I've been hearing recommendations for bipolar ionization, as a way to filter airborne virus particles in HVAC systems while avoiding the energy penalty of increased ventilation. However, I've also heard that ionizing equipment is dangerous because it produces ozone.

Does anyone have any insight into the effectiveness and/or cautions... Read more

A question for you, all input appreciated: What are some metrics and data points you all use to report out to your staff and leadership? I'm starting on higher-level analysis of our projects' performance by typology and through other lenses, and I wonder if you have found metrics or reporting points that are particularly impactful in your... Read more

Hi all,

All members of the WA Building Code Council received an email from Tim Attebery of the Washington State AGC and I'm trying to make sense of the role of the AGC and whether it is representing the consensus option of general contractors in Washington or not. The letter is very much against the energy code advancement, which... Read more

Hi, a local sustainability not for profit whose board I'm on is considering a vinyl siding collaboration with the Vinyl Sustainability Council, started in 2016 by the Vinyl Institute. There would be some funding to create a program to help recycle siding and a chance to win a full new vinyl cladding. I don't think we should collaborate with... Read more

Hi- Happy Monday!  

Does anyone know if there is an open-source list of manufacturers that have take-back programs? Looking for a summary/spreadsheet with details (costs, qty, etc). I have a small list but I'm guessing there is already one out there...

Also, Doesn't stage D in LCA account for take-back programs? Could this be... Read more

from the Tortured by Randomness Department:

Y'all ... I was recently reminded (by Bill Reed) about a lovely quote ... and I'm keen to use it in a talk upcoming ... 

Here it is:
Place is a doorway into caring. Love of place unleashes the personal and political will needed to make profound change. It can also unite people... Read more

Hi all,

We are taking a deep look at green accreditations within our firm. Gone are the days when we could say: "our staff is XX% LEED APs!" as a metric of firm progress. Here are a few questions we are asking ourselves, and I'm wondering how you approach this in your firms:

Hello SCL members,

We’re anticipating wanting a few more people to serve on the SCL steering committee and would like to open the process up for self-nominations. If you are interested, please email me directly (candace@buildinggreen.com) by Nov 5th.

The Steering Committee meets monthly and serves the important role of helping... Read more

I can see from the threads that there are at least a few Passive House advocates in this group - I'm wondering about the PHIUS training and certification. Can any who have done it offer an opinion? Is it valuable? Residentially focused? Would it apply to someone in a larger commercial practice? It's an investment of time and $, so I really want... Read more

Hello Green Gurus, here's a reminder that this webinar is happening one week from today!

Register here.

Planning for Resilience in a Climate-Changed World
Thursday, February 11th, 2021
3 - 4pm ET (12 - 1pm PT)

Description: The world is focused on Covid 19 right now, but the pandemic is just a dress rehearsal for... Read more

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

As the Communications Associate, Petra works closely with both the marketing and editorial teams at BuildingGreen. Whether it is creating posts on Instagram, analyzing metrics, editing feature articles or writing news briefs.

Petra has a background in journalism, digital marketing and social media. She has a BA in journalism and media... Read more

Hi folks,

The team at DPR Construction has kindly agreed to host a reception and evening of presentations during the AIA Conference in San Francisco. If you'll be in the area, come join us Wednesday, June 7 from 6:00–8:30 for networking and fast-paced sharing of ideas.

The plan is to have a networking reception from 6:00-7:00,... Read more

OSB subflooring typically contains formaldehyde, and wood may not be sustainably sourced.

BuildingGreen-Approved Subflooring

Products approved by BuildingGreen contain no added formaldehyde or are available with FSC-certified content.

Magnesium oxide panels, which are particularly insect and moisture resistant, are also... Read more

Hello, All!  I'm hoping for your help to keep a green roof on a project of ours.  We have a large healthcare project in the Midwest that is coming in over budget.  To avoid losing our extensive green roof, I'm looking for alternate sources of funding - grants, private sources, etc.  Has anyone gone down this path before and have shareable... Read more

Following the summer SDL summit - we formed a spinoff user group called "Carbon Sync" to discuss Life Cycle and Carbon Assessment tools like Tally and Athena.  We've had three successful calls with folks sharing a couple 5-minute presentations about various studies and explorations.  We have a mix of experience levels - but are collaborating... Read more