OVERVIEW
It’s easy to get caught up in the details—earning one more LEED point or getting that documentation you need for recycled content.
But it’s a lot easier to achieve all the project goals if the owner and the whole project team are in agreement about why you’re putting in all this work in the first place. Stuff like:
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slowing down climate change
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dealing with global water shortages
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avoiding depletion of nonrenewable resources
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preventing public health problems associated with manufacturing
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righting social wrongs
Here we set the scene, providing context that can help get—and keep—everyone on the same page about project goals.
IN-DEPTH
Filter results:
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20 Ways to Advance Sustainability in the Next Four Years
January 4, 2017Feature Article
In this age of political revolution and environmental urgency, it’s time to step back and take a look at priorities, challenges, and opportunities
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Pest Prevention: Steps Designers Can Take
December 5, 2016Feature Article
Integrated pest management (IPM) design strategies can reduce structural damage and unsanitary conditions, and improve our community’s health.
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Green Building Remains Strong in Commercial Sector
November 6, 2017News Brief
A recent survey indicates that, though the value of sustainability is widely recognized in corporate real estate, many cite cost as the primary obstacle.
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California Law Uses Environmental Product Declarations to Drive Low-Carbon Procurement
October 17, 2017News Analysis
Buy Clean California is the first law in the nation to address embodied carbon in construction materials.
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Climate Change: Building Industry, You’ve Got This!
April 4, 2016Feature Article
Global warming has legs. Do our commitments to stopping it have teeth?
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Circular Economy at Scale: Six International Case Studies
October 5, 2015Feature Article
These teams are applying radical life-cycle thinking to entire projects—and redefining what building ownership means in the process.
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Opting Out of Paris Accord Fortifies Global Warming Battle
July 10, 2017Op-Ed
By making the administration’s position clear, Trump’s decision unleashed a wave of actions to stabilize the climate.
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Can Concrete Save Us? Locking Up Carbon in Building Materials
June 1, 2014Feature Article
Concrete is responsible for a huge proportion of global carbon dioxide emissions. A few companies want to reverse this cycle by sequestering carbon in building materials.
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Net-Zero-Energy Schools in a Post-Paris Accord U.S.
June 7, 2017Op-Ed
The challenge might seem greater, but focusing on schools is crucial as climate change advocacy moves to local leadership.
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Green Design: What’s Love Got to Do with It?
December 2, 2013Feature Article
Beauty, place-making, and even love are motivating many green designers, who see these values complementing core sustainability tenets.
