Folks, would love to hear what software you're for in-house daylighting/energy performance modeling at the SD/DD level. My IT folks have been pushing us to try out Autodesk's Insight again after a not so impressive pilot we did a few years ago. Has it gotten better? Was it us? What programs do you feel good about? Which ones really make you mad... Read more

Hello SCL peeps, 

Thank you to all the people who filled out our 2021 event survey. Your feedback did help us narrow down the options, but it was still inconclusive about whether there’s enough interest in doing an SCL-only Summit. 

To stay on schedule with our planning (and to make sure the event will pencil out financially), we... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Materials Transparency & LEED.

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


1.  Describe the documentation needed for products to meet the Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: EPDs credit, Option 1 in the LEED v4 BD+C and ID+C rating systems.... Read more

Hi all - Reflecting on the COTE Top Ten Awards and Lloyd Alter's recent article  https://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/keep-aiacotes-its-time-scrap-aia-awards.html, I am curious how many local/state AIA awards programs have incorporated sustainability reporting metrics as a requirement for all awards submissions, not just for categories... Read more

Hello,

We are in the very early planning phase of a k-8 public school project to be designed and built in an economically challenged urban location with very limited site options. The project is not LEEDv4 registered yet.  We are at feasibility and costing the soil remediation, needless to say that we would really hope there would be... Read more

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Be aware of key dates in the history of the LEED rating system.

Have a clear understanding of the new impact areas present in the updated rating system.

Ascertain which types of new credits belong to which impact areas in the LEED v5 rating system.

Hello Sustainable Community Design Leaders,

The SDL Winter Summit (Jan 23-25, Tempe AZ) has a few spots still open, so we are excited to invite SCDL members to join! This is an opportunity to plug into the conversations happening in the Sustainable Design Leaders group, plus a possible chance to carve out some in-person SCDL time.

Has anyone submited this credit in lieu of demand response before?  I'm attempting on multiple projects but not sure what to expect review wise or how much confidence to have in the ability to get more than 1 point for trying.

https://www.usgbc.org/credits/gridoptimal-152-v4?return=/credits/New%20C...

We've gotten some requests recently, so it must be time to update our salary survey. For those didn't participate in the past, we last did one in 2015, and collected some really interesting data about compensation for SDLeaders.

Our first step in getting this started is to recruit a few volunteers who are interested enough in the data we... Read more

Hello Sustainable Community Design Leaders!

Let’s take a moment, introduce ourselves, and get to know each other and our work! Don’t forget to fill out your BG.com profile with your headshot and bio; this is how everyone across Green Gurus can see you in the Member Directory. 

I’ll kick us off! I'm RoseAnn, I also go by Rose, Peer... Read more

Dear All,

Greetings. On this Earth Day, I hope you're enjoying our planet's gifts and also giving your gift with reckless abandon.

As I take a short break to plan what I want to do next, this coming Friday, April 26, will be my last day at HKS. Maybe I will get a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tattoo like Paula. 

I... Read more

Katherine keeps BuildingGreen’s physical and digital spaces running smoothly. A graduate with honors from the University of Iowa, Katherine has a background in filmmaking and administration. She lives in southeastern Vermont with her partner and enjoys hiking, board games, writing, and cats.

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

Friends,

This is a personal note. My son was just diagnosed with Asthma. I’m started to wonder if it’s just coincidence that this corresponded with him starting kindergarten in a school where they clean with Chlorine bleach. I found substitutes for his small preschool and at home.  My understanding is that there’... Read more

Protection against corrosion is the primary function of steel coatings, which often contain corrosion inhibitors, volatile solvents, heavy metals, and other hazardous chemicals.

These coatings are specified when steel is used structurally, outdoors, or in high-use areas. In these situations, hazardous coatings are often applied off-site... Read more

I am looking for examples of adaptive reuse projects that have addressed current or future flooding by elevating floors from the existing condition.