Green Builder Media editor Cati O'Keefe rounds up the week's sustainable building news, from a proposed federal budget that would cut HUD by $10.7 billion to a defective-plumbing lawsuit against D.R. Horton and the stubborn gap between what builders and buyers think resilience is worth.
00:00:05:28 - 00:00:35:27
Cati O'Keefe: A major shift could be coming to housing policy, and it starts with a proposed budget from President Trump. The plan calls for $73 billion in cuts to non-defense discretionary spending for fiscal 2027, and housing is directly in the crosshairs. It includes a 10.7 billion cut to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, about 13% of its budget, and proposes eliminating major programs like community development, block grants and home investment partnerships.
00:00:36:01 - 00:01:03:05
Cati O'Keefe: At the same time, it preserves core rental assistance funding, including nearly $39 billion for Housing Choice vouchers. The takeaway there's a clear shift in strategy from investing in communities to focusing more narrowly on rent subsidies. It's still a proposal, but if enacted, it could redefine the federal government's role in housing. Hi, I'm Cati O'Keefe, and you're watching this week's sustainable building News.
00:01:03:07 - 00:01:30:04
Cati O'Keefe: A growing legal fight is unfolding against Dr. Horton, the largest home builder in the country, and its over allegedly defective plumbing systems in Georgia. Homeowners are claiming their houses were built with PEX piping that is now cracking, leaking and failing. And the damage is not minor. We're talking repeated leaks, tens of thousands of dollars in repairs and in some cases, over $100,000 in total house damage.
00:01:30:11 - 00:01:54:04
Cati O'Keefe: The lawsuit claims these systems can fail just a few years after installation. Far short of what homeowners were led to expect of the products. PEX pipe failure claims have now surfaced in multiple states. There have already been multimillion dollar settlements tied to similar issues, with a number of manufacturers, and new lawsuits are forming. Manufacturers deny there's any widespread defect.
00:01:54:06 - 00:02:26:14
Cati O'Keefe: We'll keep you posted as this lawsuit moves through the courts. FEMA has opened its latest brick funding cycle, putting a billion on the table for infrastructure projects designed to reduce disaster risk before it hits. But this round comes with a shift. There's faster funding, fewer hurdles, more control at the state and local level. The focus is on shovel ready projects, with 757 million allocated to a national competition, the biggest and most prepared projects will rise to the top.
00:02:26:20 - 00:02:51:12
Cati O'Keefe: Applications are open through July 23rd. The takeaway for this one is simple the communities that move first will be the ones that withstand what's coming. In a recent Green Builder article, author and architect Terry Buboy points out that AI is moving from experimental to essential, and the industry is still figuring out how to keep up. But this isn't the first time we've seen this shift.
00:02:51:14 - 00:03:19:00
Cati O'Keefe: Decades ago, computer pioneer Douglas Engelbart imagined a world where architects could interact with computers in real time, designing, testing, and visualizing complex systems instantly. Buboy dives into the ethics, education risks and the role each of us plays in shaping how AI is used across the built environment. Noting AI isn't replacing architects, it's redefining what architects are capable of.
00:03:19:02 - 00:03:44:01
Cati O'Keefe: In a related story. While AI introduces some risk in the design field, so does sustainability itself. The American Institute of Architects has released a new guide to help the industry keep up. Document D5 oh three for sustainable projects. The goal of it bring clarity to the growing complexity of green building, from certifications and codes to risk and responsibility.
00:03:44:02 - 00:04:13:10
Cati O'Keefe: Because today's big questions aren't theoretical. Who's accountable? If a building misses performance targets, how is risk shared across teams? The guide offers model contract language and it's free signaling, a push to standardize how sustainable projects are delivered. Our Editors Product Pick of the week comes from Canadian company incus and its materials scientists, who have discovered a way to reduce cement related emissions by reactivating waste concrete materials.
00:04:13:12 - 00:04:46:02
Cati O'Keefe: The research shows fine particles from demolished concrete can be processed into reactive cementitious material, replacing up to 40% of Portland cement without compromising performance. This method could significantly lower the carbon footprint of infrastructure by reducing clinker demand. This week's Cognition Hot tag highlights a growing disconnect on resilience. 55% of builders say it's a key selling point, yet only 35% of buyers believe resilient materials make a major difference.
00:04:46:05 - 00:05:08:05
Cati O'Keefe: Builders are prioritizing durability, but buyers don't see the value. How do we close that gap? Well, one approach is to make resilience tangible through real world outcomes. Check the link in the notes for ideas on how to make resilience visible and valuable. In a related article, RMI looks at why that gap exists and why adoption is still lagging.
00:05:08:06 - 00:05:33:24
Cati O'Keefe: Every dollar invested in resilience can return between 13 and $40 in long term benefits, but the system isn't aligned to support it, so homeowners face upfront costs, insurers price risk annually, and then governments absorb disaster losses, creating what's been called an insurance doom loop. The result? Long term value gets lost and resilience becomes harder to justify at the point of sale.
00:05:33:25 - 00:05:59:22
Cati O'Keefe: But there are signs of progress. State programs are beginning to align incentives with grants and insurance discounts leading to stronger homes, lower losses, and more stable markets. On the valuation metric pod, Scott two, vice president of sustainability at Train Technologies, talks about trends in the housing industry. Two says sustainability isn't a side strategy anymore. It's a business advantage.
00:05:59:25 - 00:06:16:23
Cati O'Keefe: The company's winning right now are using sustainability to drive innovation, reduce risk and create new value. If you're not building for long term performance, you're building at risk. You can watch the full interview here at the Green Builder Media Network. Here's a minute from that conversation.
00:06:16:24 - 00:06:38:04
Scott Tew: I would talk about business opportunity, and depending on what type of business leader you are, the things you care about, we can talk about it that way. Maybe you care about reducing risk to the products that you currently have in the marketplace. We can talk about that. Maybe you want to talk about new market opportunities. Maybe you want to talk about efficiency and wasting less money on maybe energy consumption.
00:06:38:10 - 00:06:48:23
Scott Tew: I'm going to talk to you about the things that are really important to you, but we're going to talk about the business impacts of those those levers that I believe that we can always improve on.
00:06:48:26 - 00:07:15:24
Cati O'Keefe: Speaking of building long term value, let me tell you about our 2026 Eco Leaders program, which just open for submissions. This year's focus in new way to measure housing performance value per square foot. It's a shift beyond first cost. Looking at energy resilience, wellness, water and long term value. Green Builder Media will recognize the builders, developers, manufacturers and partners who are already delivering on that standard.
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Cati O'Keefe: If you or your company are selected as an eco leader. You will receive editorial coverage in Green Builder magazine, ongoing promotion across digital and social channels, plus other marketing opportunities. It's free to enter. The deadline to apply is May 15th. That's it for the news. Don't forget to check out our show notes for important links and our updated calendar of sustainable and building events.
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Cati O'Keefe: Thanks for watching. See you next week.
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