2024 Earth Day

New England needs more housing — especially affordable housing. But what happens when the land picked for that housing is also valuable in the fight to slow climate change?

This summer, York and Cumberland Counties will update floodplain maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the first time in years. The maps show that hundreds of additional property owners may face flood risks.

Renters — who often foot the bill for utilities — have a lot to gain from things that save money and reduce emissions like weatherization, switching to electric appliances and other upgrades. So why is it so hard to do this work in rental properties?

With more precipitation in New England — and more intense storms — property owners are taking action to prevent flooding. But for some, the best choices may seem counterintuitive.

Homes and buildings produce the second highest global warming emissions in New England, after transportation. Efforts like greener building techiques, renewable energy systems and home weatherization could help.

Across New England, developers are looking for new ways to increase affordable housing inventory, and some are using a building method known as mass timber, to inflict less environmental damage.