BuildingGreen Report

Basic page

We are no longer accepting reservations for the SDL Summer Summit 2020.

Quiz

Welcome to the quiz portion of Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why!

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


Describe why focusing on carbon instead of on energy at the building scale is a better choice for the environment. Name eight reasons why net-zero-energy buildings... Read more

Forum topic

Hi everyone!

My awesome colleague, Paula Melton, is doing a short talk for USGC about mass timber and wants to know if there are SCLers in the group that can share their experience. In particular: 

"I’m wondering particularly about how supply-chain and cost issues are affecting availability and decision-making, and what the onsite... Read more

Forum topic

Some of you are aware of my ongoing saga of off-site renewable energy and a LEED certification we are pursuing. The short version is that there is a new-construction corporate headquarters office building (Building #2 on the attached graphic). This building is pursuing LEED certification. 

The company also just installed a 1 MW... Read more

Forum topic

I was shocked to see this new research. Bad news is that acrylic paints are causing 58% of the microplastics pollution in our ocean. Yes, they are plastic. A recent study by Environmental Action, a Swiss-based scientific research firm, shows us that acrylic paint's role in plastic pollution is much greater than most of us realize. The good news... Read more

Forum topic

As part of the Philadelphia AIA COTE, we have been proposing implementing sustainability in some fashion into the design awards with our chapter's design committee.  I know that many of you have been down this road before, and wanted to get your feedback at a high level about what your local COTE is doing.  Anyone who's interested, can you... Read more

Quiz

Welcome to the quiz portion of Cost-Effective Green Retrofits: Opportunities for Savings in Existing Buildings.

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


 

1. Define the term retrocommissioning and list at least three examples of how it might help commercial building owners.... Read more

Forum topic

Good Afternoon -

I'm wondering if anyone has a sample project wellness plan or survey that they'd be willing to share?  The 2.0 says additional resources are coming soon but I have a few project engineers that want to help get these going and are looking for a starting point.

You can email me direct if you don't want to post here... Read more

Quiz

Welcome to the quiz portion of Improving Resilience!

IMPORTANT: This quiz covers five related articles within this topic. 

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


Discuss resilient design options that prioritize safety, health, and emergency preparedness in the wake of disasters... Read more

Team Group

Firm-wide Group

Forum topic

SDLers – For one of our projects we are working with local tribes to procure timber. We would also like to get FSC certification, but haven’t found significant overlap between these two criteria in the Pacific Northwest. There appear to be two certification entities in our area: Northwest Natural Resource Group and Trout Mountain Forestry.  I’m... Read more

Forum topic

I can see from the threads that there are at least a few Passive House advocates in this group - I'm wondering about the PHIUS training and certification. Can any who have done it offer an opinion? Is it valuable? Residentially focused? Would it apply to someone in a larger commercial practice? It's an investment of time and $, so I really want... Read more

Forum topic

Since attending the SDL Summer Summit this year, I've continued soul-searching for more actionable firm-wide, walk-the-talk Climate Initiatives to push forward and sheepishly realized that our office operational emission accounting (and potential offsets) has literally fell off the radar. Since 2008.
:(

So my query:
1. Are... Read more

Forum topic

I am wondering how architectural firms plan to close the gap to zero in the next few years. 

Owner's dictate outcomes and the typical owner is not committed to zero - even when sustainability is a focus of the project. 

We can present solar-ready designs, all electric buildings, geothermal, etc. but there is still quite a gap to... Read more

Forum topic

Team,

https://www.buildingservicesengineersdeclare.com/

See link above, a group of UK building services (MEP) engineers (like us) signed on above, committed to do life cycle carbon (including embodied MEP) in their work.

Are we behind?  Should we match them?  leap frog ahead of them?

Best,

Luke Leung

Forum topic

Hello - I seem to remember a thread on Sustainable Design Specialist / Advisor - Focused or Integrated Position within a firm. Does anyone remember the subject header or did I just dream this up? My searches are coming up empty...

Thanks!

Mona

Mona Lemoine, Architect AIBC, MAA, MRAIC, LFA, LEED AP BD + C

Senior... Read more

Forum topic

Hello SDLs,

I'm fairly new to the group, joined in November and I must confess to being a total wallflower here, having gone almost 6 months now without introducing myself. I am an Architect with Dyer Brown Associates in Boston, MA where I head up our firm's sustainability efforts, as well as devote a fair amount of time to '... Read more

Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars

 

The BuildingGreen & GreenStep exam prep materials have been updated to the latest version based on the actual v2 exam. The new study guide and practice exams are now available for your purchase and use in preparing yourself to take the exam.  

If you are interested in sharing this WELL AP Exam Study Guide within your... Read more