Hi folks,

I hope you've seen the plug to sign onto the letter that's generated a flurry of messages on Green Gurus--I also emailed it out directly to everyone. We've got lots of architects on board, and a handful of engineers, but I think we just have one contractor so far (Thanks Theresa!)--it would be really awesome to have more.

Exterior paints, stains, and primers—particularly alkyds—can have very high volatile organic compound (VOC) levels and can contain numerous chemicals of concern.

BuildingGreen-Approved Coatings

BuildingGreen lists exterior coatings that meet the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) VOC requirements of 50 grams... Read more

As part of the Philadelphia AIA COTE, we have been proposing implementing sustainability in some fashion into the design awards with our chapter's design committee.  I know that many of you have been down this road before, and wanted to get your feedback at a high level about what your local COTE is doing.  Anyone who's interested, can you... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of What Makes a Product Green Today?

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


Welcome to the quiz portion of LEED 2009: The Missing Manual.

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


1. Stay abreast of changes to LEED NC-2009.
2. Understand the more ambiguous aspects of LEED NC-2009.
3. Explain key interpretations of LEED NC-2009.
4.... Read more

Hi all,

For your planning purposes for next year, here’s info on in-person events coming up in 2024:

As you may remember, our Summer 2024 SDL Summit will be July 15-17, 2024 at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island! Tickets will be $1800, which includes the cost of meals and lodging.

We are excited to announce we will also be... Read more

Hi everyone - we have a new higher ed client who is committed to sustainability but not very knowledgeable about current topics such as carbon (both embodied and operational) or the electrification of buildings.  I need to educate them and would like to start with some easily-digestible background reading.  But as we all know, we're a bit dorky... Read more

We've updated the Salesforce BIT Community domain from "https://southfacecommunities.force.com/BITBuilding/s/" to "https://www.bitbuilding.org/s/" and there are a few links on BITuser that point back to the community that need updating.

THIS WEBINAR PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Buildings aren’t garbage. But you wouldn’t know it by examining the way the AEC industry works. 

We typically design buildings for a single, limited purpose. We build them partly out of plastics that can’t be readily recycled. We choose diverse materials... Read more

I’m a volunteer member of the ASHRAE 209 ("Energy Simulation Aided Design for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings”) Committee.  Are you familiar with ASHRAE 209? It was first published in 2018, and it outlines a process for incorporating energy modeling into the design process. 

From the forward: 

 ASHRAE Standard 209... Read more

Does anyone have experience with Oknoplast PAVA windows that they would be willing to share?

Hi SDLers: See the great opportunity to weigh in on the 5th National Climate Assessment at a series of workshops in early 2022. 

Register here:

https://www.globalchange.gov/content/nca5-engagement-workshops?utm_sourc...

Hope all are staying well.

Mary Ann

Has anyone had experience working with Hyper Metro (http://hypermetro.co/)? If so, did you find this company to provide value especially in dense urban environments where on-site segregation poses challenges to manage multiple C&D material streams on site? Hyper Metro claims to be able to provide rebates and to pay us for our trash.

Greetings to all of the sustainability leaders in the Green Commons!

Note: This is a message about politics, which we generally try to avoid in our safe space--but in this case it’s directly tied to climate action so I feel good about sharing it. Feel free to let me know or check in with the BuildingGreen folks if you have concerns or... Read more

Anyone know of tools/methodologies for estimating embodied carbon and carbon sequestration potential of individual green infrastructure projects (e.g. bioswale along bikeway)? I've seen tools for the larger scale (e.g. land use change) as well as specific to trees (e.g. i-Tree), but these don't fully meet my needs.

Thanks!

For questions and/or to be added to the Summer Summit waiting list, please email Jerelyn Wilson directly.

2019 Summer SDL Summit
Islandwood, Bainbridge Island, WA
July 31st- August 2nd, 2019

Hi All, this is primarily directed at our Sustainable MEP folks, but please anyone with insight feel free to weigh in.

I am increasingly seeing designs and specifications asking for Passive House levels of airtightness as verified by blower door testing, but with traditional ventilation system designs. 

To me, Passive House US has... Read more