Hello all,

This month's SCDL call was full of great discussion! We decided this month that we are feeling good about where we are for the Task Force Agreement on defining social sustainabiltiy in our work. The aim is to work with this agreement for a while and see if it holds up as a process framework. There was also interest to invite... Read more

Ground- and water-source heat pumps move refrigerant or water through the ground or a body of water for use as a heat source (for indoor heating) or heat sink (for indoor cooling).

BuildingGreen-Approved Heat Pumps

BuildingGreen approves:

hi all! I'm almost at the finish line with this year's 2030 reporting...whew. I'm running into an issue that I wanted to throw out to this group, regarding the zero tool and national average baselines. Hoping some of y'all who manage your firm's 2030 data, or are just more familiar with CBECS and related data, have some insight / experience to... Read more

Here's the Core Purpose for this group that came out of the Inaugural Summit.

We're off and running!

Hi there SD Leaders,

We're running an LCA on one of our projects that's about to start construction that has had serious embodied carbon goals and I got a result that really surprised me. I haven't been able to find any obvious/glaring issues with the work, but these results are strange enough that I'm not feeling confident. I'm hoping... Read more

On a large sports project, we worked with the structural engineer to spec low carbon / high SCM concrete mixes. Much of the floor area will be sealed and polished concrete, and a concrete sub is pushing back on the SCMs saying they should not be above 20% (with a preference for 0%) for the polish to finish properly, per the manufacturer. Anyone... Read more

Hi everyone, on our SDL Regional Leaders call today we touched on how different offices are engaging with the Youth Climate Strike on Sept 20, and I offered to share a few resources that we've developed:  

1) Here is our public-facing official statement/endorsement: https://www.vmdo.com/architecture-blog/vmdo-youth-climate-strike/?fbclid... Read more

Hi all,

Just a reminder that the last day to RSVP for the Living Future 2023 Peer Networks Meetup is tomrorow, April 26th! There are still some spaces left, with 34 people currently signed up. Please RSVP here if you'll be attending.

When: Wednesday May 3, 2023, 7:30-9pm ET

Where: SmithGroup, 1700 New York Avenue, NW, Suite... Read more

Dear Colleagues:

If you are short on time, here is the executive summary:

Time to make healthy trouble and sign a petition today to the WHO to urge them to recommend the implementation of best practice healthy air guidelines in light of the recent studies showing a direct link between the spread of COVID-19 through aerosol... Read more

As part of the Philadelphia AIA COTE, we have been proposing implementing sustainability in some fashion into the design awards with our chapter's design committee.  I know that many of you have been down this road before, and wanted to get your feedback at a high level about what your local COTE is doing.  Anyone who's interested, can you... Read more

Are there any metrics for % increase for building PH vs conventional?  These questions are always really hard- especially when there are none to compare to in area.

I'm sure most (if not everyone) is aware that LEEDv5 is under public review until May 20, 2024. I know I need to make time to flip through it, review, and comment, but I'm having a heckuva time protecting the time in my calendar to do that. Anyone interested in joining me for a 60 - 90 minute meeting to do this together as an accountability... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

Here is the information for your October Peer Networks Webinar, Advocating for Electrification. We hope you will join us!

Register HERE.

Advocating for Electrification
October 26th, 2020
1pm - 2pm ET (10am - 11am PT)

Description
Hear from leaders in the AEC and policy community on... Read more

Hey all - sorry I won't be able to join our call today. I had a client request an emergency meeting today (boo) because corporate mandated that they eliminate fossil fuel use from all their buildings (yay!) by 2025 and they've got a project underway that needs to pivot quickly. 

Had I been able to join, I wanted to share this in case... Read more