It’s hard to believe COP28 is upon us. Kicking off tomorrow (11.30) and concluding 12.12, it’s sure to be a full few weeks of sharing, live streams, and interesting takes.

We’ve been excited to see a few Peer Network members represented as attendees in Architecture 2030’s (in-person and virtual) delegation.

Pint-flush and non-water urinals can save tens of thousands of gallons of potable water per year. A single non-water-using urinal can save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year compared with the U.S. EPA standard of 1.0 gallon per flush (gpf).

When older 3.0 gpf urinals are replaced, the savings can be as great as 50,000 gallons... Read more

Hello fellow SD leaders,

This is a quick note to re-introduce myself to this group. I am a lapsed member from the original tribe of 2008 who has found my way back on a trail of bread crumbs left by Nadav (thanks Nadav!). I'm just glad to be back amongst my people, sharing and learning from you all, as we help each other to get where we... Read more

Friends,

Through AIA work I have been working with Kim Shinn from TLC Engineering. Kim is involved on the ASHRAE 209 development and has been advocating that the AIA, ASHRAE and USGBC align around this standard. Personally I think this is a good idea as I expect that this standard could easily make it's way into regulations and contracts... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of In-House Daylight Modeling.

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


1. Explain general daylighting theory and design.
2. Simulate towards better daylighting design.
3. Demonstrate how daylight modeling is used in practice.
4.... Read more

Hello All,

ASHRAE and ICC released a draft standard for operational and embodied GHG evaluation.  It's on a fast track to be completed in time for the next code cycle.  This 30 day advisory draft includes dozens of questions looking for feedback from experts like all of you.  Please take a look and provide comments.  I've uploaded the... Read more

Hi SAL friends,

As some of you have heard by now, we've decided to shut down this Peer Network.

After several years of trying, we have not managed to activate it as we had hoped. Given the urgency of the collective action we need to transform the building industry into a force for good in the world, we all need to focus our... Read more

We are looking to refine our general office specifications to weed out harmful materials and to prioritize sustainability for all of our clients. Have you had good experience with outsourced specification writers who are helping to push sustainability forward? Who do you recommend? Bonus points if they are familiar with Massachusetts codes and... Read more

The results from the "CogFx" study are compelling, showing that people in environments with low VOCs and low ambient CO2 levels score higher on tests of cognitive function.  Specifically, they show that providing 40cfm of outdoor air per (actual live) occupant results in significantly higher scores than even the "Enhanced Ventilation" scheme... Read more

We are excited to share the REPORT from the 2019 Small Firm SDL Summit held in Las Vegas on June 5th. Take a look and use this forum to post questions and comments that will allow us to engage our new members as we continue the valuable conversations begun at the Summit. As you will read in the introduction, we know that collectively small... Read more

Good morning all!

We're working on a higher ed project, and the university PM recently read an article about eco-friendly drywall and is interested in using it on the project.  We're currently using the USG EcoSmart drywall on another project and mentioned it as an option, but the article she forwarded also mentioned ExtremeGreen's MgO... Read more

Hello all, I would like to share an upcoming Virtual and In-Person conference for NOMA (National Organziation of Minority Architects).  Non-members can register, but I encourage anyone to join the organization to support the organization's mission.

"NOMA’s mission, rooted in a rich legacy of activism, is to empower our local chapters and... Read more

Hi all,

We've had a number of clients in the states surrounding Texas that have been hit with really high natural gas bills for February. Some as high as $2.00+/therm. Many are healthcare facilities.  Has anyone seen any federal, state, or utility relief programs that are assisting customers with these bills?

Thanks, 

Adam... Read more

The headlines are everywhere—from heat waves in Europe to wildfires in the Western U.S. to tidal flooding in Florida. In this age of climate change, just as there’s an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses, we also need to adapt and invest in resilience.

Increasingly, owners are asking for risk assessments to... Read more

The prepublication version of the AGC playbook is online now. I just stumbled on this this morning but thought it would be great to get eyes on this early and start a discussion here on any of the included guidance. Happy Reading, excited to follow the discussion!

AGC Playbook on Decarbonization and Carbon Reporting in the Construction... Read more