Spotlight Report
Remember 2013? LEED version 4 had just been released to the public. Hardly anyone was using it, though—not only because they didn’t have to, but also because there just wasn’t a pathway to achieve many of the new credits in the rating systems. Especially the product-related credits in the Materials & Resources category, along with the Low-... Read more
Product Guide
Exterior doors often have poor insulation and seals that allow air through.
BuildingGreen-Approved Exterior Doors
BuildingGreen has different criteria for commercial and residential exterior doors.
Commercial swing (hinged) doors must be NFRC-rated, certified, and labeled for U-factor. They have a maximum air leakage of 0.... Read more
Forum topic
Happy Friday, SDL!
We're running a Tally WBLCA for an environmental education center, which has a very small floor area but a fairly robust concrete/steel structure. Still, I was surprised to find an intensity of over 1,000 kgCO2/m2 for the building.
This is way higher than the general benchmarks I've found in the CLF's database,... Read more
Quiz
This summit was pre-approved for 10 AIA HSW LUs and 10 GBCI CE hours.
Please complete the survey question 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 first check your profile to be sure your... Read more
Forum topic
This month on our Sustainable MEP Leaders call we were asked what resources would be suggested for advancing integrative design.
Two books immediately came to mind for me:
How Building Learn, by Stewart Brand
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Buildings_Learn
It was many years ago but reading Stewart Brand’s How... Read more
Forum topic
Hi folks,
We often hear from you with a suggestion of someone who would be great for the network, and a question about how to refer them. We've now made that easy, with three steps laid out in an Outreach Toolkit that's posted in the left margin of the Member Directory.
So, if you're thinking of someone to invite or come across... Read more
Forum topic
Does adding solar panels reduce a building's EUI?
Existing operational use of a building is 80 kBtu/sf/year. When we add solar, it will change the source of energy but does not change the usage.
My understanding is that the EUI does not change, but it would be good to hear from others.
It's energy consumption at the point... Read more
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Southface will need a procedure for adding and assigning SMEs to the BITuser site. Normally you could just create the user in BITuser and assign the role right there, but we have the added complication of Salesforce SSO, which means the sequence will have a few extra steps.
Here's the basic outline:
Create an account for the SME on... Read moreForum topic
This is specifically to Chris but also to anybody who is interested in the topic - which Chris raised on our SAL call today, regarding how to influence change:
From this article, which i thought was good but had a great paragraph pulled below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/business/Steve-Mollenkopf-Qualcomm-corner-office.html... Read more
Forum topic
Hi All - as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) becomes increasingly prevalent, I'm trying to learn more about what types of requests for ESG-related information folks are actually receiving and what types of trainings on ESG would be most helpful. Drilling down a bit, I'm curious as to how ESG data points are moving down the supply... Read more
Forum topic
In our quest to create a low carbon future the lectrification/Decarbonization working group is planning spend the next 10 months creating tools to advocate for electrification:
How to create a grid that works for our electric future. How to electrify buildings, both existing and new. How to advocate for policies and legislation that... Read moreQuiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Design Strategies for Occupant Engagement—and Why They Boost Performance.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Explain how research in the social sciences and neurology links occupant engagement strategies with specific sustainability... Read more
Forum topic
Hi all!
A couple years ago now there was an incredible thread here about circadian lighting design and WELL. There was a lot of dipping toes in the water with intent to gather lessons learned and report back.
What have been the high points and low points of circadian lighting design so far? What seems cost-effective and worth... Read more
Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars
Successfully managing the LEED documentation process requires specific knowledge, tools, and skills that are not covered in the LEED Reference Manual. This CEU course is based on the LEED Project Management course that GreenStep developed and teaches through UC–Berkeley Extension. It is designed for professionals who are somewhat familiar... Read more