I would like to invite you to come see the progress of the Oakland EcoBlock on 4/21! Page is co-presenting at the ULI event and we have been pulling together the latest material. It would be great if you can join!

Glazing connects occupants to the outdoors, but with so many opportunities for air leakage, poor insulation, and thermal bridging, glazing is the primary weak link in building energy performance.

BuildingGreen approves glazing that offers strong energy performance properties for a variety of... 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

Hello everyone,

So sorry that some of you couldn't get onto the call on Tuesday! There was a bit of a problem with our Zoom links. I think we've figured it out, so we should be all set next time.

Here are the notes from the call. If you have any questions about something on there, please feel free to post them here and we'll try... Read more

Hi Everyone!

I am now in my last week in the Bay Area, and in my last three weeks at (my first 15 years at) SERA, as I will be leaving on my extended sabbatical at the end of April!

I will miss following this group's dialogue, and will especially miss attending the summits for the next couple of years! 

My colleagues Mark... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Know Thy Client: 9 Un-Green Strategies for Delivering Better Buildings

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


1. Focus on a client’s values to drive sustainability solutions.
2. Define the quality of the work being delivered to underscore... Read more

I'm so excited to share that the call for submissions is now open for 16cubits, a design festival and competition for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, to take place at Berkeley’s Urban Adamah in October 2024.

Please share with anyone you think might be interested! Our hope is to create a forum for builders, designers, and architects to... Read more

Greenbuild 2018 has a new feature – the People’s choice.  This is where you can vote for sessions that sound interesting.  I have been scrolling through this list and I am seeing a lot of great sessions, and familiar names.

So let’s crowd source this one.

Go here https://www.greenbuildexpo.com/en/education/peoplesvoice.html to... Read more

Hi Fellow SDLers: I'm writing to share intel about two recent climate change articles that provide links to some great new resources:

1. From the AIA Trust: An excellent article in this month's AIA Trust Newsletter on "Climate Impact on Professional Liability." This includes links to some useful resources including the new AIA Hazard and... Read more

Happy Monday all!

i am looking for ROM on cost premium for LEEDv4 to go from Gold to Platinum and from Gold to Net Zero, anyone have any stats?  just looking for % premium.  Our projects show around 1% to get to Gold but not sure what it looks like above that.  Thank you!

Faucets with high flow rates waste water—not to mention the energy used to treat and deliver it to our buildings—and the additional water stresses our wastewater treatment systems.

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

Hello, 

Does anyone have experience with USGBC's Green Training Pilot Credit, and/or use of an innovation credit for subcontractor training? I was going to propose training to our subs on becoming an EnviroStars Businesses (WA Green Business Program) and also tie in the Sustainable Contractor's Commitment/project goals.

Since... Read more

Not a green design question but a green firm design question... Finalizing the renewal of our Just certification, we're taking a fresh look at all our benefits & policies. We have already reviewed industry-wide survey data (AIA and PSMJ) but are interested in how the firms we admire (i.e., *you*) are approaching benefits in the transformed... Read more

The construction sector’s take-make-waste approach to materials needs an overhaul. Materials and construction account for an estimated 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. At the other end of the life cycle, demolition in the United States annually generates 90% of some 600 million tons of construction-sector debris. Getting trashed... Read more

Nothing exciting like embodied carbon or EPDs... but I'm interested in some real talk on the actual performance of low-flow fixtures.  

We continue to encounter pushback on water-saving fixtures for concerns of ongoing performance. I'd love to have a dialog in this group because I find it hard to believe these challenges can't be... Read more