Hi, all! We've got amazing editorial plans for our December and January coverage, including Brent's rollout of the Top 10 Green Buiding Products for 2024 and a much-needed update to Wood: What's Good? 

Here's the trouble: we have waaaay too many good ideas about what else to cover. And I super suck at mind reading. So Nadav thought maybe... Read more

Hi all, 

The San Francisco Department of the Environment is hoping to gather info from designers and specifiers about construction surplus materials. Their survey is 8 questions total and not limited to those in the SF area. 

Pasting info below if you have a chance to participate! 

Calling Designers and Specifiers:

... Read more

Hello,

As with most people I feel some what helpless about what the next 4 years will bring. Heather Clark, Senior Director for Building Sector Climate Policy at The White House thinks that a big bill will be presented in the new year and one of the small items in there will be the axing of the Inflation Reduction Act. What she made... Read more

Please share your thoughts in preparation for our monthly call this Thursday (call info below). 

Given these items that are changing at AIA, are any of them motivating changes within your firm? If so, how? If not, why?

1. Awards criteria now includes COTE Measures of Design Excellence

2. Code of Ethics now includes rule on... Read more

Wood decking requires potentially hazardous preservatives and stains, and plastic waste is a significant environmental problem.

BuildingGreen-Approved Decking

Composite decking approved by BuildingGreen has at least 50% total recycled content. For plastic decking, post-consumer content has to be greater than 50%.

Health and... Read more

Healthcare Design, one of the most respected and widely recognized trade journals in the health care AEC space has released the names of its 2022 HCD 10 winners.  The mission of The HCD 10 is to recognize and celebrate the broad spectrum of outstanding professionals in that industry and the influence they have on healthcare design.

One... Read more

Hi: Is anyone individually or at a firm level offsetting their travel through Certified Emissions Reduction (CER) or Verified Emissions Reduction (VER) credits? I'm trying to research a valid approach to doing this and running into a few different options - some even with apps. I'd appreciate any wisdom from this great group.

Thanks.... Read more

This message came in earlier today and is something of which we should all be aware.  I took the extra step, in this world of uncertain facts, of checking the veracity of the message with Jason Grant who confirmed it.  From William Bucholtz:

Dear Green Building Colleagues,

No one likes being fooled, but it’s... Read more

Hello Sustainability Leaders!

Here's another fun announcement to help round out this year and get us excited for the next to begin: Join us in 2022 for First Friday Fikas!

What is a fika? Pronounced fee-ka, this is a Swedish custom of taking a break from work to have a coffee and a snack while catching up with friends. It’s a... Read more

Hello,

The Baltimore office for Hord Coplan Macht is looking to hire a Sustainability Coordinator.  Please find the specifics here https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=hcm2&jobId=4... or attached and pass along if you know of someone who may be a good fit.

Thank you,

Ara Massey 

I'm curious who in this group has used ASHRAE Standard 209-2018, Energy Simulation Aided Design for Buildings except Low Rise Residential Buildings?

We've used it internally (minimally) as a reference to help better communicate the goals and activities involved with energy modeling at various phases of design. But it seems like there's... Read more

We all know the climates are shifting, and the ASHRAE standard that gets invoked for energy codes is shifting along with them--though not in perfect sync.  Louisiana is leaping from ASHRAE 90.1-2007 energy code to 2021 IECC (boom!).  The 2021 IECC as published uses relatively old climate maps; for Louisiana, at least, the same as the 90.1-2007... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of The Death and Rebirth of DC Power. 

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


Explain when and how to integrate DC power into buildings, and the benefits of doing so.

Understand the history and background of AC and DC power in the U.S.

... Read more

Hi SDLers-

Like many of you, I have found myself involved in our firm’s nascent Social & Racial Justice working group. Our group is laser focused on advancing BIPOC and is seeking to understand more about approaches our firm can take on advocacy, transparency, and training. They are interested in hearing about specific approaches... Read more

Hi all,

Thanks for your patience as we've finally compressed this video file enough to upload it onto the forum. You can watch the recording of "Are We There Yet? A Sampling and Exploration of Project Process Diagrams" here.

Enjoy!

-Amanda & the BuildingGreen team

The Minnesota CLF chapter’s Specification Subgroup (myself, Andy Marolt/Ryan Companies, Laura Eder/ESG, Java Nyamjav/MSR Design, with input from Annie Perkins/SFI) recently collaborated on a draft set of specification templates incorporating embodied carbon requirements into product performance and action submittals. This work builds on sample... Read more

We are working on a large, commercial, LEED project in the Wash DC area, and the Construction Management firm needs LEED administrative/documentation assistance on their end of the process.  The construction is underway but the CM lacks the staff. 

Can anyone suggest a LEED consultant in the DC area that can work for the CM -- managing... Read more