lighting upgrades are shifting from simple fixture swaps to strategic, system‑focused solutions that emphasize modular controls and human‑centered design. Executives are urged to start with occupancy duration and usage patterns, shaping decisions on controls, sensors, and infrastructure. A lifecycle‑cost perspective,...
New Property Discovery App Officially Launches with TV Campaign
The HOMING IN® property discovery app has launched a national TV advertising campaign on Sky channels starting mid‑March, targeting tech‑savvy home‑seekers. The platform promises estate agents a low‑cost or free marketing channel that funnels enquiries directly to their own websites...
Zoopla Reports Sharp Rise in Property Valuation Leads to Agents
Zoopla announced a 42% year‑on‑year rise in valuation leads for February, extending the growth seen in January. The surge aligns with an additional 500,000 homeowners using Zoopla’s valuation tools, pushing total users above 5.6 million. Leads increased across Great Britain, with...
Sandalwood HOA in Palm Beach Gardens Tees up for Fiber Internet
Vitalis Smart Communities completed a competitive procurement that will bring full‑fiber internet and bundled TV to the 248‑home Sandalwood HOA in Palm Beach Gardens. The new network replaces the legacy copper coax with 2 Gbps multi‑gig speeds delivered via Wi‑Fi 7, and...
Malaysia: New Digital Platform Advances Smart Construction
Malaysia's Construction Industry Development Board launched the Digital Construction Management platform, a centralized web‑based system that integrates Building Information Modelling and other digital tools to streamline construction workflows. The platform provides real‑time data sharing across design, planning, construction, and maintenance,...
One Building, Many Needs: Flexible Heating Solutions For Mixed-Use Commercial Spaces
Mixed‑use commercial buildings face uneven heating loads that traditional forced‑air systems cannot efficiently meet. Decentralized solutions—particularly unit heaters and infrared heaters—provide zone‑specific, scalable heating without extensive ductwork or major retrofits. Unit heaters offer configurable installations, independent zoning, and easy scalability...
Proptech: Patents and Patent Litigation
Proptech is reshaping real‑estate through AI, IoT and data‑driven platforms, prompting a surge in Canadian patent activity. Between 2016 and 2026, over 270 applications covered building‑energy management, more than 240 targeted digital transaction systems, and 190 focused on construction‑project software....
Planning Commission Recommends Approval for 1.6m Sq Ft Planned Data Center in Louisville, Kentucky
The Louisville Planning Commission has recommended approval for a 1.6 million‑square‑foot data‑center campus near Shively, Kentucky. Developed by Poe Companies and PowerHouse Data Centers, the project will feature seven 219,534‑sq‑ft server buildings, an office, utility and security structures across 153 acres....
Which Healthcare Facility Retrofits Save the Most Energy and Emissions?
Hospitals are turning to retrofits rather than new construction to meet tighter sustainability rules, budget constraints, and patient demand, according to a Schneider Electric and JLL white paper. The study examined nine energy‑and‑carbon conservation measures (ECCMs) across seven facilities in...
Only 10% of Hotels Use AI Structurally, Risk Becoming 'Sleeping Utilities'
Research by Hotelschool The Hague reveals that only 10 % of Dutch hotels use AI in a structural way, warning the sector could become a "sleeping utility" for tech giants that control guest interactions. The study frames the AI gap as...
Why Hotels Are Rethinking Traditional Cable TV
Hotel operators are reevaluating traditional coaxial cable TV as guest expectations shift toward streaming and seamless in‑room technology. Research shows Wi‑Fi remains a priority, but access to personal streaming apps now outranks linear television. Aging cable infrastructure incurs rising maintenance...
Penzance to Invest $4B for West Virginia Data Center Build
Penzance, a Washington, D.C.-based real‑estate developer, announced a $4 billion private investment to build a 1.9 million‑square‑foot data center campus in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The facility will generate 600 MW of IT power and create roughly 1,000 construction jobs during development. The...
The Tech Trying to End Construction’s 300-Year-Old Payment Problem
Construction’s chronic cash‑flow issues have spurred two new fintech solutions. Saible, launched in 2023, introduces a Digital Parallel Payment Account that holds project funds in a regulated trust, separating cash from payment authority. ProjectPay, also founded in 2023, embeds short‑term...
Span Looks to Cut Smart Panel Costs with $75M Eaton Partnership
Smart‑panel startup Span announced a strategic partnership with electrical‑equipment giant Eaton, which includes a $75 million investment. The deal aims to drive down the cost of Span’s $3,500 smart panels by tapping Eaton’s manufacturing scale and its extensive distributor and installer...
How Alternative Water Sources Like Rainwater and HVAC Condensate Reduce Risk for Facility Managers
Facility managers are turning rainwater and HVAC condensate from optional sustainability add‑ons into core infrastructure. Epic Cleantec’s OneWater system captures both sources, supplying non‑potable water for toilets, cooling towers, and irrigation, thereby lowering dependence on municipal supplies. The approach improves operational...
