Compliance

  • New York City Mayor Eric Adams fields questions during a press conference.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    NYC approves second set of zoning changes

    The updates remove a decades-old rule that barred certain commercial building uses, among the changes that aim to boost commercial corridors, promote life sciences activity and bolster manufacturing in the city.

    By • June 12, 2024
  • Aerial shot of buildings in a downtown. A tree-covered hill sits in the background.
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    Davel5957 via Getty Images
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    Tax on gas-powered large buildings will go to voters in Berkeley, California

    The ballot measure would tax buildings 15,000 square feet or larger based on gas consumption, estimated methane leaked during the delivery of gas and the social costs of carbon and methane.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 11, 2024
  • A modern open-plan office space interior featuring desks, computers, armchairs, a shelf, a plant a concrete ceiling and LED lights.
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    ExperienceInteriors via Getty Images
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    Illinois bill to swap fluorescent lamps for LED lights awaits governor’s approval

    The Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives have passed legislation to phase out fluorescent bulbs. The legislation, if signed into law, is expected to provide over $1.5 billion in utility savings.

    By • June 6, 2024
  • Three people in dark suits sit at a table with a black curtain in the background and people in chairs in front of them.
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    Julie Strupp/Sinohuiyuan
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    Building code compliance not enough to protect builders from lawsuits

    Facing outdated construction guidelines, contractors and engineers need to keep up with climate change data to shield themselves from lawsuits, legal experts said at a recent building innovation conference.

    By Julie Strupp • June 4, 2024
  • A multi-level parking garage with a neon parking sign in New York City.
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    ArtemPortnoy via Getty Images
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    New York City Council passes legislation to enhance parking garage safety measures

    If signed into law, the legislation would mandate more frequent inspections, increased civil penalties and structural assessments to ensure the integrity of the city’s parking structures.

    By • May 31, 2024
  • A construction worker atop a steel beam drinks from a bottle of water.
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    Brian Snyder/Reuters

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    Sinohuiyuan

    Heat-related laws in Texas, Florida, Phoenix to be put to the test

    As summer begins, some states prevent cities from mandating water breaks. Still, there are commonsense practices to protect workers from soaring temperatures.

    By Zachary Phillips • May 30, 2024
  • Overhead view of brick, multistory buildings along a one-way street.
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    deberarr via Getty Images
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    Legal battle over NYC’s building emissions law resurfaces in appellate court

    A panel of New York State Supreme Court judges said the defendants, including New York City, have failed to show that the state’s existing climate legislation does not preempt Local Law 97.

    By • May 20, 2024
  • Workers on a roof on a sunny day.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    OSHA heat standard clears regulatory hurdle

    A committee has unanimously recommended that the agency advance the proposal for a heat safety rule.

    By Zachary Phillips • May 15, 2024
  • Biological growth and scaling seen on the cooling tower at the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Atlanta, Georgia on May 16, 2023.
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    Retrieved from Office of Inspector General, U.S. General Services Administration on May 10, 2024
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    GSA called out for poor oversight of maintenance contracts

    Contractors did not complete 34 of the 49 work orders for six U.S. General Services Administration-owned buildings, an inspector general report says.

    By • May 10, 2024
  • A cityscape with sustainable buildings that include solar panels, wind turbines and green roofs
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    Eoneren via Getty Images
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    NZero’s AI tool aims to offer “low-friction entry point” to building decarbonization process

    The Rapid Emissions Profile can produce benchmark efficiency profiles, conduct automated opportunity assessments for cost and emissions savings, and evaluate potential penalties for non-compliance, the company says.

    By • May 1, 2024
  • An outside view of a courthouse of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
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    "Tyler May 2016 45 (William M. Steger Federal Building and United States Courthouse)" by Michael Barera is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Energy Department finalizes rule to phase out fossil fuels in federal buildings

    In a push for net-zero emissions from federal facilities by 2045, the new rule mandates a 90% reduction in on-site fossil fuel use by 2029 and complete elimination after 2030.

    By • April 26, 2024
  • Sign outside Department of Labor building, Washington, DC
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    Thinkstock via Getty Images
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    Hotel organizations slam Labor Department’s new overtime eligibility threshold

    The rule gives some hotel workers access to higher pay, but hospitality industry organizations say the added cost could lead hotels to cut jobs.

