Jill is a mission-driven leader who loves working with people, solving problems, and strengthening the infrastructure of values-driven organizations that are committed to having a positive impact in the world. 

She brings decades of experience analyzing and understanding the value of operational efficiency across a variety of... Read more

I'm passing on an alarming (and truly Orwellian!) message from the AIA that some may have received:

The AIA is aware (and has been actively addressing) that there is a draft executive order circulating for consideration by White House officials that would officially designate “classical” architecture as the preferred style for the... Read more

Has anyone here had success in comparing life cycle impacts for different window system options? We have been trying to compare different options but have only been able to source one expired EPD for an actual window (frame + glazing). Is the typical approach to separately compare glass and framing options? Are we missing something or is there... Read more

I'm working on the Best Practice pages, and I want to verify the role of "BITuser experts" (analogous to LEEDuser experts, as shown on this credit page). My questions:

Note that the role of the expert,... Read more

Hi All - 

Has anyone explored hydronic system analysis software (1D CFD)? 

Some options are PipeFlo, AFT Fathom, PipeFlow (eerily similar name to first option), COMSOL Pipe Flow Module. 

Applications could range from general system troubleshooting, pump sizing, to district hydronic system network analysis. 

Best,... Read more

Hi All,

As you know from the SCL Summit last year, I have been organizing a task group to create a draft of our SCL Contractor Commitment. We have come up with a short Tiered commitment draft as well as some best practices and challenges that led us to the commitment. I encourage everyone to take a look at the draft and please send any... Read more

Green walls provide an important connection to nature in urban settings.

BuildingGreen-Approved Green Walls

We approve green wall systems designed to:

I am working on a new community development in St. Paul that is striving to achieve net-zero energy. We are able to get there mathematically by using the extra generation on light industrial rooftops to offset medium-density housing energy use (all buildings are anticipated to have different, private owners). However, this puts us over... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Measuring Energy Use in Buildings: Do Our Metrics Really Add Up?.

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


1. Explain the differences between site energy, source energy, and energy cost.
2. Summarize three ways in which source energy can... Read more

MSA has issued a safety advisory because they have received field reports that their green colored MSA V-Gard Protective Caps are cracking. Please share this with your safety staff if they do not already know. Let's keep everyone safe!

Who else is playing in this year’s #SustainabilityScavengerHunt by BE+!?

Meredith Elbaum and team at Built Environment Plus are launching the second annual hunt this Friday. Teams of up to four people compete over a couple of weeks to complete missions and bring awareness to environmental topics.

It was a lot of fun last year - we... Read more

The ASHRAE Conference staff is looking for more architecture sustainability leadership for planning their Integrated Design & Construction Conference (i'm sure they'd take contractors too!). The staff do almost all of the logistics themselves but they want thought leadership from across the industry to guide the focus, content.

See... Read more

Hi Leaders,

If your experience was anything like mine, it was a stressful night. I'm feeling a hunger for talking with smart, passionate people about what this all means.

I'm not interested in making this into a political forum--we can all get plenty of that elsewhere. But if you'd like to hang out and just process how you're... Read more

Hi all - I am in need of specification language for wood sourced from tribally owned and managed forests. Does anybody have examples they would be willing to share? I would be so greateful! thank you

I've been hearing a lot of talk about density becoming a thing of the past. Like with the danger of antimicrobials, it would be great to have some more in depth backup information on whether density is really a danger factor, or if other factors are more important, when we go into these conversations. Does anybody have any new or better... Read more