I read a very misleading article on the AIA's website today regarding antimicrobials and the benefit of microbicidals in paint. It was written by a manufacturer, not a healthcare professional, and was not obviously labeled as sponsored content on the website. (I received the link in an email, which did label it as such).

https://www.aia.... Read more

Greetings to the Green Commons!

Those of you who attended Greenbuild may remember that during one of the keynotes, Ali Zaidi - White House National Climate Advisor, announced that the White House was developing a definition for "Zero Emissions Buildings" (here’s a [LINK] to a related Washington Post article). The draft language for the... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Choosing Windows: Looking Through the Options.

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


1. Choose a frame material based on its structural characteristics, thermal insulation, durability, maintenance requirements, cost, and effects on the... Read more

Hi All- I will be starting bi-weekly mtg for the PFAS working group to align on our goals as consicous firms and finalize our message aka 'letter to manufacturers' for reducing PFAS in building materials. Please email me (pgupta-garg@wrnsstudio.com) to let me know if you are interested in being a part of the group. First mtg will be next week... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis!

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


Recognize product-related programs for LEED v4 BD+C, LEED v4.1 BD+C, WELL v1, and WELL v2 that contribute to the sustainability of projects and the health and... Read more

I'm pleased to announce that the AIA Board of Directors has unanimously adopted the A&D Materials Pledge as the AIA Materials Pledge!!!!! The support of so many of you was a key factor in making it so easy for the AIA Board to adopt The Pledge. The Materials Pledge now has 90 signatory firms, including many of yours. Thank you all.  Now,... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

Happy 2023! Our First Friday Fika* is today - Friday, January 6th at 11am ET (8am PT), we'll meet on Zoom for some lightly structured coffee-chat time. This includes both facilitated sharing and open conversation about the topics you're interested in at the moment. Any Peer Network member who wants to say hi and chat... Read more

We're expanding the capacity of our team, with two positions, a general project sustainability specialist as well as a more targeted position focused on the healthcare sector.

Healthcare Sustainability Specialist

Sustainability Specialist

In both cases, we're looking for smart, experienced people who understand the power... Read more

We're looking to add a green wall to our existing offices in NYC. Can anyone please share any good product/vendor recommendations?

We were hoping to use Naava walls, but they seem to have retracted into Europe, as far as I can tell.

Has anyone here had success in comparing life cycle impacts for different window system options? We have been trying to compare different options but have only been able to source one expired EPD for an actual window (frame + glazing). Is the typical approach to separately compare glass and framing options? Are we missing something or is there... Read more

Untreated rainwater leaving a developed site is effectively a chemical spill, laden with pollutants that include oil, sediment, heavy metals, nitrogen, and phosphorous. The heat carried by stormwater is also harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms.

BuildingGreen-Approved Systems

We approve systems that:

Our guys have started talking about how the built enviroment can address infection transmission in public spaces - places like lobbies and waiting rooms, particularly in applications where people queue - theaters, airport gates, amusment parks, etc.  In the specific case of Covid-19, we know the microbe can be transmitted three ways:  fomite (... Read more

Hi All,

As you know from the SCL Summit last year, I have been organizing a task group to create a draft of our SCL Contractor Commitment. We have come up with a short Tiered commitment draft as well as some best practices and challenges that led us to the commitment. I encourage everyone to take a look at the draft and please send any... Read more

Apologies if some of you are seeing this for the second time - on behalf of Frances Yang, Mike Gryniuk and the Carbon Leadership Forum, consider signing on in support of the SE 2050 Challenge for structural engineers. (Yes, there is an option to sign on as a non-structural engineer, in support of the program.)

http://... Read more

Hi SD Leaders, my firm wants to make a case for conducting LCAs on all major projects. I'm curious what your experience is - how long does it take to conduct an LCA (for the analyst's effort and other project team members who attend meetings about the LCA and use its results), and the type of LCA software you're using. 

I feel sure you'... Read more

MSA has issued a safety advisory because they have received field reports that their green colored MSA V-Gard Protective Caps are cracking. Please share this with your safety staff if they do not already know. Let's keep everyone safe!