Sidewalk Labs

12/14/2021

E-S-G. If you haven’t heard that term before, it stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It’s a framework that investors use to help them decide whether or not to put money into a company. Over the last 20 years, investors have increasingly embraced the “E” in ESG, and ESG funds are now consistently driving strong returns. In fact, 2020 was the biggest year for ESG-investing yet.

With the events of 2020, the “S” of ESG — which includes some of society’s toughest problems, like economic opportunity and racial inequity — has come to the forefront. Investors are, more and more, pursuing socially-minded ESG investments. And this pivot has huge implications for real estate, as investors are now ready and willing to lend capital to real estate companies that are pursuing projects with real social and racial impact.

But what do those projects look like, and how can real estate transform the development process to achieve them? As we’ve explored throughout this season of ,, developing socially-minded projects is a complex undertaking. Our season finale explores ways developers can begin to figure out what this “S” piece of ESG means. And if they can, it’s not just real estate that will benefit — our cities will, too.

Listen to Episode 20: The “S” in ESG wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎙️🏙️

Read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page: https://bit.ly/3GB3zoU.

Special thanks to Green Generation, Direct Invest Development, Farpoint Development / Bronzeville Lakefront

12/10/2021

How can we bring the benefits of manufacturing back to disinvested neighborhoods — without the drawbacks?

In the early 20th century, many U.S. factories were located in urban cores, where workers could easily access their jobs. But the benefit of proximity also meant workers lived near loud, polluting factories. And as we know from the history of zoning in the U.S., low-income people frequently had no option but to live in neighborhoods built around intense industrial use.

The consequences of those land use decisions are felt most severely today by communities of color, who continue to suffer from higher rates of health issues like asthma and cancer. So bringing back to — especially neighborhoods that may have been exposed to the harms of the industry — may seem fraught. But it also offers an opportunity to right some of these historic wrongs.

In this week’s episode of , we explore the idea of bringing a new generation of cleaner, greener manufacturing facilities back into our urban cores. We talk to folks at Buffalo’s Northland Workforce Training Center, Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Boston-based development Indigo Block Apartments. We also consider the potential for next-gen manufacturing to create wealth-generating opportunities for people who need it, jumpstart development in disinvested communities — and even provide a new, more resilient for our cities.

Read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. https://bit.ly/3rSbrys.

Special thanks to Northland Workforce Training Center, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Nanotronics, , Indigo Block Apartments, Tarform, and Kingdom Supercultures.

12/03/2021

Can a new generation of tech innovation ecosystems spur more equitable economic growth? Innovation — places where companies and anchor institutions cluster and connect with startups, incubators, and smaller accelerators — are far from a new . As technology has become core to our economy in the past few decades, big coastal cities like Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle have become big tech innovation ecosystems, attracting more and more talented workers, startups, and investment capital from across the country and the world every year.

Despite all the growth spurred by these tech-based innovation ecosystems, the resources and the capital haven't been shared equitably with existing communities. Additionally, as we’ve seen in these big coastal cities, the creation of housing hasn’t kept up with the influx of workers — causing prices to skyrocket and creating new challenges for lower-income groups and people of color.

But there’s a new global trend happening to intentionally plan innovation ecosystems in a way that still brings the advantages of economic opportunity and jobs, while also attempting to share the benefits more broadly. In this episode, we explore this new generation of innovation ecosystems that could not only spark , but offset some of the approaches that have left too many neighborhoods behind.

Listen to Episode 18 in our latest season: Innovation Ecosystems 2.0. 🎙️🏙️

Read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. https://bit.ly/3DdhNKL.

Special thanks to Greenwood Rising, Build in Tulsa, Goldmill Co., MacFarlane Partners, Legacy First Partners, Lightship Capital, and 19&21

11/12/2021

Cities across the U.S. are suffering from dire housing crises. Housing supply is low, and prices are high — in some cities, sky high. And wages and income aren't keeping up. Many struggle to make rent, let alone save for a home.

So it’s no wonder that affordable housing programs often focus on getting people into homes — people need help now. But we also need long-term solutions that could help renters generate wealth they could pass on to their families and children. In other words, as essential as affordable housing is, it isn't enough on its own to close the wealth gap, which in the U.S. is particularly stark between Black and White Americans.