BLOG: How to Avoid Being an Estate Agency that Fails at AI
Estate agencies risk AI failure by adopting generic, disconnected tools or ignoring AI altogether. Successful firms integrate AI directly into their CRM, automate repetitive lead qualification, and maintain brand voice across channels. The article highlights the "shadow AI" risk of...
Should Buildings Have VIN Numbers?
UMIP Inc. released a new analysis highlighting an Infrastructure Identity Gap – the absence of a universal, lifecycle‑spanning identifier for buildings and infrastructure assets. The study estimates fragmented documentation adds roughly $2 trillion in annual costs to the global built environment....
Brand New Tools From Certified Contractors Make Contractor Screening and Healthcare Facility Site Access Even Easier
Certified Contractors has introduced two new tools—Attestations and Endorsements—to simplify contractor screening and site‑access control for healthcare facilities. The platform now offers three standardized screening levels plus optional add‑ons such as drug testing and certification verification. Attestations let contractors confirm...
Flexible Footprints: Using Modular Construction To Adapt to Changing Retail Formats
Retailers are turning to modular construction to keep pace with rapidly shifting consumer habits and the rise of pop‑up, dark‑store, and hybrid formats. Off‑site fabrication slashes build times, allowing stores to open in weeks rather than months while meeting code...
AWS Likely Behind Plans for $750m Data Center in Clinton, Mississippi
Amazon Web Services is poised to invest $750 million in a new data center on a 99‑acre site in Clinton, Mississippi, repurposing the former Milwaukee Tool facility. The city council approved a fee‑in‑lieu tax arrangement, though final approval from the Mississippi...
CallRail Integrates with Yardi
CallRail has linked its AI‑driven Voice Assist platform with Yardi’s property‑management suite, enabling real‑time data retrieval during leasing calls. The integration lets the voice agent answer availability and pricing questions, qualify prospects, and push call insights back into Yardi’s system....
AI Offers More Intelligent Building Security Alerts, Johnson Controls Expert Says
Johnson Controls' vice president of innovation Greg Parker says AI can make building security alerts faster, more accurate, and actionable, detecting camera misalignments, crowd formation, and anomalies in milliseconds. The Connected Security platform now delivers probabilistic alarm insights and automated...
Building the Foundations of AI Cities: Lessons in Infrastructure, Energy, and Efficiency
AI’s exponential compute needs are outpacing traditional data‑center infrastructure, especially in legacy hubs like Northern Virginia. Operators are now targeting locations where clean power, talent, and renewable resources converge, birthing “AI cities” that embed digital infrastructure into urban planning. Rio...
$8.1B Traveller Spend Projected for FIFA World Cup 2026
Expedia Group has teamed with PredictHQ to embed event‑driven demand forecasts into its Partner Central platform, giving lodging partners forward‑looking insights. The joint model projects total traveller spending of more than $8.1 billion across accommodation, transport and food‑and‑beverage in North America’s...
Why CMMS Implementations Fail in Facility Operations and What Leaders Can Do Differently
Facility leaders adopt Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) to boost asset visibility, cut emergency work, and lower costs, yet many implementations fall short. The primary cause is treating CMMS as a pure technology install rather than a shift in maintenance...
MDT Announces New KNX RF+ Window Handle and Radiator Thermostat
MDT has launched two new KNX RF+ devices—a battery‑operated radiator thermostat and a window handle—both featuring the company’s DeepSleep power‑saving mode. The thermostat can be fitted to existing radiators, offers a boost function, window‑open detection, and an ePaper display, while...
Elsner Elektronik Offers New eTR Series of KNX Devices for the Hotel Industry
Elsner Elektronik has launched the eTR series, a pair of KNX‑compatible devices designed for hotel room service management. The eTR DND/MUR Switch lets guests toggle Do Not Disturb or Make Up Room via a touch‑glass panel, while the eTR DND/MUR...
ADI Global Distribution Highlights Control4 KNX-Enabled Solutions at Light + Building 2026
ADI Global Distribution will exhibit its Control4 automation portfolio at Light + Building 2026, booth B91 in Hall 12.0. The showcase emphasizes KNX‑enabled solutions, featuring a live Control4 environment that integrates lighting, audio, video, climate, security and power management. New products include Lux keypads,...
Container Hotel Turns to Heat Pump Technology to Deliver Sustainable Hot Water
A European hotel chain is converting shipping containers into a 240‑room boutique hotel in San Francisco, pairing the modular design with a fully electrified heating strategy. To meet hot‑water demand, the project installed Lync’s air‑source heat‑pump water heaters, equipped with coastal‑grade...
SpareBank 1 and Tieto Banktech Transform Digital Mortgages
SpareBank 1, Norway’s leading mobile‑banking provider, has teamed up with Tieto Banktech to build a data‑driven digital mortgage platform. The multi‑year partnership will embed a dynamic, self‑service loan application into SpareBank 1’s mobile app, leveraging AI and real‑time data to...
