Explainer
News Brief
The American Institute of Architects convention in Boston this past June was the setting for a changing of the guard in the American architectural establishment. The Institute’s first woman president took the reins, the Committee on the Environment became its largest and fastest growing committee, and the first installments of the Environmental... Read more
Feature
Ozone depletion and global warming are two of our most serious environmental problems—and foam insulation materials containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute significantly to both of these problems. The environmentally concerned builder or designer should make it a highest priority to avoid them. Even many of the non-CFC alternatives... Read more
Feature
Susan Maxman is the first AIA president to make sustainable design a priority.
Q.Where would you say architects as a group stand on environmental issues?
A.Architects tend to be reactive rather than proactive. It is important that we take the lead on these environmental issues. The architecture schools in particular tend to be conservative. They just aren’t... Read more
Feature
Carefully stake the building site and driveway, remove trees that are within the excavation area or too close, then erect a fence to keep heavy equipment off fragile soils and away from nearby trees.
Protecting trees and the local ecosystem when building on previously unbuilt land is a vitally important—yet often overlooked—part of environmentally responsible construction. Healthy trees and shrubs can reduce a home’s environmental impact and directly benefit homeowners in a number of ways:
•Enhancing comfort by shielding the house... Read more
Op-Ed
Introducing the first issue of our newsletter.
Buildings have a tremendous impact on the environment. In North America, buildings and the building industry account for about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, 35-40% of ozone depletion, 20-30% of municipal solid waste, vast quantities of natural resource consumption, and dramatic loss of open space each... Read more
Forum topic
Has anyone here been involved (taken or taught sessions) in the Healthy Materials Lab Online Certificate program for Healthier Materials?
https://healthymaterialslab.org/learning-hub/e-learning-online-certifica...
I'm thinking about having some of our staff take this course, especially those that don't have a background in... Read more
Author
P.J. is an accomplished writer and speaker who brings passion, humor, and discernment to all her work.
Whether it’s a spotlight report on decarbonization, a webinar on ESG, or just a chummy email bulletin, she is ferociously committed to truth, accuracy, and thoroughly... Read more
Forum topic
Hi all, we have a date for our SCL Carbon Group online meeting. Looking forward to connecting with you all on 2/26!
Please see agenda below.
.........................................................................................................................................
Join Skype Meeting
Trouble... Read more
Product Guide
Conventional heating systems burn fossil fuels on the building site or use outrageous amounts of electricity.
BuildingGreen-Approved Heat Pumps
The best heat pumps solve both these problems and provide efficient cooling. BuildingGreen approves air-source heat pumps with minimum HSPF and SEER levels of 10 and 20, respectively.... Read more
News Analysis
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed tincidunt leo nec lectus faucibus varius. Proin in magna augue. Sed vitae laoreet nulla. Praesent quis eros id metus scelerisque pulvinar at eu risus. Aenean vehicula orci libero, ac dapibus lorem auctor eget. In placerat orci sapien, ac sagittis enim pellentesque at. Curabitur in... Read more
Forum topic
Hi everyone,
Just a reminder to please fill out the SCL 2024 Events Attendance Poll by the end of next Monday, December 18th. Thank you so much to those who have filled it out already! :)
-Amanda
Forum topic
Sasaki seeks a Sustainability Coordinator for Planning & Urban Design Sustainability Coordinator with experience in planning or urban design for our Boston office, to work on a variety of college and university campuses, urban mixed-use districts, corporate campuses and resilience planning. You'll work me and with Alison Nash, our... Read more
Forum topic
Our firm has had some clients that object to the term "Master Plan." We have removed "Master Planning" from our letterhead, where we list our capabilities and have replaced it with "Planning." Although we still find ourselves using it, old habits die hard, especially when we receive an RFP from a client asking for "Master Planning." Once we get... Read more
Forum topic
Hello SCL- as we move closer towards the release of the Contractors Commitment we have realized that we need a donation of graphics/marketing help from one of our member firms.
We are looking for help with a BG SCL Contractors Commitment logo, landing page, document organization, and any graphics we might need to highlight the... Read more
Forum topic
I know that there is a risk of starting a whole flurry of congrats through the forum, but this is a biggie, and deserves some recognition:
Congratulations Andrea and Melanie!! Huzzah!!
And a reminder--If you want to reach out to them privately, rather than through the forum, with your message, you can see anyone's email address by... Read more

