ASHRAE 209 in all its glory has been uploaded. This will impact our architectural process, for better or worse, so we should embrace it and learn from it. The revised AIA Energy Modeling Design Guide (due out next year) has been timed to correspond roughly to 209 coming out and will include references to it. The first few energy modeling '... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Choosing Insulation: Health and Environmental Considerations – Unit 1.

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


1. Discuss how insulation works.
2. Summarize how insulation performance is measured and reported.
3. Recount the wide... Read more

The current Stantec/BuildingGreen featured topic is Resilient Design. Read on to learn the essentials, and then dive deep to earn CEUS.

Also see the Material Health featured topic, and also a survey of topics trending in Stantec’s regions.... Read more

I've been hearing a lot of talk about density becoming a thing of the past. Like with the danger of antimicrobials, it would be great to have some more in depth backup information on whether density is really a danger factor, or if other factors are more important, when we go into these conversations. Does anybody have any new or better... Read more

Commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings are the primary applications for large translucent wall and roof panels. Some products offer excellent energy performance while providing daylight into interior spaces.

BuildingGreen approved translucent panels

Due to concerns about BPA (bisphenol-A), BuildingGreen does... Read more

Hi Brilliant People: 

I'm hoping you can help me with a quick research question. A local colleague is trying to make the case to replace an existing old slate roof with slate vs. "slate look" asphalt shingles on a local public historic building. The bids are 6X higher for slate over the alternative 25-30 year solutions. They understand... Read more

Hello,

We are having a discussion / a bit of a debate in our office about the merits and sustainability of different roofing materials. Our current standard is to use a PVC membrane, which we all know is highly toxic. TPO is an obvious alternative that is less toxic, but it has some performance concerns and can often lead to leaking (not... Read more

I'm happy to announce the Call for Presenters for this year's Gulf Coast Green, taking place in Houston May 17th.  Our theme is Crossroads: Inclusive Exchange.  We are especially seeking presentations that focus on how design can engage the community and foster social bonds and social justice.  I’m sure many of you have work that is relevant,... Read more

Hi: I'm writing to share a unique opportunity to make a difference at SCALE as a Sustainability Manager at Amazon Global Services.

This comes from Lisa Matthiessen, FAIA, LEED Fellow who some of you may know. Lisa just joined Amazon's Worldwide Sustainability Team who is charged with making real their Net Zero for all operations by 2040... Read more

With the current push for improved window performance to meet energy codes and Passive House, room side low-e coatings can significantly improve window U-values. However, back in 2018 Payette did this excellent study that showed that while room side low-e coatings improved window U-value and increased the interior radiant temperature, the... Read more

Hello SCL, 

For those who missed our last call, I am posting the results from the 2023 Contractor's Commitment reporting cycle. Reporting at some of the higher tiers requires sharing case studies or information with SCL or the public. All the information that can be shared publicly (or that I received express permission to share) is now... Read more

BITuser Meeting:  5/23/18

Participants:  Shane, Andrea, Angela

Notes:

Southface to provide "style tiles" before 6/15 
Greg to send to Andrea, couple dozen images for Best Practice pages
Southface will send, in week to 10 days, "full content" for BP03 - Energy Audit 
(BP03 "full content" will address... Read more

BuildingGreen is considering hosting a reception and SDL Show & Tell at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2019. If you are planning to attend the conference, please email me directly. Your participation will influence our decision. The newly forming Small Firm SDL peer network (firm w/less than 50 employees) will have their inaugural... Read more

Hi all - has anyone worked on a project with thermal energy storage tank design in the scope?  I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for specialists or engineers who have experience.  Thanks!

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