Championing the
Changemakers

Hi friends,

We recently tracked our water consumption on site during the structural demolition of some existing reinforced concrete buildings.  The new OSHA silica regulations required us to keep dust to virtually zero, so we had a bunch of mist cannons and water hoses pumping water around the clock.  We consumed ~855,000 gallons in a... Read more

The Water Sub-Group met today. This group is working on three items: 

1. Project Water Plan Template

2. Project Water Tracking Form Template

3. Research and Resources Document

The Meeting minutes are attached. The next meeting is 5/19/20 @ 2:30 PM CST, via webex and teleconference.  Please contact me if you would... Read more

Hi there, 

We know some of you have been vetting the Contractor's Commitment within your company and are eager to sign up. Good news--enrollment is now live on the website! Download the form by clicking 'Sign the Commitment' on the right sidebar and return it to me with your logo. Any bets on who will sign up first?

https://www.... Read more

Hi,

Has anyone used a sustainable product that complies with the EQc Low-Emitting Materials requirement that is a general construction adhesive similar to Liquid Nails? I've checked the Mindful Materials website and can't find anything. I found Red Devil General Prupose Construction Adhesive on UL Spot, but have never used it before. Any... Read more

Hello everyone,

Over the past couple of years the Climate Smart Wood Group has met monthly to discuss all things related to the use of timber in building design and construction.  From forestry practices, to supply chain and sourcing information, to design experiences and examples, the group has operated as an open forum for advancing... Read more

Love the profile of Anica as the "featured member" on AIA's website--congratulations, Anica!

It's great to see the "just do it" attitude to achieving the 2030 goals: "We do not rely on clients to tell us to design a high-performance building; we are going to do it anyway, it's our job."

Hi MEP Leaders,

Just a reminder that our monthly meeting is next Tuesday, May 9th, at 2:00pm ET. All SMEPL network members are invited to join!

You can view the agenda here, and the Zoom info is below.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83598691786?pwd=MjI2S01yZUJRSG4zcXRBNWtPbE5RZz09

Meeting ID: 835... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

We’re always trying to improve this online space, from adding an events calendar and 5-minute presentation recordings, to creating a filterable member directory. We have several other ideas in the works, and we’re looking for a group of Peer Network members to help us test them before they go live.

Requirements... Read more

Section 901.5.1.3 of the 2018 IgCC includes a requirement that "A critical review shall be performed by an external expert independent of those performing the LCA."  I'm curious as to what other's experiences are with having an external expert review an LCA - how does one find such an expert?  Do you have any favorites that you'd recommend? ... Read more

Hello all, I would like to share an upcoming Virtual and In-Person conference for NOMA (National Organziation of Minority Architects).  Non-members can register, but I encourage anyone to join the organization to support the organization's mission.

"NOMA’s mission, rooted in a rich legacy of activism, is to empower our local chapters and... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Whole-Building Life Cycle Analysis: Promises and Pitfalls.

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


1. Define whole-building life-cycle assessment.
2. Explain what whole-building life-cycle assessment can and can't do so you can work within... Read more

Hi all,

Our team has been working hard to wrap up this year's SCL Summit Report, and we're excited to announce that it is finally complete!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zcSPctZ1BiyPQomiw4wTQLajR816mm3KJV0BL5B14-0/edit?usp=sharing

In addition to the usual summary of key points from the summit, this report captures... Read more

BuildingGreen Approved, like its predecessor, GreenSpec, is an independent product evaluation service for BuildingGreen members. We offer an unbiased look at products: BuildingGreen does not accept any manufacturer fees for our evaluations. Here’s a quick tour of the platform and how to use it.

Hello Green Gurus!

The Climate Smart Wood Working Group would like to give a boost to this Ecotrust initiative to support the market proliferation of mass timber with science that attributes carbon impacts to wood building products. As many of you are aware, a couple years ago, the University of Washington partnered with Ecotrust to... Read more

Kristen Fritsch, in the thread about ipe wood, asked about resources comparing the carbon footprint of transporting building materials vs the transport mode.  There are people who spend their lives on this topic that I won't presume to speak for, but I'll share a few observations:

Even though freight transport is something like 7% of... Read more