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

Has anyone found any options to recycle safety vests, or discovered an upcycling option for them?  We are about to replace all of our vests company-wide and will have thousands that we don't want in the waste stream and we don't want to be reused as safety vests.  Any thoughts or ideas would be great!

Thanks and I hope everyone is... Read more

Hi All,

Jacob Knowles from BR+A reached out with a request and I’m passing it on to you all.  Jacob’s contact info is at the bottom of this so you can respond to him directly or respond here and I’ll forward it on:

We are working on assembling examples of large wet lab buildings that employ strategies to greatly reduce fossil... Read more

They say that Louisianans are often late to the party but enjoy catching up.  The state, which had been stuck on ASHRAE 90.1-2007 (commercial) and IECC 2009 (residential) and has just adopted legislation jumping to IECC 2021 / IRC 2021, and commits to automatic upgrades with each 3-year code cycle.  This means we join CA, OR, WA, MA, and VT--... Read more

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!

Split systems are multi-component units that use an outdoor condenser along with separate indoor fan coils to move refrigerant—and provide heating and cooling—in buildings without the need for ducts.

BuildingGreen-Approved Systems

BuildingGreen approves mini-splits that are tested to AHRI standards and have minimum SEER and an... Read more

Hi folks,

No details have been sorted out yet, but I wanted everyone to have a heads-up that the SCL Steering Group is proposing that we graduate to a full, stand-alone SCL Summit in 2020. (Until now we’ve been squeezing our Summit into the day before Greenbuild, which is good in some ways, but problematic in others—and limits our time... Read more

If you work on projects in Massachusetts, you are probably working under the updated MA Stretch Energy Code. While this code is doing great things pushing for electrification and very efficient buildings, it can still be tricky to implement or adjust your processes to the calculations even for seasoned pros. AIA MA in conjunction with BE+ has... Read more

Hello Sustainable Community Design Leaders!

I have an exciting announcement today, fall Peer Network events are now open for registration! You can see all the event details and register here!

Based on feedback we received from past events and the most recent surveys, we decided against doing one long week of events for this fall... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of The Sound of Sustainability: Acoustics in High-Performance Design!

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


Describe how increased acoustic performance benefits indoor environmental quality (IEQ).

Recount the negative impacts of poor acoustic... Read more

With depth of thought and a broad view of the horizon, Candace Pearson can take a nuanced vision and sharpen it into focus, propelling the team around her forward. Operating in all three of BuildingGreen’s service offerings—publications, consulting, and peer networks—she finds pragmatic ways to fundamentally shift how we create our built... Read more

Does anyone up here do or have familiarity with anyone who regularly does NEPA EIS? If you need a definition for the acronym, please see here: https://www.epa.gov/nepa/national-environmental-policy-act-review-process#EIS. I've been asked if I know anything about it, to which the answer is no, but I'd like to get smarter about it and I'm hoping... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Cost-Effective Green Retrofits: Opportunities for Savings in Existing Buildings.

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


1. Define the term retrocommissioning and list at least three examples of how it might help commercial building owners.... Read more

Allen Mutapo

Hardware has to be durable and resist weathering to ensure that features such as doors function properly.

BuildingGreen-Approved Hardware

BuildingGreen approves hardware that uses post-consumer recycled metal content beyond what is standard in the industry. Products from manufacturers that have engaged in information transparency... Read more

This is a bit off the thread of sustainable design leadership, but how much design and/or leadership can you get done without an adequate amount of caffeination?

We are looking for recommendations and advice on improving the sustainability of our breakrooms, particularly on the subject of beverage (mostly coffee, but also a fair amount... Read more

Hello SCL,

Quick reminder to sign up for our SCL Summit in May! True to usual form, we ask what’s important to YOU before we finalize an agenda. In the next couple of weeks, we will be sending out a draft agenda and asking for your feedback. Sign up now so your voice will be heard. Initial ideas so far have included:

Congrats, Kjell, on your elevation into the AIA College of Fellows! Much deserved!

Welcome to the quiz portion of Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why!

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