RDHx: A Simple, Affordable Path to Lower Data Center Energy Use
Rear‑door heat exchangers (RDHx) replace traditional rack doors with liquid‑cooled coils, capturing server exhaust at the source. By moving heat to a closed‑loop liquid circuit, RDHx reduces reliance on room‑level mechanical cooling and can enable higher supply‑air temperatures. The technology...
North Carolinians Band Together to Help Their Neighbors Electrify
North Carolina’s nonprofit coalition has launched Electrify the Triad, a new program that helps households swap gas heating, stoves and water heaters for electric alternatives and install EV chargers. Building on the earlier Solarize the Triad campaign, the initiative partners...
Wi-Fi 8 and the IoT Enterprise: What Next-Gen Wi-Fi Means for Connected Devices
Wi‑Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn) is being positioned as an ultra‑high‑reliability upgrade rather than a pure speed boost. It adds coordinated multi‑AP scheduling, tighter roaming control and lower tail‑latency to address the worst‑case performance that enterprise IoT teams chase. The standard keeps Wi‑Fi 7’s...
Buildner and Kingspan Launch MICROHOME 2026 With €100K in Awards and Announce 10th Edition Winners
Buildner, in partnership with Kingspan, has launched MICROHOME 2026, the eleventh edition of its global micro‑home competition, offering a €100,000 prize pool. The contest challenges architects and designers to create modular, self‑sufficient homes no larger than 25 m² that prioritize sustainability, affordability...
Adaptive Reuse, Reimagined: From Big-Box Retail To Data Centers
Adaptive reuse has evolved from a niche preservation tactic to a strategic response to e‑commerce‑driven vacancy, post‑COVID office surplus, and climate imperatives. Designers now ask "What can we save?" rather than starting from a blank slate, targeting everything from suburban...
MUFG Launches First Own Brand Real Estate Security Token for $142 Million
MUFG’s trust division has launched its first own‑brand real‑estate security token, the MUFG Realty Token, valued at ¥22.4 billion ($142 million) for the Osaka Dojimahama Tower. The token is issued on Progmat, the blockchain platform MUFG founded and now partially owns. Distribution...
Strong Demand for Building Sustainability Standards: BREEAM
BRE Global reports a 90 % increase in BREEAM certifications across North America between 2023 and 2025, highlighting rapid adoption in the U.S. market. California leads with over 60 certified projects, followed by Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee and Indiana. Industrial properties show...
KNX Association Invites You to Light + Building 2026 – the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Home and Building Automation
From 8–13 March 2026, Light + Building convenes global smart‑building professionals in Frankfurt, and the KNX Association returns with a prominent presence across three booths. Attendees can claim a free ticket using code 72InP8n9L6Pb and explore dedicated Simplicity, Innovation, and...
GDS Reveals Benefits of Using UPRNs
Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) are permanent 12‑digit codes that uniquely identify every addressable location in the UK. By providing a stable identifier, they eliminate inconsistencies in address data, enabling seamless linking across public and private datasets. The Open UPRNs...
Kingdee Cloud Tower / HENN Architekten
Kingdee’s Cloud Tower, a 211‑metre highrise slated for 2025, will complete the company’s software park in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district, adding 98,800 m² of office, conference and restaurant space. The pentagonal, cantilevered form maximizes a narrow site, creating an open‑air lobby and...
OPIA LAUNCHES CLIENT GIFT CONCIERGE TO MODERNIZE CLIENT GIFTING FOR REAL ESTATE & SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Opia has introduced Client Gift Concierge™, a premium‑built digital gifting platform tailored for real‑estate agents and other service professionals. The solution replaces manual gift‑giving with instant, compliant, and retention‑focused rewards, offering access to more than 250 gift‑card options and automated...
Is Home Staging Still Worth It in the Age of AI?
Traditional home staging remains a strong value driver despite the rise of AI‑generated virtual staging, which is cheaper but often perceived as inauthentic. Experts warn that AI images can create a mismatch between online expectations and the physical walkthrough, especially...
A Rechat-Canva Integration; PulteGroup Leans Into AI
Rechat has partnered with Canva to create a closed‑loop workflow that streams live MLS data directly into design templates and returns finished marketing assets back to Rechat with a single click. PulteGroup is adding Sitecore AI to its digital home‑buying...
Roommaster to Exhibit at the 2026 Ocean City Spring Trade Expo
roommaster will exhibit its Property Management System at the 2026 Ocean City Spring Trade Expo, held March 8‑9 in Maryland. The company will occupy Booths 501 and 502, targeting independent hotel owners and regional property groups preparing for the summer season. The Expo...
NZI on TAP: Philadelphia & Peer Cities Brainstorm Best Practices for Retrofitting Affordable Housing
The ULI Net Zero Imperative partnered with Philadelphia’s DHCD and PHDC to host a two‑day Technical Assistance Panel in May 2025, focusing on retrofitting the city’s aging affordable‑housing stock to net‑zero. Participants from peer cities examined financing gaps, training needs, and...