Hi Everyone!

Here is your friendly reminder for the last call to submit your Salary Survey! Here is a PDF to collect your thoughts first if that is helpful.

*This survey will be closed end of day Friday Feb. 15th.*

Important Note: There is a link to a Google Form at the end of the survey to let us know you have completed... Read more

Friends,

This is a personal note. My son was just diagnosed with Asthma. I’m started to wonder if it’s just coincidence that this corresponded with him starting kindergarten in a school where they clean with Chlorine bleach. I found substitutes for his small preschool and at home.  My understanding is that there’... Read more

Are you ready to share the story about your best projects?

AIA COTE Top Ten Awards is a great way to get recognition for your best work and the call for submissions for the 2024 cycle is now open!

The awards cycle has shifted, and the deadline for the 2024 awards is October 26.

So NOW is the time to pull together... Read more

Hi All,

If you have 5 minutes, we would appreciate your input in the Google Spreadsheet (linked below).  If you only have 1 minute, feel free to reply to this forum post and list your the typical equipment vendors you spec on projects.  :)

We're asking each of you to enter your "Top 3" specified vendors for each of the products... Read more

Folks, would love to hear what software you're for in-house daylighting/energy performance modeling at the SD/DD level. My IT folks have been pushing us to try out Autodesk's Insight again after a not so impressive pilot we did a few years ago. Has it gotten better? Was it us? What programs do you feel good about? Which ones really make you mad... Read more

Sorry this is last minute but it just came to my mind to share this as I am looking forward to this roundtable which is happenging Wed, July27th from 12-1pm EST. 

The Built Environment Plus Women in Green Roundtable is hosting some amazing women in the industry who are working on DEI issues for a panel discussion.  The conversation... Read more

We think fresh water supplies are endless, but this idealistic vision is clouded by the smoke of countless forest fires in the U.S. West and elsewhere. Instead of endless bounty, climate change is bringing us catastrophic droughts and flooding that now dominate the headlines and threaten entire regions.

This report covers innovative... Read more

Hi all,

Due to the eclipse, Nadav and I will be out on our usual call day, April 9th, and we anticipate others may as well. We will be moving the call to Tuesday April 16th at the usual time (2-3pm ET). For this meeting, we'll be holding a whiteboard session about MEP2040, the development of plans to achieve it, and tactics to getting... Read more

All,

Our firm has been struggling to find carbon reduction strategies for concrete that move us beyond a fly ash only approach. Frankly, the knowledge just isn't there internally or with our consultants. We've known that there are a few folks out there that have a deep bag of tricks, but we haven't had the chance to work with them... Read more

Electrochromic glazing holds the promise of less glare and better energy efficiency with fewer moving parts. The reality is much more complicated and includes information you won’t... Read more

Our firm is looking into our hiring process with JEDI objectives and looking for examples that have been successful. Just like any other firms, we utilize career fair opportunities from local Universities, we have scholarship & endowment programs for several institutions, which became a major pipeline. We are working on evaluating all... Read more

Sustainable Design Leaders in NYC

New York City has been discussing implementing PACE Financing for years but has not taken action. Over 48 municipalities in New York State have PACE financing for Commercial (including multi-family) properties, it's time NYC does as well. I recently learned from colleagues in the City that all of the... Read more

Hi All,

I wanted to pass on a few cool things we have going on at Built Environment Plus (formerly USGBC MA)  I really am conscious of not spamming you often and reserve posts for some of our most exciting happenings.

August 5, Building Tech Forum/MaterialsCAN: Getting to Zero with Embodied Carbon. Featuring 13 5-minute... Read more

Show & Tell Break-out Session: Post Occupancy Evaluations and Occupant Behavior

Presentations: 

Would anyone have an example LEED Homes v4 specification they would be willing to share?  We are working on our first LEED Homes project, a midrise low income housing development here in Houston.  We have a LEED Homes provider, but she will not provide the specifications, which seem to be quite different in requirements and submittals from our... Read more

Hello SDL Peers,

We are currently in the process of expanding our firmwide carbon reporting (and goal setting). I am looking to see if anyone has some "best practices" or examples of their own firm's journey to carbon neutrality. Any info or tips are welcome!

Thx, JP

This just in from Liz York at CDC: There's a webinar on Friday 11/2 at 3-4 ET on Building Design and Pandemics. For those who signed the petition to WHO urging action on aerosol emissions and have been following the ups and downs of those advisories, this is an especially welcome chance to hear from experts and ask questions. 

Centers... Read more

I am looking for examples of adaptive reuse projects that have addressed current or future flooding by elevating floors from the existing condition.