In the first episode of our new season of , we talk to housing expert Marc Norman as well as the founders of Esusu and the Portland Community Investment Trust and explore new economic models that could help renters, particularly immigrants and new arrivals, become home or partial building owners — and have the opportunity to access multi-generational wealth as a result.

Listen to the Episode 16 of our latest season: From Owing to Owning. 🎙️🏙️
Read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. https://bit.ly/3DarHxB.

New economic models could help renters, particularly immigrants and new arrivals, become owners — and access multi-generational wealth as…

11/08/2021

The process of real estate development is critical to urban life. Without it, we’d have no homes, no stores, no community centers. But development isn’t working for everyone. All too often, new projects advance without sufficient concern for affordability, economic opportunity, or long-term vibrancy.

As Sidewalk Labs’ Head of Urban Development Alison Novak tells us in this episode, 2020 made a lot of people pause and ask: “What am I doing, and how am I impacting the world?” Real estate developers are no exception. Today, the industry is at a tipping point, and many developers are asking themselves how they can do better — while still making money.

This season of City of the Future will be all about the ideas and innovations that could lead to more equitable development. But before we can understand how development could become more inclusive in the future, we have to understand how it works today. So, in this bonus episode, Alison helps us dig into the financials, the planning documents, and beyond. Join us for some Development 101. 🎙️🏙️

Listen to the latest episode of our new season: Development 101. Read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. https://bit.ly/3ERCwVP.

To understand how real estate development could become more inclusive tomorrow, we have to understand how it works today.

09/21/2021

At his personal blog, engineer Douwe Osinga, the Co-Head of Delve, our generative design and AI-enabled master planning product, published a set of global maps visualizing the impact of sea level change. Check out illustrations of this one environmental impact of here:

Something like 15 years ago I put together some geographical data I found online containing European elevation and created a GIF out of it…

07/19/2021

Mesa saves energy and money. Learn how at the Con Edison SMB Virtual Quarterly Stakeholder Forum hosted by Willdan.

Check out the New Technology Panel tomorrow at 3:30 PM ET: https://bit.ly/3rltGdg

07/08/2021

New energy regulations have been passed in New York City, but are commercial buildings prepared? We invite you to join Mesa by Sidewalk Labs and Hines VP Michael Izzo at a free virtual event to learn more.

We’ll discuss this changing regulatory landscape and how commercial buildings can weather the transition, with a special focus on Local Law 97, which goes into effect in New York City this year. Click the link below to RSVP for the event on Tuesday, July 13 at 1 pm EST.

Join the Sidewalk Labs Mesa team to learn more about new energy regulations in New York City and what it means for commercial buildings.

05/27/2021

Reminder that our session is today! If you'd like some tips & tricks for greening your building — and saving money — then join our Head of Mesa Rachel Steinberg for her 10-min session at 4:30pm ET.

RETCON 2021 Office Summit – May 26-27 – Taking Place Digitally

05/24/2021

If you're a building owner or operator, you know that sustainability, ESG metrics, and building energy regulations are not going away. But, especially for budget-conscious buildings, getting green can be a challenge. If you'd like some tips and tricks for greening your building, join Head of Mesa, Rachel Steinberg at for her session on Wednesday May 27. Her ten minute talk will cover a few easy steps you can take to reduce emissions — and save money.

RETCON 2021 Office Summit – May 26-27 – Taking Place Digitally

04/13/2021

Wellness and energy management are top of mind as building owners and tenants plan for return to office life. Mesa can help. Mesa is an easy-install kit that enables older office buildings to remotely monitor office conditions (like ventilation or occupancy) and automatically optimize for tenant comfort and energy efficiency.
Sidewalk Labs and Disruptive Technologies, our partner on Mesa, have created a free e-book that explains how Mesa can help you cut costs, hit sustainability goals, and keep tenants happy in your office building. Download the free e-book today! https://info.disruptive-technologies.com/download-mesa-ebook

03/12/2021

Are you an architect interested in learning about our urban planning product Delve? You’re in luck! We’re hosting two free webinars on April 8 to show you how Delve can help improve your real estate projects. Sign up now!

An introduction to Delve, Sidewalk Labs' urban planning product.