News Brief
Carol Venolia, Publisher/Editor
If “progressive construction” can be defined as pushing the tools and techniques of conventional builders in the direction of less environmental destruction, then Building With Nature’s material goes beyond progressive, into the forefront of visionary thinking about construction. This bimonthly newsletter, now... Read moreProduct Review
The company's promotional material is the epitome of environmentally friendly packaging—like a Ben & Jerry's annual report. The article reprints sent were even bound in a jacket made from corrugated cardboard. So we were quite intrigued by the product. Syndecrete™ is a lightweight, pre-cast,... Read more
Explainer
Feature
Ozone depletion and global warming are two of our most serious environmental problems—and foam insulation materials containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute significantly to both of these problems. The environmentally concerned builder or designer should make it a highest priority to avoid them. Even many of the non-CFC alternatives... Read more
Feature
Susan Maxman is the first AIA president to make sustainable design a priority.
Q.Where would you say architects as a group stand on environmental issues?
A.Architects tend to be reactive rather than proactive. It is important that we take the lead on these environmental issues. The architecture schools in particular tend to be conservative. They just aren’t... Read more
News Brief
The American Institute of Architects convention in Boston this past June was the setting for a changing of the guard in the American architectural establishment. The Institute’s first woman president took the reins, the Committee on the Environment became its largest and fastest growing committee, and the first installments of the Environmental... Read more
Feature
Carefully stake the building site and driveway, remove trees that are within the excavation area or too close, then erect a fence to keep heavy equipment off fragile soils and away from nearby trees.
Protecting trees and the local ecosystem when building on previously unbuilt land is a vitally important—yet often overlooked—part of environmentally responsible construction. Healthy trees and shrubs can reduce a home’s environmental impact and directly benefit homeowners in a number of ways:
•Enhancing comfort by shielding the house... Read more
Op-Ed
Introducing the first issue of our newsletter.
Buildings have a tremendous impact on the environment. In North America, buildings and the building industry account for about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, 35-40% of ozone depletion, 20-30% of municipal solid waste, vast quantities of natural resource consumption, and dramatic loss of open space each... Read more
Forum topic
Plans are coming together for this Summit! Here's what we know (at least tentatively) so far:
Location:
Chicago, SmithGroup office
Timing:
July 9-10, 2019
1:00 p.m. start time on 9th, 3:00 p.m. end on 10th
Working sessions during day and evening of 9th Get together in evening for dinner and show+tell... Read moreForum topic
Hello SCL,
We are getting back to our usual schedule of a pre-Greenbuild SCL Summit. We will be opening registration and announcing topics shortly. In the meantime, please pencil us into your calendar.
Date: September 25, 2023
Location: ZGF Architecture 600 14th St NW #800, Washington, DC 20005
Time: Soft start at... Read more
Quiz
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
Forum topic
Anyone has experience with WELL pilot for restaurant? I have new client, restaurateur who's running farm to table concept restaurants in DC, VA, MD area, looking to fit out one of our core & shell.. Also, any other recognized programs or certifications specific to restaurants, I would appreciate any information and resources. Their spaces... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of An Advocate’s Guide to Resilience Regulations!
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Explain how U.S. municipalities are using codes to improve the resilience of the built environment in the face of worsening climate change.
2. Delineate five... Read more
Forum topic
Hello Green Gurus,
Here is the information for this month's Peer Networks Webinar, Jobsite Sustainability Tracking Tools. We hope you will join us!
Register HERE.
Jobsite Sustainability Tracking Tools
Tuesday, May 18th, 2021
2pm - 3pm ET (11am - 12pm PT)
Description
‘You can’t improve what you don’... Read more
Forum topic
Hi everyone! The CLF Boston | NE Hub and BSA are holding an embodied carbon summit and we'd LOVE to see people from this group there.
The first version of this summit was held in 2019, and since then we've made huge strides. Through our advocacy work, state and city regulations are addressing embodied carbon in procurement and materials... Read more
Forum topic
Hi Green Gurus!
Reaching out on behalf of the SDL "Expanding material re-use and including more people in the process" action group from the summer summit. (official name TBD - aka inclusive & circular economy, sustainable materials management, zero waste, deconstruction & reuse, etc.). In a nutshell ...unpacking where building... Read more
Forum topic
Hi All,
I try to respect this forum and limit sharing events to the ones that are extra exciting and this is one of them. Coming up on May 20th 4-6pm, Built Environment Plus (formerly USGBC MA) is launching our Building Tech Forum v2.0 Series. Here's the link to register: https://builtenvironmentplus.org/building-tech-forum-2020/
... Read more

