We are putting together a free guide for firms who have not yet started to figure out what their internal standards are for healthy, low carbon materials/products. 

As part of this effort, we are looking to gather from all of you who already have standards - examples and precedent.

Also we are collecting standards from clients/... Read more

Both Z Smith and Lois Vitt Sale have been notified that they have been elected to the College of Fellows of the AIA, class of 2018.

Please join me in congratulating Z and Lois, and post here if you know of others who can now carry the FAIA label.

Well done guys!

Hi all --

We have a national restaurant client who is looking to source furniture (indoor and outdoor) with a minimum of 40% recycled/salvaged content from a woman- and/or minority-owned company.  They have a strong preference for a company that partners with/participates in community outreach and/or mentoring programs.  They also have ... Read more

Hi folks,

I’m sure most of you know Gail Brager, or at least know of her. For those who don’t, she helps run UC Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment and is a long-time champion of all the things that make buildings work for their occupants. Perhaps most notably, she was a co-author of the Adaptive Thermal Comfort option in ASHRAE... Read more

Can furniture be hazardous? You bet it can…

From flame retardants in foam cushions to unnecessary stain and dirt repellents on upholstery materials, everyday... Read more

Hello All,

News Bulletin: The 2020 SDL Winter Summit will be held January 29th - January 31st, 2020 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, Alabama!

During the 2019 Winter Summit, we discovered such an amazing venue at the Gulf State Park in Alabama that we’ve decided to go back! This incredible beachfront hotel designed by Lake|Flato is... Read more

Hi all,

Due to the eclipse, Nadav and I will be out on our usual call day, April 9th, and we anticipate others may as well. We will be moving the call to Tuesday April 16th at the usual time (2-3pm ET). For this meeting, we'll be holding a whiteboard session about MEP2040, the development of plans to achieve it, and tactics to getting... Read more

If you have a moment and are working in the IAQ arena, please consider filling out this survey, and you could also win an AirGradient ONE monitor. (Check my review video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpqYOWLzv7o) 

https://forms.gle/ytLcq2dvtGrD2UZY7

I also have access to the results and will happily share the data whenever... Read more

Just in time for Saturday Night!!

Get out the popcorn and put away Netflix!
For those who were unfortunate enough to miss this LIVE - you still get to watch the awesome talents of our community! 

You sadly miss out on the camaraderie, connection and wonderfullness of hanging out with everyone (not recorded!) but you do get... Read more

All, today is the day I had committed to sending out the DRAFT request to equipment manufacturers of what is needed for full electrification.  I apologize that I didn't have time or focus to get my thoughts together till now (I had intended to share this with Chris and others prior to sending to the full group, but just didn't get my thoughts... Read more

High-performance buildings integrate site-responsive orientation, climate-responsive form, hefty R-values, efficient mechanical systems, healthy... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Introduction to WELL Certification: On-Demand Webcast.

Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:


1.  Identify the Seven Concepts within WELL.

2.  Describe the differences between WELL and other frameworks such as LEED & Fitwel.

3.  List... Read more

Hi all,

AGC is the biggest umbrella organization for general contractors in the states. To date, there has been practically no interaction between the SCL and AGC. In my mind, the SCL group is the most knowledgeable group of dedicated sustainability professionals out there; so is there a way that we can partner with AGC to collaborate ... Read more

Hi folks, 

A few of us at SERA recently connected with a couple of women in the tech industry who are looking to solve sustainability issues with new software. They're in the "problem definition" phase and are eager to hear from SDL members about the big issues around operational and embodied carbon that we're tackling. See below and... Read more

Valentina works on the UX/UI design and front-end of the BuildingGreen and LEEDuser websites. With over 10 years’ experience focused on websites usability, she develops prototypes and cross-browser web interfaces as part of the WebDev team. She also collaborates closely with marketing and editorial to create any other visual design project for... Read more

Howdy all,

Following up on Emily's post (https://www.buildinggreen.com/forum/aia-2030-zero-tool-vs-cbecs-baseline) on AIA2030, the folks on the steering committee's monthly call thought it'd be a good idea to do a general call for feedback on reporting this year while the bangs and bruises are still fresh. The intent is to compile the... Read more

SDL Group -

Hi all!  After a brief hiatus from the group to move from New Orleans to Portland (OR), start a new job at ZGF Architects, buy a house, and  see my baby boy become a toddler (all in the past year!)---- I'm ready to plug back into the group.  Seeing folks at the ILFI conference re-energized me to reengage :)

So…..does... Read more