All,

I recently met Sahil Tadwalkar who is a Stanford MS Candidate in Civil Engineering. He and his group are interviewing design and construction industry professionals to understand issues and challenges around specifying and using low carbon solutions on projects. Interesting stuff! I encourage you to contribute by setting up an... Read more

I'm working on convincing my firm to hire a director of sustainability. I'm gaining some traction with the discussion thanks to the fantastic feedback and input from the summer summit "Role of the Sustainable Design Leader" breakout session. Thanks everyone! Does anyone have job descriptions for sustainable design leaders that they'd be willing... Read more

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 everyone! 

A small subgroup SCL members have been working on writing a response the presentation Wes Sullens gave us at the Summit this past winter. It's been a long process but the letter and all it's reccomendations are drafted and ready to present. The group felt it prudent to post the response here first for a short public... Read more

We are in the process of working with our ops people to figure out billability targets for my team. Something that may be useful is the firm survey that BG conducts before each retreat (See attached image). These are great, but it varies depending on which firms attend the retreat. Its also hard to tell (in some cases) which green dot is... Read more

Team,

https://www.buildingservicesengineersdeclare.com/

See link above, a group of UK building services (MEP) engineers (like us) signed on above, committed to do life cycle carbon (including embodied MEP) in their work.

Are we behind?  Should we match them?  leap frog ahead of them?

Best,

Luke Leung

Hi all,

The USGBC Pacific Region is launching a new award this year that recognizes projects that have aspires to promote health of occupants and surrounding communities.  In true USGBC style, this award has not been properly publicized, so they are still looking for submissions.  I believe the deadline will be extended to June 7.  I... Read more

Has anyone completed an LCA for an engineering structures lab, particularly one that has a strong wall and strong floor? 

Hi, all. We missed you at the standing check in today. We have a couple of questions for the BG team:

1. What is the timing criteria you need for Best Practice content? We need to back into a deadline on submissions and believe your critical path timing will help define ours.

2. Can you elaborate on what LEED User/BG content may... Read more

The Sustainable MEP Leaders peer network brings together the most committed sustainability directors from leading MEP design firms throughout the U.S. and Canada. We invite you to apply for membership.

We look for the... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of 20 Ways to Advance Sustainability in the Next Four Years!

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


Identify the challenges to green building during a time of environmental urgency and political unrest, and find opportunity in these challenges.

... Read more

Team,

Many of you saw this from BlackRock.

https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter

SOM, starting with London office, is drafting a letter to our MEP consultants, demanding and holding them accountable for climate change as a preference on consultants selection.

Best,
LL 

SDLers – For one of our projects we are working with local tribes to procure timber. We would also like to get FSC certification, but haven’t found significant overlap between these two criteria in the Pacific Northwest. There appear to be two certification entities in our area: Northwest Natural Resource Group and Trout Mountain Forestry.  I’m... Read more

Some of you are aware of my ongoing saga of off-site renewable energy and a LEED certification we are pursuing. The short version is that there is a new-construction corporate headquarters office building (Building #2 on the attached graphic). This building is pursuing LEED certification. 

The company also just installed a 1 MW... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of An Advocate’s Guide to Resilience Regulations!

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


1. Explain how U.S. municipalities are using codes to improve the resilience of the built environment in the face of worsening climate change.

2. Delineate five... Read more