    By Jenna Walters • April 26, 2024
  • A close-up of the creamy exterior of the Department of Labor building.
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    Caroline Colvin/Sinohuiyuan
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    Labor Department will raise overtime salary threshold to $44K in July, $59K next year

    The final rule expands overtime pay eligibility to millions of U.S. workers, the federal agency says.

    By Ryan Golden • April 24, 2024
  • Department of Labor exterior
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    Caroline Colvin/Sinohuiyuan
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    Employer groups ask court to vacate DOL independent contractor rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor’s rule “injects new inconsistencies and incoherence into the analysis of independent contractor status,” the groups said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.

    By Ryan Golden • April 22, 2024
  • A 3D rendering of condenser unit or compressor on rooftop of industrial plant, factory. Unit of ac or air conditioner, hvac or heating ventilation and air conditioning system.
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    RonFullHD via Getty Images
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    DOE finalizes 4 appliance efficiency rules expected to save $33B over 30 years

    The rules include new requirements for commercial rooftop heating and cooling units set to take effect in 2029 and expected to reduce energy use about 33%.

    By Robert Walton • April 18, 2024
  • A row of servers at a data center.
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    Nikada via Getty Images
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    Uptime Institute launches data center, digital infrastructure sustainability assessment

    The assessment covers 14 key categories of data center design and operations, including facilities and IT management, to provide visibility into environmental footprints, the organization says.

    By • April 17, 2024
  • A U.S. Department of Labor sign is see outside the agency.
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    Kate Tornone/Sinohuiyuan
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    DOL’s final overtime rule clears White House review

    The U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule, if adopted, would raise the minimum annual salary threshold that determines overtime pay eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act from $35,568 to $55,068.

    By Ryan Golden • April 17, 2024
  • A closeup of a hand belonging to an electrician installing electric LED lightbulbs on a ceiling.
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    jittawit.21 via Getty Images
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    DOE finalizes new light bulb standard expected to save consumers $27B on utility bills over 30 years

    The new rule, slated to take effect in 2028, will cut 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the next three decades, the U.S. Department of Energy says.

    By Robert Walton • April 15, 2024
  • The U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.
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    Douglas Rissing via Getty Images
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    As DOE updates how it sets energy efficiency standards, advocates, legislators push it to act faster

    The U.S. Department of Energy has made progress reviewing a backlog of appliance efficiency standards, but advocates and lawmakers say the administration must redouble those efforts as the election looms.

    By Robert Walton • April 12, 2024
  • Thousands of bargaining committee members, including commercial cleaners and porters, rally in New York City in December 2023, seeking higher wages and improved benefits.
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    Permission granted by 32BJ SEIU
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    What employers need to know about union organizing in 2024

    The game has completely changed in the wake of the Cemex decision, attorneys from Cozen O’Connor said in a March 21 webinar.

    By Emilie Shumway • April 2, 2024
  • A security camera in an office building
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    Brooks, Leon. [Photograph]. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
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    Legislation to boost federal building security, oversight awaits House vote

    The bills, approved by the Senate in late March, aim to strengthen worker safety and address project delays and budget overruns in federal facilities.

    By • April 1, 2024
  • Aerial shot of a highway alongside a billboard that reads 1:22 p.m., 110 degrees F.
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Phoenix passes worker heat safety ordinance amid rising heat, deaths

    The measure, which applies to city contractors and subcontractors, emerges on the heels of labor demands and record high temperatures last year.

    By Ginger Christ • March 29, 2024
  • Sign outside Department of Labor building, Washington, DC
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    Thinkstock via Getty Images
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    DOL recovers $1.5M in back wages from contractors on California project

    The U.S. Department of Labor’s investigation found that 35 contractors, spanning security, recruiting and construction, violated labor laws on federally funded projects.

    By Zachary Phillips • March 28, 2024
  • A facade of a sustainable glass office building with a tree for reducing carbon dioxide.
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    Fahroni via Getty Images
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    ICC’s decision on 2024 energy conservation code draws criticism, debate

    The International Code Council, after receiving nine appeals, has voted to move provisions aimed at slashing greenhouse gas emissions from the main code to appendices.

    By • March 22, 2024
  • The indoor unit of an air conditioner featuring a cassette split system on a grey ceiling
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    N-sky via Getty Images
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    Modine’s school HVAC solutions certified for safety and compliance

    It certified many of its Airedale indoor air quality products to stay ahead of new federal regulations slated to take effect in 2025, the thermal management company says.

    By • March 21, 2024