There has been a lot of discussion re antimicrobials in this group, so here is a pre-release of this month's article on the topic. It's not an extensive feature, but I hope you find it informative.

Brent

This summit was pre-approved for 3.5 AIA LUs and 3.5 GBCI CE hours.

Please complete the survey questions to confirm your attendance and receive your CEUs.

By providing your credential numbers in your profile, you will enable us to automatically report these CEUs to the organization. Please check your profile to be sure your... Read more

Greetings AEC Sustainability Leaders -

This is an update on where we stand with the BBB letter. In addition to posting this to the AEC SDL (Green Gurus) Forum, we are sending the same message to all current signatories by email to make sure everyone is notified. Apologies for putting two items in your inboxes!

First, please read... Read more

My colleague, Kira Gould, from the AIA National COTE communications committee, has a great question I am reposting here...

AIA National COTE: In the early 00s, COTE supported an initiative through which we created a Guide to the Green RFP and collected sample RFP language. That now dated guide is no longer findable in our resources and... Read more

Hello everyone,

Here's a reminder that our next monthly call will be taking place next Tuesday, October 8th at 2:00pm EST.

Please feel free to join us!

Join Zoom Meeting - I double-checked this link and it is correct!

https://zoom.us/j/248664490

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,248664490# US (San Jose)... Read more

Hey Team,

I'm in a Living Future session where a number of manufacturers are talking about the low uptake they're seeing in their take back programs. Contractor friends... What barriers (if any) are you running into in using take back programs? How might we as architects help increase utilization of these programs?

Aley

Hello Sustainability Leaders,

Our next First Friday Fika* is tomorrow -- Friday, September 1st at 11am ET (8am PT). We'll meet on Zoom for some lightly structured coffee-chat time. This includes both facilitated sharing and open conversation about the topics you're interested in at the moment. Any Peer Network member who wants to say hi... Read more

HI All,

I am curious if others are using THERM in-house for your envelope design?

We usually use our building envelope/curtain wall consultants (Boston - so mostly RWDI and Heintjes) but our teams are finding that they need the information faster than our consultants can provide, they are backlogged, or we have some curtain wall... Read more

Early laminate flooring had problems with premature surface wear, moisture damage, and hazardous formaldehyde emissions—and some products may still have these problems.

BuildingGreen-Approved Flooring

Laminate flooring products listed by BuildingGreen have high recycled content (greater than 70%) or FSC-certified content and:... Read more

Small Firm Sustainable Design Leaders –

I find it hard to believe calls for session proposals are already out for next year’s AIA Conference on Architecture.  I feel like I just got back!

At my firm, we try to have all principals and associates to submit a proposal each year.  I had a couple of take-aways from this year’s... Read more

Hi: SD Leaders.  It was so nice to see so many of you at Greenbuild in Chicago. By now I'm sure all have seen the announcement of the release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment Report vol 2. (https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/) It's well worth a deep read - so much important and extremely informative material. I want to draw your... Read more

All--

I haven't been part of this group in a while, but I'm excited to have rejoined recently. Some of you know that I joined HMC last year as Chief Impact Officer. I oversee design, sustainability, research, and communications for the firm, which has 300 people in 6 offices in California. We were founded in 1940 with a mission to serve... Read more

If your HVAC designers are addicted to the crack that is Trace 700, and knowing that Trane is giving up on that product in the coming year, what loads program are you weaning* them onto?

Asking for a friend:  Have any of you had success in using the Revit plug-in for loads?

*When told that they should use IESVE for loads, our HVAC... Read more

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

Presentations: 

Welcome to the quiz portion of Full-Blown Energy Modeling.

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


1. Explain the role of the energy modeler and how each energy model opens an informed discussion between the entire project team about the interactions between architectural and... Read more

Hey team,

I'll go look to see who's in the MEP group, but does anyone in this circle have a northern California design engineer for institutional work that they'd particularly recommend? A group of folks we're engaged with is apparently having difficulty identifying a California-based MEP that everyone universally likes for high-... Read more

Hi! Over the last 10 years, the firm where I work in Boston has predominately designed housing & senior living projects in the the Boston Metro region, with the occassional project in NH, CT, RI, and NY. We have built projects as far south at DC, but never designed anything to my knowledge in California in our 55 years of operation. A... Read more

Folks,

In case any of you enjoy the Phoenix weather, I wanted you to be sure to know that our company, Sundt, which is headquartered here is looking for a sustainability director to lead up our efforts. This comes after two years of work and hiring a consultant (Brightworks out of California) to help us prepare and take the next steps. I... Read more