News Brief
At first glance,
An Environmental Handbook for Florida Contractors looks like it deals only with the environmental regulations that Florida contractors must contend with. And, indeed, the Handbook describes in detail the requirements for complying with regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. But the book goes much further,... Read more
Op-Ed
Introducing the first issue of our newsletter.
Buildings have a tremendous impact on the environment. In North America, buildings and the building industry account for about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, 35-40% of ozone depletion, 20-30% of municipal solid waste, vast quantities of natural resource consumption, and dramatic loss of open space each... Read more
Feature
Carefully stake the building site and driveway, remove trees that are within the excavation area or too close, then erect a fence to keep heavy equipment off fragile soils and away from nearby trees.
Protecting trees and the local ecosystem when building on previously unbuilt land is a vitally important—yet often overlooked—part of environmentally responsible construction. Healthy trees and shrubs can reduce a home’s environmental impact and directly benefit homeowners in a number of ways:
•Enhancing comfort by shielding the house... Read more
Feature
Ozone depletion and global warming are two of our most serious environmental problems—and foam insulation materials containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute significantly to both of these problems. The environmentally concerned builder or designer should make it a highest priority to avoid them. Even many of the non-CFC alternatives... Read more
News Brief
The American Institute of Architects convention in Boston this past June was the setting for a changing of the guard in the American architectural establishment. The Institute’s first woman president took the reins, the Committee on the Environment became its largest and fastest growing committee, and the first installments of the Environmental... Read more
Feature
Susan Maxman is the first AIA president to make sustainable design a priority.
Q.Where would you say architects as a group stand on environmental issues?
A.Architects tend to be reactive rather than proactive. It is important that we take the lead on these environmental issues. The architecture schools in particular tend to be conservative. They just aren’t... Read more
Forum topic
Hi Everyone!
Here is your friendly reminder for the last call to submit your Salary Survey! Here is a PDF to collect your thoughts first if that is helpful.
*This survey will be closed end of day Friday Feb. 15th.*
Important Note: There is a link to a Google Form at the end of the survey to let us know you have completed... Read more
Forum topic
This just in from Liz York at CDC: There's a webinar on Friday 11/2 at 3-4 ET on Building Design and Pandemics. For those who signed the petition to WHO urging action on aerosol emissions and have been following the ups and downs of those advisories, this is an especially welcome chance to hear from experts and ask questions.
Centers... Read more
Forum topic
Hi everyone, we had a great first all-network call with the SCL members who joined us last month! We’re looking forward to the next all-SCL call on January 8, 2024 at 1pm ET.
In the meantime, we’d love for you to fill out this survey to help us best tailor the all-SCL calls to the needs of the network. Please fill out the survey by... Read more
Forum topic
Hey there Hive Mind,
I'm tossing a question out here as I know various compositions of us have had pieces of this conversation about how operational and embodied decarbonization has been incentivizes at state and local levels through various regulatory frameworks. I meant to do research on this topic for a project team of mine and time... Read more
Forum topic
Hello SCL peeps,
Thank you to all the people who filled out our 2021 event survey. Your feedback did help us narrow down the options, but it was still inconclusive about whether there’s enough interest in doing an SCL-only Summit.
To stay on schedule with our planning (and to make sure the event will pencil out financially), we... Read more
Forum topic
He just posted the following on the Building Performance Knowledge Community forum:
Does anyone have a recommendation for software that is easy to use and relatively inexpensive for doing energy performance analysis at the schematic design (or before) phase? We are looking for a tool that gives good quantitative comparisons for... Read more
Forum topic
HI All,
Built Environment Plus, a green building member-based non-profit in Boston, is looking for a dynamic person to lead our expansive Education Program which includes courses taught by BuildingGreen and many others in this network. Check out the offerings here: Trainings Archive - Built Environment Plus
This is a critical and... Read more
Forum topic
Something we seem to be seeing a lot in our market recently are projects split into multiple packages - footing / foundation, C&S, and then later a TI package of CD's... mostly in an effort to speed up permitting and construction schedules. (Oftentimes with a contractor on board for a design / build approach).
My question to the... Read more
Forum topic
Built Environment Plus (was USGBC MA- aka Meredith Elbaum's band) has organized this awesome sustainability scavenger hunt.
It's fun. It's easy. Anyone can participate from anywhere - it's all app based, and it's a great way to get energized for Earth Day or week! And it's for a good cause, a fundraiser for supportive organization. Have... Read more
Forum topic
Hello all,
I am reaching out to this community as SMMA has a job opening for a Sustainable Design Analyst (like many of you recently posting job openings on this forum).
Here is the job posting link: https://smma.applytojob.com/apply/mah0aDkOJ0/Sustainable-Design-Analyst
Please note that this position will support... Read more
Forum topic
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

