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

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

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

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

BERDO 2.0 is a landmark ordinance set to drive decarbonization in Boston's building sector by  establishing mandatory carbon emission standards and requiring yearly energy and emissions data reports. To avoid costly fines, building owners need to prepare for the reporting requirements starting this year and consider strategies to meet upcoming emissions limits. Bala’s team of integrated sustainability, energy, and commissioning engineers understand the implications of BERDO 2.0 for building… Read More

Late in 2019, Philadelphia’s City Council passed Bill #190600, creating the new Building Energy Performance Program (BEPP). This program was developed to help achieve the city’s ambitious climate goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. According to the city’s Office of Sustainability, “once implemented, [the program] will cut carbon pollution in the City of Philadelphia by nearly 200,000 metric tons. This is the climate pollution equivalent of taking 40,000 automobiles off our roads… Read More

Bala has made it a priority to support the architectural team in achieving this mix of the past and present. So far with the first two buildings, Bala has worked through several design challenges while creating an interactive space for the tenants and pedestrians alike. At the East end of the mill lies Building A, a 96,000 sq. ft three story laboratory and office space developed in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University.  This building contains a two story open high bay space for… Read More