A site license allows your entire organization to access and share the report, and to keep a copy in your library. The site license does not allow multiple users to earn CEUs. If multiple individuals in your organization would like to earn CEUs from this report, please ... Read more

Hello Everyone,

We wanted to share the highlights and take-aways from the large firm Sustainable Design Leaders (SDL) 2020 Winter Summit at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, AL. Additionally, this was the first year we had a pre-summit workshop for the winter summit. Our amazing workshop facilitator, Julie Huffaker from Deeper Funner Change... Read more

Hi folks,

Has your firm:

- hired a consultant to conduct firmwide bias training?

- revamped its hiring process using an antiracist lens?

- developed coaching circles / reading groups around racism/anti-racism? 

- instituted new support structures for staff development around inclusivity?

- some other... Read more

Colleagues,

As we all know, ventilation rates must be kept the same between the LEED Baseline and proposed energy models. However, we're aware of projects that have been able to claim energy savings associated to reducing ventilation using systems like Aircuity. 

Have any of you successfully claimed credit for reduced airflow due... Read more

I'm sure many of you remember when Greenbuild 2020 was scheduled for the week of the presidential election and if was shifted back one day. 

If anyone has small kids and have gone to book your Greenbuild 2022 travel, you've potentially noticed (as I have) that I'll have to travel on 10/31 and will miss all Halloween activities with my... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Can Concrete Save Us? Locking Up Carbon in Building Materials

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


1. Explain current strategies of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).
2. Detail how concrete offers another possible pathway to... Read more

Good morning SALs! Nicole's survey on restrooms inspired me to post a survey of my own.

I’ve been trying to stay useful lately. I've been posting new writing on the industry, much of it complimentary, over on Roberts’ Green Letter. (Yesterday I posted the mission statement, explained via brand-new-puppy pics.)

I have a 1-minute... Read more

THIS WEBINAR REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Wondering how LEED v5 development is progressing? Here’s your chance to find out from two of the folks who’ve been closest to the process. Join us for this 45-minute event on July 26 at 11:30 Eastern (8:30 Pacific) .

LEEDuser hosted... Read more

Hi All, 

As I mentioned at the summit, I'd like to start a discussion thread on knowledge management, company Intranets, and limiting Information overload as it pertains to sustainability. Those who are interested can share thoughts and experiences via this thread and maybe we'll set up an occasional phone call.  

Here are the... Read more

Hi All,

I introduced BE+ CONNECTS at the Greenbuild Show & Tell and I wanted to follow-up. For those who weren't there, we've tried to create a solution to people asking, “I want to build Net Zero and I don’t know who to call….”

Check out 5 Thinks to know about BE+ CONNECTS here: https://mailchi.mp/builtenvironmentplus/... Read more

As we begin to look into Scope 3 emissions reduction strategies, it's important to understand ways to reduce tranportation emissions to project sites. Is anyone aware of best practices or programs for contractor carpooling to jobsites? I know many of my colleagues travel to work together in one vehicle because of parking limitations, however,... Read more

Hey everyone,

This is a quick note to say I am retiring at the end of this month and will be taking a hiatus from the SDL group. I will no longer be practicing architecture, but I will remain active in efforts to preserve the wonders of this world for future generations.   

To all my SDL sisters and brothers (I don't always sound... Read more

All--

A few months ago, I sent around a note about an article I was writing about the state of post-occupancy studies. It finally came out, in the latest issue of Metropolis. Great quotes and work from Payette, EDR, KieranTimberlake, HKS, and others. Thanks to all for helping with this.

I don't believe it's available online yet,... Read more

With the current push for improved window performance to meet energy codes and Passive House, room side low-e coatings can significantly improve window U-values. However, back in 2018 Payette did this excellent study that showed that while room side low-e coatings improved window U-value and increased the interior radiant temperature, the... Read more

Our Green Team is holding a Biophilic Design workshop on Earth Day with our own staff for biophilic interventions within our office space. We are referencing the Biophilic Design Guidebook from LBC but it will be a shorter time frame, about 1.5 hours total. Last summer we introduced biophilia to the office through the exercise where each person... Read more

Curious if folks know of any resources on hempcrete, specific to durability.  We have a one-story carbon-neutral operational energy project where the design team and client have bought into the aesthetics and carbon-sequestering potential of hempcrete, and amazingly it is looking to be no more expensive than a more typical concrete wall... Read more

For those of you working in jurisdictions with both prescriptive and performance-based commercial energy code pathways, roughly what percentage of your projects are using the performance pathway? How do your project teams decide which pathway to follow?

In Minnesota we are seeing very few projects pursuing the performance pathway,... Read more