Biden Administration’s proposed building materials rules increase domestic requirements

At least 75% of the value of the product's component would have to be made in the U.S., according to the Biden Administration's proposal.

The Biden Administration's proposal on building materials rules used on federal construction and federally funded state and local buildings would significantly boost the made-in-America mandate.

In the past, products could qualify as domestically made if at least 55% of the value of their components were from the U.S. The administration intends to increase the percentage of value in stages from 55% to 60%, and then to 75%.

Implementing these rules will add complexity to sourcing materials for projects receiving federal funding. For example, a mix between U.S. and Canadian dimensional lumber for a project probably wouldn't be allowed if the Canadian wood was processed outside the U.S. But domestically manufactured lumber made from Canadian logs would likely be acceptable.

The domestic mandate has raised concerns from construction industry groups. The National Association of Home Builders has urged exemptions for single-family and multifamily affordable housing projects. Kojo, a firm that makes materials management software for contractors, says that restricting the supply base to American-made is likely going to burden contractors who are already having difficulty sourcing materials at reasonable costs.

According to the Biden Administration, the proposed rule directs the following changes to strengthen Buy American requirements:

Learn more about the Buy American Rule at Whitehouse.gov.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to soon sign a bill that would change the state's commercial building code so that new structures would use 80% less energy when compared to a 2004 baseline standard. The legislation aims for full implementation of the new code by 2036.

A recent Supreme Court decision that substantially narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate millions of acres of wetlands is expected to open more land for development. More than half of the nation's wetlands could lose protection under the Clean Water Act, according to environmentalists and legal analysts.

What makes a city walkable? Shepley Bulfinch's Omar Bailey, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, believes pedestrian focused cities benefit most when they're not only easy to navigate, but also create spaces where people can live, work, and play.

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.

Panelists participating in a recent webinar hosted by the Urban Institute discussed various actions that could help alleviate the nation's affordable housing crisis. Among the possible remedies: inclusionary zoning policies, various reforms to increase local affordable housing stock, and fees on new development to offset the impact on public infrastructure.

Dividing the outside environment from the interior, the building enclosure is one of the most important parts of the structure. The enclosure not only defines the building's aesthetic, but also protects occupants from the elements and facilitates a comfortable, controlled climate. With dozens of components comprising the exterior assemblies, from foundation to cladding to roof, figuring out which concerns to address first can be daunting.

ASHRAE has released a new standard that defines the terms ‘Zero Energy’ and ‘Zero Carbon’ to describe buildings. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 228-2023, Standard Method of Evaluating Zero Net Energy and Zero Net Carbon Building Performance, sets requirements for evaluating whether a building or group of buildings meets a definition of "zero net energy" or a definition of "zero net carbon" during operation.

Hurricane Ian struck the Southwest Florida coastline last fall with winds exceeding 150 mph, flooding cities, and devastating structures across the state. A construction risk management expert believes the projected economic damage, as high as $75 billion, will prompt the state to beef up building codes and reform land use rules.

A recent ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco invalidating Berkeley, California's ban on natural gas within new building construction puts similar measures adopted around the country in legal jeopardy.

Sixteen years out from a 2007 law that aimed to end the use of fossil fuels in federal buildings, gas heat is still being installed within the federal sphere.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to soon sign a bill that would change the state's commercial building code so that new structures would use 80% less energy when compared to a 2004 baseline standard. The legislation aims for full implementation of the new code by 2036.

A recent Supreme Court decision that substantially narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate millions of acres of wetlands is expected to open more land for development. More than half of the nation's wetlands could lose protection under the Clean Water Act, according to environmentalists and legal analysts.

What makes a city walkable? Shepley Bulfinch's Omar Bailey, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, believes pedestrian focused cities benefit most when they're not only easy to navigate, but also create spaces where people can live, work, and play.

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.