On September 30, Senate Bill (SB) 785, Design-build, was passed in the California Legislature, standardizing the state’s design-build laws and clarifying opportunities for project owners and practitioners.

A new ASTM standard could be used to assess the credentials and qualifications of inspectors who routinely use ASTM firestop standards in their work.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing technical assistance to help five capital cities develop green infrastructure, improving neighborhoods, and increasing protection against impact from climate change.

Last week in Toronto, the Holcim Foundation announced the winning projects for its North American awards program. The awards, held every three years, honors “innovative, future-oriented and tangible construction projects”—that have not yet been built.

The International Building Information Modeling for Masonry Initiative (BIMM) is looking for proposals from architects, engineers, contractors, and other design/construction consultants for projects involving the creation of models and details of masonry buildings using Autodesk Revit 2014.

The inaugural Best of Buildings awards, selected by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) members, celebrate the premier products, projects, organizations, and individuals in sustainable design and construction.

The Water Quality Association (WQA) and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) have announced WQA/ASPE/ANSI S-803, Sustainable Drinking Water Treatment Systems, has been recognized by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and as an American National Standard.

A newly proposed ASTM International standard will cover the protection of zinc-coated steel bars used in large infrastructure projects for concrete reinforcement.