Dear SDL'ers

After many months of soul searching about my role as a sustainability leader and how to have the most positive environmental impact, I have decided to take a leave from practice to pursue further studies this September. I will be undertaking a two year Master’s degree at the Institute for Resources, Environment and... Read more

Hi Small Firm Sustainable Design Leaders!

Our call today at 1pm Eastern will focus on the ways in which your firm is impacted differently than larger firms on the variety of topics and issues that are reflected in the 2020 SD Leaders Winter Summit REPORT. Take a look at this report and especially at slides 14-33. Bring your observations... Read more

Pat U. Mellona

Wanted to let everyone know that Nadav and I are very excited about gathering in Las Vegas for our very first Summit of the Small Firm SDL peer network! We'll meet Wednesday afternoon, June 5, for a 4-hour concentrated session from 1:30-5:30 in Room N205. Here's the agenda. A group of us will be meeting on Tuesday to refine the content and flow... Read more

We have all these resources out here in the ether but it’s so hard to pull them into one spot! I was asked, last minute to join a client call today to help convince both the client (affordable housing developer) and the mechanical engineers to "stick with" a commitment to 100% electric design that was publicly stated when the competition was... Read more

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

Hello - I wanted to see if others have been having any of the same Windows security issues with a host of public software (Radiance, Window, DAYSIM, Open Studio) that we regularly use for performance analysis.

My IT team has let me know that they see serious security conflicts with THERM, as well as lot of the LBNL software (Radiance,... Read more

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has insight as to the "New Federal Building Performance Standards" that were announced in May of 2021 and then referenced again when E.O. 14057 came out. The memorandum for heads of agencies that was sent out with E.O. 14057 said that the CEQ would issue these standards, but I can't find a commitment to when... Read more

A couple Minnesota cities are considering adding electrification to their sustainable building policy (required for new construction receiving City financial assistance). Concerned that the market isn't ready for a full-on mandate, they are considering a more moderate approach of requiring developers/design teams to conduct an electrification... 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

Hello all, 

Wondering if anyone has experience with lead limits in electrical cable and wiring? 

LEED for Healthcare allows a limit of 300 ppm of lead in electrical wire and cabling - my search for compliant products has been all dead ends. (MRc PBT Source Reduction - lead, cadmium, and copper)

Acceptable regulations for... Read more

Hi all,

We are looking to study Passive House on a couple small multifamily projects. Our understanding is that WUFI Passive only integrates with SketchUp at this time. Our BIM manager has been trying to find an example of a firm that works in Revit and uses WUFI Passive, to point him in the right direction on workflow. I offered to ask... Read more

If you are interested in sharing this Guide within your organization and adding a copy to your library, please purchase the site-license guide.

The world’s most powerful customers are looking to rein in the excesses of their suppliers. Climate change is the likely catalyst for a recent uptick in calls for corporate transparency... Read more

Resilience Resource Database

The Defining and Measuring Resilient Outcomes Working Group has been developing a Resilience Resource Database as a repository for resources related to the topic of resilience in our built environment. 

This database and map are endeavoring to show resources for resilient design across the country to... Read more

Under a high carbon scenario, most of North America will be 2 degrees C hotter by 2050. Meantime, we're designing buildings that will still be around in 2050, to codes that don't yet factor in chronic risks associated with climate change. I want to explain these risks to my colleagues; I'm hoping some of our green gurus can help answer the... Read more

Hello all, 

Any Fitwel experts out there? I have a 30,000 sf boutique hotel + spa client who would like to certify under the Fitwel rating system but Fitwel folks are telling me that no scorecard is currently available to hotel clients (can't use mulit-tenant or resi, that a hotel scorecard is under development). Has anyone used Fitwel... Read more

Hi All,

My team member is leaving Webcor, and unfortunately that means we have to fill her big shoes with someone new! I thought I'd reachout here and see if you know anyone of high caliber looking for a Sustainability Manager position? Someone with LEED PM experience preferred, and a bit more technical background with MEP/ZNE ideally... Read more

Greenbuild bound colleagues-

I unfortunately cannot join for the summit Tuesday but should be flying in early enough to potentially join the group for dinner. Are there any plans brewing that I might join?!

Let me know? Thanks.

Katie Rothenberg

Vice President, Sustainability & Innovatio 

HITT Contracting... Read more