flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements

Multifamily Housing

Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements

Phius certifications are expected to increase with tougher green building standards.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | May 30, 2023
Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements

Photo by David Bartus

Phius certifications are expected to become more common as states and cities boost green building standards.

The City of Boston recently adopted Massachusetts’s so-called opt-in building code, a set of sustainability standards that goes beyond the standard state code.

“Starting January 1, 2024, every new multifamily building built in Boston must meet passive building requirements, with Phius certification representing the most established path to reach those requirements,” according to a Phius news release.

Boston’s action made it the eighth, and by far the largest, Massachusetts municipality to adopt the code, with many others expected to follow suit. Buildings that meet the Phius Certification standard are proven to use 40% to 60% less energy than code-built buildings at minimal to no upfront cost premium, Phius says.

Boston is the first major U.S. city to adopt a building code that requires passive building standards.

Related Stories

Mass Timber | May 8, 2024

Portland's Timberview VIII mass timber multifamily development will offer more than 100 affordable units

An eight-story, 72,000-sf mass timber apartment building in Portland, Ore., topped out this winter and will soon offer over 100 affordable units. The structure is the tallest affordable housing mass timber building and the first Type IV-C affordable housing building in the city. 

MFPRO+ News | May 1, 2024

On the Domino Sugar refinery site, new Brooklyn condominiums offer views of the Manhattan skyline

In Brooklyn, New York’s Williamsburg neighborhood, the new One Domino Square is the first condominium development and the third ground-up residential building on the site of the Domino Sugar refinery. The 700,000-sf project is adjacent to Domino Square and anchors a new 11-acre public park.

MFPRO+ News | Apr 29, 2024

World’s largest 3D printer could create entire neighborhoods

The University of Maine recently unveiled the world’s largest 3D printer said to be able to create entire neighborhoods. The machine is four times larger than a preceding model that was first tested in 2019. The older model was used to create a 600 sf single-family home made of recyclable wood fiber and bio-resin materials.

Senior Living Design | Apr 24, 2024

Nation's largest Passive House senior living facility completed in Portland, Ore.

Construction of Parkview, a high-rise expansion of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Portland, Ore., completed recently. The senior living facility is touted as the largest Passive House structure on the West Coast, and the largest Passive House senior living building in the country.

ProConnect Events | Apr 23, 2024

5 more ProConnect events scheduled for 2024, including all-new 'AEC Giants'

SGC Horizon present 7 ProConnect events in 2024.

Mixed-Use | Apr 23, 2024

A sports entertainment district is approved for downtown Orlando

This $500 million mixed-use development will take up nearly nine blocks.

Resiliency | Apr 22, 2024

Controversy erupts in Florida over how homes are being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently sent a letter to officials in Lee County, Florida alleging that hundreds of homes were rebuilt in violation of the agency’s rules following Hurricane Ian. The letter provoked a sharp backlash as homeowners struggle to rebuild following the devastating 2022 storm that destroyed a large swath of the county.

Student Housing | Apr 19, 2024

$115 million Cal State Long Beach student housing project will add 424 beds

A new $115 million project recently broke ground at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) that will add housing for 424 students at below-market rates. The 108,000 sf La Playa Residence Hall, funded by the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, will consist of three five-story structures connected by bridges.

Sponsored | Multifamily Housing | Apr 19, 2024

5 Reasons to Opt for Wood I-Joists in Multifamily Construction

From versatility to reliability and adaptability, engineered wood I-joists offer builders, designers and developers numerous advantages in multifamily construction. Discover the top five benefits and handy installation tips.

MFPRO+ News | Apr 18, 2024

Marquette Companies forms alliance with Orion Residential Advisors

Marquette Companies, a national leader in multifamily development, investment, and management, announces its strategic alliance with Deerfield, Ill.-based Orion Residential Advisors, an integrated multifamily investment and operating firm active in multiple markets nationwide.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category



MFPRO+ News

World’s largest 3D printer could create entire neighborhoods

The University of Maine recently unveiled the world’s largest 3D printer said to be able to create entire neighborhoods. The machine is four times larger than a preceding model that was first tested in 2019. The older model was used to create a 600 sf single-family home made of recyclable wood fiber and bio-resin materials.


halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021