With a rising deluge of buzzwords and phrases ranging from sustainability and climate change to energy efficiency and green building seeping into nearly all industries, it’s hard to ignore HVAC’s role in lessening the environmental impact of buildings in the United States and worldwide.

I recently spoke with Ralph DiNola, CEO of Portland, Oregon-based New Buildings Institute, a nonprofit working to improve the energy performance of commercial buildings, who told me about a decades-old bump in the road: federal preemption rules.

The U.S. Green Building Council and Informa Exhibitions U.S. have released a sustainability report on the impact of energy use and waste management at last year’s Greenbuild in Los Angeles.  

A science building at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, underwent renovations to meet the mechanical and educational needs of its students.

The National Association of Home Builders is working with lawmakers to pass legislation supporting new energy-efficiency standards in commercial and residential buildings.