All--

I haven't been part of this group in a while, but I'm excited to have rejoined recently. Some of you know that I joined HMC last year as Chief Impact Officer. I oversee design, sustainability, research, and communications for the firm, which has 300 people in 6 offices in California. We were founded in 1940 with a mission to serve... Read more

What better way to follow up the magic of a live presentation from Peter Yost than with 30 free days of BuildingGreen Premium?

Hi Green Gurus,

We have a lot going on this week, and I know it’s hard to keep track of everything, so I’m providing this quick update.

Conveniently, we have also just launched the new Peer Networks Hub on BuildingGreen.com, with a Calendar page where you can see all upcoming events (and a link to recordings of past events). You... Read more

Hi All,

Polling the group to see if anyone has experience with Simergy - an e+ based modeling tool?

The tool appears to have features and integration with a lot of e+ plugins that make it attractive - but i haven't heard of its widespread use.

Is anyone successfully using Simergy?

We just heard from one of our more progressive clients that they are pulling Mohawk from their shelves and are no longer allowing it on their projects. Apparently there are some chemical ingredients they objected to, but more importantly the manufacturer "lied" to the client about the content. Does anyone have an idea what this might be about?... Read more

Hello All,
Checking in on experience with Armstrong's Tectum E-N with NEOPOR Graphite polysytrene GPS rigid foam insulation core in roof panels for exposed structure?
BASF says that NEOPOR uses up to 30% less material than other rigid foam; it is greenguard gold cerified. 

Interesting that the NEOPOR increases in R-value as... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Biobased Materials: Not Always Greener.

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


1. Explain why "biobased" is too general a term.
2. List the primary concerns associated with biobased building materials, finishes and furnishings, and wet-... Read more

I thought some folks here might be interested in a webinar we have coming up this Thursday 12/6 on the topic of best practices for occupant comfort surveys. Although this webinar is part of our Roast launch series, it will be tool agnostic, with information that will be applicable to any occupant survey regardless of tools used. 

To... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Building Electrification: A Vital Solution to Climate Change.

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


1.  Understand the relationship between building electrification and decarbonization to improve the efficiency and sustainability of buildings.

2... Read more

Short notice – apologies in advance.

Please review the new Guide following the instructions on the first page of the attached draft and using the attached spreadsheet. Comments will be accepted until February 16th at noon EST

Use the Excel spreadsheet to compile your comments if you have any, and return them to me by Feb 15th COB... Read more

Hey Gurus:

I have a client who is interested in reporting to their superiors on the status on energy codes in different states across the US. They are hoping to find some kind of summary that might show relative costs for HVAC systems under the various energy codes in effect across states. They are also interested in data that is... Read more

This is something I have been tracking since last year. The same or similar bill was introduced in 2022 but failed by one vote. This would mandate carbon reporting for any company with revenue of $1B or more AND which does business in California. Unlike the upcoming SEC reporting requirements, this would apply to both private and public... Read more

Does anyone have any research studies they could share on the effect of construction/renovation noise and activity on employee productivity?  I'm trying to make a case for the measurable negative impacts of having ongoing renovation construction activity in an office environment.  Thanks!

Hi all - 

I have heard a good deal about SBTI in the last while and am wondering about this group’s firms’ engagement with them. We reported one year through CDP, and it was not very useful. It focused entirely on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which are over 1000x times less than our semi-controllable Scope 3 (buildings’ embodied carbon and... Read more

Good morning. If you're worried  like I am by today's new IPCC Report and would like some helpful explanation I recommend reading climate scientist Zeke Hausfather's lengthy Twitter feed summarizing key aspects with graphics. It's here https://twitter.com/hausfath/status/1424642708291821569?s=21

of course we need to see this as an even... Read more

As the managing editor at BuildingGreen, Elizabeth oversees the day-to-day operations of the editorial department and writes and edits content for publications. As sustainability consultant, she leads components of consulting work related to sustainable strategy, organizational change, socially responsible practices, and stakeholder engagement... Read more