I am looking for case studies/trying to identify buildings using concrete mixes with upwards of 30% replacement of cement by SCMs.  I've been in conversations with some structural engineers who are interested in lowering embodied carbon in upcoming projects, but would like to see examples of where this level of replacement has been successfully... Read more

I was sitting in on the USGBC's monthly Advocacy call this afternoon and heard about a state-local policy proposal to use property tax incentive for GHG reductions.  Through a state-local partnership, owners of existing residential and commercial buildings who invest in qualifying outcome-based improvements would receive a property tax... Read more

Question for you all: there is this wonderful graph showing how we can shift mechanical and electrical dollars into envelope investments to make deep energy savings cost-neutral. Have you experienced this on a project?

1-minute or less survey! (two questions, more detail if you want)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/... Read more

Hello Sustainable Advising Leaders!

I have an exciting announcement today, fall Peer Network events are now open for registration! You can see all the event details and register here!

Based on feedback we received from past events and the most recent surveys, we decided against doing one long week of events for this fall and... Read more

Hello Everybody,

I would like to invite you all to an event being hosted by the AIA Seattle COTE.  This is the next event in a series entitled Pathways to Decarbonization.  Date and time: May 13, 12:00pm - 1:00pm 

Description:  Universities are learning laboratories to explore and implement solutions to our greatest challenges... Read more

Know any awesome sustainability leaders within GC or CM firms? They can be at mid-sized or large construction companies—any firm in the ENR top 400 qualifies for sure, others might need some vetting. The key is people who have sustainability as the focus of how they spend their time--either formally by title or otherwise. 

We want to... Read more

Hi All,

USGBC MA is doing a study on the cost of net zero energy buildings in MA.  I’m wondering if you all have any data to share on plug loads in ZNE projects. I’m looking for single family res, 2-4 unit residential, +/- 60 unit residential, 10-12 story office, and k-12.  The engineers have presented initial results and their... Read more

Welcome to this practice session for the LEED AP v4 exam, and good luck!

All the exam questions and explanations that follow were authored by Alex Spilger, LEED AP BD+C of GreenStep Education, and are provided in this BuildingGreen "exam simulator" through a special partnership with GreenStep and with our friends at the Poplar Network.... Read more

Hey team,

I'll go look to see who's in the MEP group, but does anyone in this circle have a northern California design engineer for institutional work that they'd particularly recommend? A group of folks we're engaged with is apparently having difficulty identifying a California-based MEP that everyone universally likes for high-... Read more

I was asked to share this with my network...

"For colleagues working with LCA data, during design, construction, or facility management proces, please help us understand how EPDs are useful in your processes by completing the survey below:"

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ashrant-aryal-2354497a_qualtrics-survey-q...

Team,

What are the M vs. E vs. P(FP) ratios of fee distribution you use in your company for a commercial office building?  How about a residential/hotel?

Best,

Luke Leung

Hi! Over the last 10 years, the firm where I work in Boston has predominately designed housing & senior living projects in the the Boston Metro region, with the occassional project in NH, CT, RI, and NY. We have built projects as far south at DC, but never designed anything to my knowledge in California in our 55 years of operation. A... Read more

I am looking for a Mechanical Engineering firm in New York state who works in mid-sized commercial (ideally hospitality or multifamily experience) and who has experience with geothermal GSHP systems.

CEUs are available for reading all the building-envelope product guides and primer. Click here to learn more and take the quiz.

Wall assemblies are made up of a number of different materials and systems, and installing each of them requires considerable time and labor and can introduce errors that compromise the building’s weather... Read more

Masquerade as the person for whom you want to purchase, then click link

BG annual

BG annual-comp

BG annual + free insulation report

BG annual + insulation report

LU annual + free insulation report

BG 79.00

SCDL

SAL

SDLS... Read more

SmithGroup is hosting Metropolis Magazine for a “Think Tank Event on Waterfront Redevelopment and Urban Resilience”.   While the event is in our office, if you're not in DC, it will also be broadcast live on Facebook Live (https://www.facebook.com/events/1299577320146259/) Feel free to share this invitation with others.  Information about the... Read more

Older buildings—especially those from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s—need our help. Many leave something to be desired in terms of aesthetics and comfort. But the truth is that they are part of the urban and suburban fabric now, and they aren’t going anywhere. As tempting as it might seem to tear them all down and replace them with high-performance... Read more