Hi All- I will be starting bi-weekly mtg for the PFAS working group to align on our goals as consicous firms and finalize our message aka 'letter to manufacturers' for reducing PFAS in building materials. Please email me (pgupta-garg@wrnsstudio.com) to let me know if you are interested in being a part of the group. First mtg will be next week... Read more

I read a very misleading article on the AIA's website today regarding antimicrobials and the benefit of microbicidals in paint. It was written by a manufacturer, not a healthcare professional, and was not obviously labeled as sponsored content on the website. (I received the link in an email, which did label it as such).

https://www.aia.... Read more

Team,

You probably know on July 9th, WHO issued a document and agreed aerosol route of COVID-19 transmission is possible, but fell short of saying we need to make provisions in our buildings for it per the "Do no harm" principle.  Mary Ann Lazarus, Pauline Souza, Kay Sargent, Joyce Lee, and I (SDL members from architecture and... Read more

I'm putting together information on natural gas bans (or put another way, all electric buildings) for an advocacy effort and looking for some experts. Anyone have thoughts on banning natural gas and other fossil fuels on residential projects? Specifically what are the considerations/challenges/opportunities at each scale (single family, low... Read more

Charlotte has been the lead customer service representative at BuildingGreen for 25 years. 

Having been involved in the nuts and bolts of customer service and accounting throughout various phases of the company’s development, Charlotte’s historical knowledge is immensely helpful to BuildingGreen’s staff and customers. Customers know her... Read more

Greetings to the Green Commons!

Those of you who attended Greenbuild may remember that during one of the keynotes, Ali Zaidi - White House National Climate Advisor, announced that the White House was developing a definition for "Zero Emissions Buildings" (here’s a [LINK] to a related Washington Post article). The draft language for the... Read more

Hello,

I will be in NYC for Regenerative Metropolis event at the end of Climate Week NYC. Is anyone else going to Climate Week? Did any events seem particularly worth attending? I've not been before but the only thing I've signed up to is the Nature-Inspired Solutions for a Sustainable Future on Wednesday night at COOKFOX.

We're expanding the capacity of our team, with two positions, a general project sustainability specialist as well as a more targeted position focused on the healthcare sector.

Healthcare Sustainability Specialist

Sustainability Specialist

In both cases, we're looking for smart, experienced people who understand the power... Read more

I have a request from an Architecture firm to do a Fitwel Core and Shell certification.  I don't do that type of thing - anybody out there interested in this type of work?

Respond here or just email at me annehicksharney@gmail.com.

CALL for applications: national COTE Leadership Group

We need you! Or the dedicated, enegetic people you know ... 

Please consider encouraging applications (or applying yourself) for the the COTE Leadership Group. 

We have 2 1-year slots this year ... plus 3 3-year slots ... and we are looking for a diverse slate (diversity... Read more

At the request of the SCL group, here's the SCL Salary Survey! 

There is a link at the end of the SurveyMonkey Survey to a Google form where you will be able to register that you completed the survey—that way we’ll know who participated without having any identifying info in the actual survey. Results will be shared with those who... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Can We Replace Foam Insulation?

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


1. List four ways in which foam is environmentally problematic and provide four examples of foam replacements.
2. Discuss the industry's relationship with foam... Read more

Practitioners interested in reducing the embodied carbon of buildings are likely now used to considering the impact of different materials, like mass timber or low-carbon concrete. Low-carbon construction, however, may be less familiar. 

Contractors are just... Read more

Hi folks,

I hope you're all doing well, despite the heat (thermal, political, social...ugh!).

We've had low turnout on the SAL monthly calls lately; it seems that these aren't a high priority for many of you. That's not necessarily a problem, if you're finding value in being in the network for other reasons, that's fine.

We... Read more

This are opportunities for us to get involved as design and construction allies with the new administration and the US Department of Energy on more efficient building.

The first link below is for low-carbon projects that will provide the case studies and solutions that the industry can follow.  The second is identifying barriers and... Read more

I was recently asked about potentially specifying concrete with wood nanoparticles and concrete with biochar as a way to further lower the embodied carbon and to increase concrete strength.  These approaches are something I know nothing about, and wondering if anyone in this group has any experience and/or observations that might be relevant to... Read more