Product Guide
Metal roofs can also provide high solar reflectance, minimizing a building’s contribution to the urban heat island effect.
BuildingGreen-approved
Materials and finishes recognized by Energy Star maintain solar reflectance levels after three years of use of 50% for low-slope and 15% for steep-slope. Some unpainted metals and many... Read more
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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
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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
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Hi folks! Our AIA Seattle Committee on the Environment is hosting a series of decarbonization talks that might be of interest to this group. The next one is coming up next Thursday with the University of Washington.
Details and free registration here: https://aiaseattle.org/event/cote-university-of-washingtons-pathway-to-d...
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Hello all,
We are having a mini office debate on fiberglass vs aluminum windows for use in schools (k-12) in Massachusetts. In the past we have always used aluminum windows on our schools, for durability. However, their performance is not as great as other products that are up and coming on the market. There is some hesitation to switch... Read more
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The Center for the Built Environment (CBE) at the University of California, Berkeley is conducting a survey to understand current practices and outlooks among design practitioners: architects, engineers, energy modelers, and related professionals. Our goal with this work is to improve climate change adaptation guidelines that support building... Read more
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Hello Gurus,
I’m writing to share with you an effort a small group of lighting designers from the Boston area started which is now rolling into a large scale effort. We’ve put together a Lighting Advocacy Letter to accelerate the sustainability of lighting products. Inspired by the AIA Materials Pledge, the letter is intended to... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Better Window Decisions: Mastering the Performance and Cost Options.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the energy metrics that inform how windows affect energy loads
2. Describe ways to avoid air leakage and condensation... Read more
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Hey Everyone!
We are delighted to share a major milestone in our commitment to sustainable design. After two+ years of intensive research, refining, and internal application, NBBJ is thrilled to announce the external launch of ZeroGuide, an innovative tool for early-phase carbon estimation, now available to the entire AEC community!... Read more
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Hi all,
The Healthy Building Network, now Habitable, was kind enough to develop printable versions of their Informed Product Guidance for us. I think these are a really great resource for design teams looking to select better product options. While the web version is great, we are using the printable version to hang select sheets around... Read more
Basic page
Is your team working on a LEED v4 or WELL project?
Finding products for these projects is daunting, and even when you find products you believe will meet the requirements, you have to know exactly... Read more
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Hi. Happy Monday! Will BG create the BIT-user intro video found on the landing page? Do we partner on it, or should Southface plan to provide it? Thanks.
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If you have been wondering about the Contractor Commitment, we have an update for you!
Several weeks ago, the subgroup leaders and the Steering Committee members gathered to agree on a basic structure for the Commitment. The idea was to align the basic expectations around issues like how many tiers there would be, what would be disclosed... Read more
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Posting for Kira Gould:
Since his death on August 27, 2021, Lance Hosey has been missed by our community. We miss his voice and his vision -- as well as his collegiality and humor. Now, Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation announced the Lance Hosey Scholarship Fund to Make Things Better. We are pleased... Read more
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Has anyone done a LEED Homes and a NGBS certification and have insight into the differences, challenges, etc between the two?