I'm definitely slow on the draw here, but happy to be congratulating you, Allen! What a great recognition of your work as a firm! And I love that the story about it highlights the firm's diversity.

Also worth noting--just 'cause no one here has said it yet--how cool it is that Ed Mazria won the Gold Medal this, and that AIA updated it's... Read more

I’m a volunteer member of the ASHRAE 209 ("Energy Simulation Aided Design for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings”) Committee.  Are you familiar with ASHRAE 209? It was first published in 2018, and it outlines a process for incorporating energy modeling into the design process. 

From the forward: 

 ASHRAE Standard 209... Read more

Following the summer SDL summit - we formed a spinoff user group called "Carbon Sync" to discuss Life Cycle and Carbon Assessment tools like Tally and Athena.  We've had three successful calls with folks sharing a couple 5-minute presentations about various studies and explorations.  We have a mix of experience levels - but are collaborating... Read more

Greetings to all of the sustainability leaders in the Green Commons!

Note: This is a message about politics, which we generally try to avoid in our safe space--but in this case it’s directly tied to climate action so I feel good about sharing it. Feel free to let me know or check in with the BuildingGreen folks if you have concerns or... Read more

Hi All,

FSC is working on some exciting new research to help further quantify the carbon impact of forestry management and they are looking for your feedback.  If you are interested in providing your voice or just staying informed of what is happening in this space, please see the details below and register to attend.

FSC Forest... Read more

Hello Gurus!

The City of Cambridge is expanding on its 2015 NZ Climate Action plan to focus on embodied carbon.

If any of you have experience conducting LCA/WBLCA (whether you are an architect, engineer or consultant) your input is invaluable. The City is looking for feedback so that they can shape the program, as it evolves, to... Read more

Conventional overhead air distribution systems rely on energy-intensive air mixing, but underfloor systems take advantage of natural convection and stratification.

BuildingGreen-Approved Access Flooring Products

We list access flooring products that are specially designed to facilitate effective, energy-efficient underfloor air... Read more

Hey Everyone! My firm is a part of the local Passive House group helping organize the local Humid Climate Conference on May 2nd - 3rd. I wanted to make a post in the chat for those interested to sign up.

The theme is "Barriers To Better Buildings" and it's going to be a really strong, humid climate focused conference. We've nearly got... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Choosing Insulation: High-Performance Foundation & Basement Assemblies – Unit 2.

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


1. Explain the insulating performance and durability of different insulation materials.
2. Provide examples of... Read more

THIS WEBINAR PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Concrete is one of the construction industry’s largest carbon emitters, responsible for about 5% to 8% of the world’s anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is also one of the most important building materials.

There are well-proven ways to reduce... Read more

At the summit we discussed sharing which consultants our firms have used for anti-bias training and EDI education. My office will participate in the upcoming AIA Seattle pilot Intercultural Leadership Program, but that only includes two of our firm leaders. If anyone can refer a consultant in the Seattle region for all-office trainings, I'd... Read more

Nancy Eve Cohen is the managing editor at BuildingGreen. She brings the highest standards to her work, with the goal of providing trusted and accurate information and analysis for BuildingGreen’s readers.

Previously she worked in public radio as a reporter and editor for more than two decades, where she specialized in environmental... Read more

Hi All,

Someone just told me that 80% of his previously certified Energy Star Projects no longer earn certification with the update baselines.  Have any of you started digging into this yet?

-Meredith

After reviewing BP language today with internal staff, we realized we'll need to add a glossary to explain industry jargon and technical terms that might not be widely used. I'd like to consolidate those terms onto one web page, a glossary. This probably should be on the list with the best practices, and it will need its own page. Thanks!

I've been seeing Armstrong's DC flexzone ceiling system at Greenbuild for many years. I'm working on a net zero project with LED lights and solar panels. In theory, the transmission losses in going from DC power from panels to AC for the building to DC for the lights would be eliminated. But does anyone actually have experience using this... Read more

Hi all, 

Following the SCL Summit back in November, the Waste Subgroup agreed to complete a Model Waste Management Plan to serve as a contractor commitment to reduce construction waste. I distributed the attached (very rough) draft back in Jan., and received some good feedback via forum comments. 

We would like to set up a call to... Read more