Evaporative coolers use far less electricity than conventional refrigerant-cycle air conditioners and they operate without the use of refrigerants, both features that make them attractive for green buildings. However, their suitability is limited to drier climates, and most products use significant quantities of water.

BuildingGreen... Read more

Hi SD Leader: Please review, consider or pass along this terrific new position leading the Sustainability strategic direction at the Washington University School of Medicine. WashU has an ambitious sustainability leader role regionally and across the nation and the School of Medicine (highly ranked nationally) plays a big role in that. The job... Read more

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

Has anyone heard about batu or cumaru as substitutes for ipe? I am looking for a durable deckling material, and would appreciate your recommendations for sustainable choices!

Nadav Malin is a passionate facilitator, leading workshops and retreats to help organizations of all types find alignment, inspiration, and leadership in pursuit of their goals. He convenes peer networks of architecture firm Sustainable Design Leaders, Sustainable Construction Leaders, and others. He facilitates gatherings and consults to USGBC... Read more

Hello, All,

Does anyone have experience with cove.tool (https://covetool.com/)?  Perhaps for those projects that may not get fully modeled, or as a tool to help set baselines?  It came across our radar recently, and I'm wondering if the subscription might be worth a try.

Thanks! 

Maria

SDLers – For one of our projects we are working with local tribes to procure timber. We would also like to get FSC certification, but haven’t found significant overlap between these two criteria in the Pacific Northwest. There appear to be two certification entities in our area: Northwest Natural Resource Group and Trout Mountain Forestry.  I’m... Read more

Huge congratulations to everyone involved with a Top Ten winner this year! 

In a rare feat--Leddy Maytum Stacy got two!

Also P+W, Lake|Flato with Cooper Cary, WRNS, SOM, Olsen Kundig, KieranTimberlake, DLR--nice work! (And who is Studio27?)

Here's James Wilson's take on what's special about each winning project.

... Read more

Virgin materials can come with major environmental impacts from mining, petroleum extraction, or irresponsible logging practices.

BuildingGreen-Approved Site Furnishings

All approved products contain some post-consumer recycled content, with several boasting 90%–100% overall recycled material. Wood products are responsibly sourced... Read more

Hi folks,

For those in the SD Leaders network, here's a reminder about the webinar this Friday at 2:00 eastern time. I hope you can join us!

For other Green Gurus, you're welcome to join in, get a preview of the report, and learn about what happened at the SDL Summit at Gulf State Park, in Alabama (fortunately, NOT near where the... Read more

Green gurus!

We're getting some interest from clients abroad on two specific materials which we don't have experience with here in the U.S.:

1) Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

and/or 

2) CarbonCure concrete

Anyone willing to share lessons learned on these material either here in the forum or offline? Or point me... Read more

Team,

https://www.buildingservicesengineersdeclare.com/

See link above, a group of UK building services (MEP) engineers (like us) signed on above, committed to do life cycle carbon (including embodied MEP) in their work.

Are we behind?  Should we match them?  leap frog ahead of them?

Best,

Luke Leung

In case you need a good inspirational cry today: https://youtu.be/tzL79SUBzgg

Really and truly, it's stuff like this that lets me know we're going to be okay.

Aley

Welcome to the quiz portion of Mind the Gaps: Making Existing Buildings More Airtight!

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


Identify key performance problems related to leaky building enclosures.

Examine the benefits of making existing buildings more airtight, such as... Read more

As part of my goal to increase staff education frequency, I'd like to introduce some training and certificate programs into the mix. I wonder what programs others have recommended to staff? Not just attending conferences (low accountability) or CEUs, but things like the Parsons Healthy Materials Certificate, or Phius/PHN passive house... Read more