In looking for ways to reduce jobsite waste and lower our carbon emissions, I'm working on a business plan for centralized procurement, in lieu of individual project purchasing their own tools, PPE, & consumables.  I'm curious as to how many other GC's on here use (or have used) a central purchasing process and if you have any pros/cons... Read more

Hi Sages,

As you may have seen in my message, the Peer Networks Member List is not very helpful to us (yet), because a person can only show up in one network. Many of us are also in SDL or other networks; there are many more of us than show up when you filter that list for "Sages."

Until we can get that fixed, we'll share the... Read more

The BuildingGreen/GreenStep exam prep materials are... Read more

Hi all,

Here's a good follow up to Maria's steel question on Monday.  We have a Midwest project that unfortunately (from a carbon perspective) is required to use a traditional, thick precast facade.  We’re working with the contractor and potential future (not yet bid out) fabricators to determine an appropriate % of pozzolanic material... Read more

CEUs are available for reading all the building-envelope product guides and primer. Click here to learn more and take the quiz.

Vapor retarders are meant to protect our building assemblies from getting wet, but they can also slow drying, contributing to mold and structural degradation.

BuildingGreen-Approved Vapor Retarders

Hey there hive mind,

I'm hoping y'all can help me as I coach one of my colleagues along his path to develop into whoever he's supposed to be when he grows up. He's interested in focusing on the analysis and innovation side of sustainability and I honestly don't know where to send him for networking with other like-minded people beyond my... Read more

There are a number of clear finish options available, from natural oils and low-toxicity products primarily used on residential woodwork through factory-applied finishes where specific aesthetics and/or added durability are required (such as those used on cabinetry or commercial architectural millwork). Many of these have very high VOC levels,... Read more

EDITED LINK

Hello, below is a link to our newly uploaded research report, Embodied Carbon in Commercial Furniture. This new research report introduces a case study and some new baselines for measuring the carbon footprint of commercial furniture, to add to a growing body of work on this topic among our peers:
Embodied Carbon in... Read more

Hi folks - update here for our FUN saturday night "show"!! What a great way to start the year and celebrate new beginnings!

The Lighter Side of Green will air THIS coming Sat night at 7pm with Anne Hicks Harney MC'ing - check out the link to see the roster of amazing talent and log on for great tunes, humor, camraderie and community! ... Read more

Is there a list of which number corresponds with each Best Practice? E.g. "03 Energy Audit & Planning."

World: There is no way we can shut down in order to lower emissions, slow climate change and protect the environment.

Mother Nature: Here's a virus. Practice.

Who is measuring the positive environmental impact our actions are having on the environment? 

For example, there have been reductions in air pollution. If the... Read more

Hello!

As perhaps one of the newest members, I wanted to take a moment to say hi.

I have recently joined Lois Vitt Sale at Wight & Company and look forward to engaging with the group.

Like many of you, my interests and work tend to span a wide range of topics – a necessity as we approach the complexity of today’s... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of The Building Envelope: Primers from Environmental Building News.

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


1. Explain how thermal mass helps maintain indoor thermal comfort in buildings.
2. Describe the differences between closed-cell and... Read more

Hi (again) all,

Jacobs is looking to hire specifically for sustainability needs! We have a current job posting for a Senior Sustainability Specialist now up, and anticipate a similar posting soon for a mid-level person as well. Location for these would be in the Mountain or Pacific time zones, remote work is fine; other future... Read more

Hello all,

Could any of you point me out to recent studies showing the health impacts of plastic piping vs. copper piping? 

We have a project where NIRON or Aquatherm are proposed as a VE item in lieu of copper.  I know there is some studies showing PEX and PVC piping health impacts, but I can't seem to find anything on these 2... Read more

Jill is a licensed architect with WELL and Living Future accreditation. Through her experience leading sustainable achievement and verification on projects in the workplace, K-12, civic, and retail/mixed use typologies, Jill brings her passion for sustainable materials across vetting categories, AEC disciplines, bid scenarios, and market... Read more

Greetings Gurus!

For those who missed it - last year we had a blast enjoying all of the brave souls who shared their awesome talents with us all - what could be better than to start the new year with friends and fun!?!

(See links below for last year's program)

If you are willing to perform again - that's great! (just cause... Read more