Spotlight Report
Remember 2013? LEED version 4 had just been released to the public. Hardly anyone was using it, though—not only because they didn’t have to, but also because there just wasn’t a pathway to achieve many of the new credits in the rating systems. Especially the product-related credits in the Materials & Resources category, along with the Low-... Read more
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Hi SD Leaders: I wanted you to know about a terrific initiative that is part of the Project Drawdown effort called Project Drawdown Ecochallenge. The Project Drawdown EcoChallenge is a fun and social way to learn about and take action on the 100 most substantive solutions to global warming.
Drawdown EcoChallenge provides tools and... Read more
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Seeking a dashboard system that will take energy use data from individual (college student) apartments to display in the lobby. Something where the display is both educational, easy to understand, and that could inspire a little friendly competition. Welcome any recommendations you have installed on projects or have seen that would be cool to... Read more
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I have a client that is very interested in automated shades for a mid-rise multi-family housing project. Do you have any examples of projects that have attempted this? I assume it would involve occupancy sensors and/or an over-rideable default setting dependant on sun position and temperature. I also have an MEP Engineer team that is having a... Read more
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Hi everyone!
I've seen a lot of claims over the years of living walls or planted buffers that can mitigate *outdoor* air pollution and have always assumed there's no real scientific basis for that idea, unless we're talking an actual forest that's 10s of feet thick. Am I wrong? Are there examples of living walls that actually have been... Read more
Product Guide
Preservative treatments extend the service life of wood, but many such treatments are highly toxic, especially to aquatic life.
BuildingGreen-Approved Preserved Wood
Products approved by BuildingGreen use chemicals (commonly borates) that are relatively low in toxicity and have low VOC emissions.
Health and Environmental... Read more
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Dear Esteemed colleagues: I was recently asked a good question in light of the impending (fingers crossed) passage of the reconciliation bill that will bring alot of funding to energy efficiency/decarbonization upgrades at the residential scale. The question is: What are the arguments/ scenarios about the importance for homeowners to contract... Read more
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I’m writing to see who would be interested in collaborating during the month of December on a position paper that would be given to the incoming Biden administration, outlining things that firms in our industries (i.e. architecture, engineering and construction) would be excited to see advanced as part of Biden’s Build-Back-Better (BBB) program... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of "How to Access the Full Power of Biophilia."
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
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I'm working with the AIA Minneapolis chapter on guidance for small firms related to how and when to energy model. A lot of small firms would like to sign the AIA 2030 Commitment (we had 100 in a room in 2022 in a session led by Nadav and Gwen Fuertes). But we have learned that a) they don't have a good way to energy model small commercial to... Read more
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Hello, all! I'm working on an in-depth article about adaptive thermal comfort. I'm looking for interviewees who have real-world experience of working with ATC on a project, including occupant feedback. If you have that kind of experience, I'd love to hear from you!
This is happening on a very tight timeline, so please get in touch with... Read more
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Good Morning, I have so enjoyed reading everyone’s personal introductions. I am happy to be a part of this group and look forward to working together to create transformation of an industry that is sometimes slow to move. My name is Patty Lloyd and I am the Sustainability Manager at Leopardo Companies, a Chicagoland area General Contractor... Read more
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You're invited to join your colleagues in an SCL Whole Group Web Meeting on Contractors’ Commitment May 28th, 2019 1:00 PM PST / 4:00 PM EST!!
Web meeting focused on an update with the contractors' commitment work. This is an SCL whole group call led by Kena David.
Join the meeting on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/972367514
... Read more
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Hi Sustainability leaders,
Realizing that many of us are now stuck and home and may be feeling isolated, we thought it would be fun to offer an open hang-out time for anyone in the Peer Networks. If you'd like to connect, share some thoughts, hear from others, or just get to know other Green Gurus, join us on Zoom this Thursday. If it... Read more
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We are coordinating an effort to produce a "Building Reuse Practice Guide for Climate Action" for the AIA. This is intended as a resource for architects working on major renovations and adaptive reuse, with a focus on reducing energy use, lower embodied carbon, electrification, and adapting to a changing climate. We are looking for around 5... Read more
Author
Angela has been an integral part of the BuildingGreen team for fifteen years, serving in a variety of roles.
Her diverse career path has led her from union organizing, to cabinet-making and exhibit production for the Boston Children’s Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to teaching woodworking at Massachusetts College of Art. She... Read more
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Hi,
HKS is seeking two seasoned sustainability leaders to be part of the DesignGreen Team embedded into either our Mission Critical and Commercial Mixed Use practice. In general, the role is to service clients and drive sustainable design quality forward. We have a great team and need even more wise, energetic, creative, and committed... Read more