I've got exciting news to share! Ayers Saint Gross' JUST disclosure went live on Monday. See our blog post about it here: https://asg-architects.com/ideas/blog/. That has a link out to our actual disclosure as well. It's been a bananas week with our internal communications campaign on it in full swing. I know a number of your firms, based on... Read more

Hello! I just joined the SAL group and am thrilled to be a part of this amazing network! I am an architect and an educator and now run my own sustainable consulting practice in the Boston area. Having previously led the sustainability efforts at several of Boston’s large architecture and design firms, I made the exciting (and scary) leap in... Read more

Hello friends,

Here’s another upcoming event that BuildingGreen has been hiding up our sleeve: a San Francisco Bay Area Mini-Summit! A summary is below, see the registration page for more details or to sign up. This event is intended for SF locals, so folks who work farther afield can join, with the knowledge that Bay Area-specific... Read more

Hello Sustainability Leaders!

The monthly all Peer Networks Meetup has been a wonderful way for casual “face-to-face” connections since the beginning of the pandemic. However, after more than a year with the same structure, we think it’s time for a change. Throughout our virtual summits and events one of the most popular aspects has been... Read more

Hardware has to be durable and resist weathering to ensure that features such as doors function properly.

BuildingGreen-Approved Hardware

BuildingGreen approves hardware that uses post-consumer recycled metal content beyond what is standard in the industry. Products from manufacturers that have engaged in information transparency... Read more

We are working on a tenant improvement and want to determine the embodied carbon on bookshelves, product display cases, and desks. Initially finding that Tally is not reading furniture, casework, or fixture families. Are there any tips and tricks you have found to be successful for modeling or defining FFE items in Revit and quantifying... Read more

There has been some great press in the last couple of days related to Healthy Building Network's (HBN) newly released report "Chlorine & Building Materials Project".  That report is over 200 pages long, but there is some great commentary available that makes the top issues much quicker to grasp.

Chlorine is used to make PVC and PVC... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Green Design: What's Love Got to Do with It?

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


1. Summarize how designers are better able to fulfill the full promise of sustainability by embracing sensory experience.
2. Broaden the sustainable design... Read more

Learning Objectives:

Explore the relationship between smart buildings and cybersecurity through their shared history.

Clarify the difference between OT and information technology (“IT”) cybersecurity including the protocols that drive OT cybersecurity programs.

Provide recent examples of critical attacks on building... Read more

Greetings Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) advocates!

We have an opportunity to advocate to the US DOE on behalf of HPWHs!

Geoff Wickes is an emerging technology product manager for NEEA (Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance) currently focused entirely on HPWH technology, policy, and market adoption (and in full disclosure: also a... Read more

Axel Slowin

Hi everyone -
Some of you already have heard some or all of this news, but I thought I'd share today's press release with the whole group.
The headline is: 
SERA is VERY excited to announce that David Johnson, formerly the managing partner of Bill McDonough's San Francisco office, is now heading up SERA's bay area office.... Read more

We've been doing some work gathering actual energy data on our recent projects. (In January we actually issued a report on 21 public buildings ). 

One of the biggest issues is getting access to the actual data - many clients don't want to share. 

Has anyone crafted proposal or contract language allowing/requiring design team... Read more

Green Gurus -

I’m honored to be co-chairing, along with Caryn Brause FAIA, the ACSA/AIA Intersections Research conference at UMass Amherst October 2023.   The theme, "Material Economies," was developed with an eye for inclusivity for academics and practitioners alike, addressing critical emerging issues around architectural material... Read more

My firm didn't have representation at the winter summit, but I've just read the report (thank you, RoseAnn!), and was really glad to see there was conversation around mass timber. I'd love to talk with anyone who was involved in that roundtable to get a deeper download about the discussion. We've been doing a lot of mass timber buildings and... Read more

Hello Everyone!

Wondering if anyone has expertise in Algae Photobioreactor facades? Here is a product: https://cellparc.com/

My basic understanding is that they produce heat and biogas (as well as providing shade and some thermal value.)  However, I am not clear on the GHG balance benefit, so to speak.  I cannot determine if the... Read more

Received answers from below questions from NIST Andy Persily

1. Is there a preferred bookends range of CO2 for both “optimal” energy and human performances?

Andy: No

2.Is the ASHRAE ventilation of 1000-1200 ppm average, probably not based on performance, suggesting current ventilation rate is sub-optimal with cognitive... Read more