Blog

Canada’s building sector is under pressure to go beyond energy code requirements—and that’s a good thing.

The first public comment draft of the 2027 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Residential Chapter is here. We’re giving an overview of what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how to participate in the public comment period.

What are the pros and cons of heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) in multifamily settings? Do they work well in cold climates?

Through our data verification work, SWA has learned a lot about inaccuracies in energy benchmarking data. We’re explaining the most common reasons for data inaccuracies and how to correct them.

After years of inspecting multifamily housing developments across the country for compliance with regulatory requirements for accessible design and construction, our accessibility team has compiled a list of common violations that could easily have been avoided before construction even began.

We’re sharing insights from developers, architects, and SWA’s consultants about how to navigate funding, design constraints, compliance challenges, and more.

Our country’s electric vehicle infrastructure is growing, but accessibility requirements for EV parking spaces and charging stations have lagged behind. We look at how federal guidance and local building codes are beginning to address this gap.

What’s behind the growth of adaptive reuse in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions?

Product choice can be a matter of life or death at these facilities. We’ll look at specifications and guidelines for a common accessibility accessory—grab bars—and how they’re evolving to increase patient safety.

When accessibility compliance is overlooked during design and construction, the consequences can extend far beyond legal exposure.

At SWA, we’ve worked on over 2.2 million square feet of multifamily and dormitory buildings that used CAR dampers to balance large-scale ventilation systems. Here’s what we’ve learned about constant airflow regulators (CARs) and measuring air flow.

Whether you’re new to heat pumps or need a quick refresher, this video series demonstrates each step of how to install an air-source heat pump system optimized for efficiency and comfort in colder climates—which is critical to widespread adoption.