Building Design + Construction - October 2019

BDCuniversity.com | BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION | 11

CALIFORNIA WILL
ENACT RENT CAP
BILL LIMITING RENT
INCREASES
California legislators passed a
bill that limits rent increases
across the state to 5% plus
infl ation on apartments built
at least 15 years ago.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is ex-
pected to sign the bill into law.
The measure includes exemp-
tions for owners who live with
their tenants, and owners who
live in one part of a duplex
and rent out the other unit.
Landlords will be allowed to
raise rents to market rates
when a tenant moves out.
The measure will have little
impact on large cities such as
Oakland and San Francisco,

which already have rent restric-

tions, but it is expected to

signifi cantly affect places like

the wealthy suburbs of the Bay

Area. The law also includes evic-

tion restrictions. Landlords will

be prohibited from kicking out

renters who follow the rules of

their lease unless the owner is

moving in, tearing down the resi-

dence, renovating it, or taking it

off the rental market.

The California Association

of Realtors and most of the

state’s Republican lawmak-

ers opposed the bill, saying

it would decrease the value

of rental properties and deter

developers from building

more housing. Democrats and

renter advocacy groups said

the measure is necessary to

stem a serious homelessness

crisis and help families antici-

pate rent increases.

BDCnetwork.com/CALIFrent

ZERO ENERGY

BUILDINGS CAN BE

CONSTRUCTED WITH

NO ADDED COSTS

Many types of zero energy

(ZE) buildings can be con-

structed with no added upfront

cost, and some commercial

buildings can see return on

investment in as little as one

year, according to a report by

U.S. Green Building Council

Massachusetts Chapter.

The report, “Zero Energy

Buildings in MA: Saving Money

from the Start,” assesses zero

energy upfront building costs,

model performance, and life-

cycle costs in Massachusetts.

Stakeholders and decision-

makers frequently cite high

costs as the primary barrier

to ZE buildings, but the report

contradicts that perception.

Researchers found that ZE

buildings are being constructed

utilizing readily available prod-

ucts, practices, technologies,

and energy effi ciency rebates.

Building energy demand

can be reduced 44% to 54%

across all building types

with technology that’s readily

available today. Existing offi ce

buildings retrofi tted to zero

energy, with renewables, can

produce a return on invest-

ment in as little as fi ve years.

BDCnetwork.com/ZEBreport

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