Championing the
Changemakers

On Thursday, September 27 at 2PM Eastern Time you can join the first BuildingGreen Communities webinar where we will share key takeaways from the 11th annual Summer Sustainable Design Leaders Summit (@ the Garrison Institute in upstate New York). Our new webinar format using Zoom will allow for interactive questions and comments throughout. If... Read more

Hi Green Gurus,

A "fun" take-away from the sustainable MEP Leaders Summit (just ended today):

Inspired by Passive House, we are embarking on a campaign: "Low Load Buildings Are SEXY".

One idea we have is:  what if the AIA design awards set limits on metrics like heating loads to meet basic eligibility?

If you have... 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

The prepublication version of the AGC playbook is online now. I just stumbled on this this morning but thought it would be great to get eyes on this early and start a discussion here on any of the included guidance. Happy Reading, excited to follow the discussion!

AGC Playbook on Decarbonization and Carbon Reporting in the Construction... 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

We have a client who is asking us to design a roughly 10 ksf Wellness Center for PHIUS 2021 certification.  The program includes several high density assembly type spaces - roughly 300 person peak occupant load for the building.  The Criteria Calculator that the architect showed us puts the building peak cooling load at 4 BTUH/sf (3000 sf/ton... Read more

Preservative treatments extend the service life of wood, but many such treatments are highly toxic, especially to aquatic life.

BuildingGreen-Approved Preserved Wood

Products approved by BuildingGreen use chemicals (commonly borates) that are relatively low in toxicity and have low VOC emissions.

Health and Environmental... Read more

testing

Folks, it is with a heavy heart that I write this: Lance Hosey passed away unexpectedly on Friday. 

Many of you know him from the early days of the SDL group, or as an outsized presence at any of the many conferences where we overlap. He's been a list-maker, poll-taker and all around troublemaker in my life for over 20 years; I know I am... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Measuring Energy Use in Buildings: Do Our Metrics Really Add Up?.

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


1. Explain the differences between site energy, source energy, and energy cost.
2. Summarize three ways in which source energy can... Read more

Hive mind,

We recently learned that 3M has discontinued the production of their 3M Daylight Redirecting Film (https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/building-window-solutions-us/solutions/dayli...). This product was selected by an architecture client last year as the optimal daylight/glare control strategy for a school project, and we're assisting... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of Is Wood Construction Green? A Look at the Issues.

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


1.  Determine what distinguishes wood products sourced from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests, and why these products improve the environmental impact of... Read more

Hey team,

We're working with some institutions in the midwest that are trying to understand what kind of partnerships they could build with architectural salvage enterprises as they demolish many buildings to elevate land uses. I'm not overly familiar with the midwest market. Does anyone have any good circular economy / architectural... Read more

Hello everyone!

The Sustainable Design Leaders Summit will be kicking off with a Pre-Summit workshop in Seattle July 31st, 9am - 3pm. If you are interested in joining your peers for this workshop, please see the registration link below. Also, if you know someone in the Seattle area that would be good to have in the workshop and might be... Read more

Hello and Happy New Year!

I joined the SAL Peer Network a few months back and I’m really excited to be part of this group, although a bit delayed in my introduction. I’m an architect working as a consultant and managing the Sustainability Department at Entegrity (an energy and sustainability consulting firm) located in Arkansas. I’ve... Read more

Jerelyn Wilson’s work with BuildingGreen started in 1985 as an owner and member of the Board of Directors. Since then, her evolving roles have included HR Director, Outreach Director, and currently CEO. She is responsible for working with mid-sized to large architecture firms to implement sustainability education, as well as professional... Read more

Hi all,

We are looking for a great energy analyst with communication skills  to join NBBJ - if you know someone who fits the bill, send them my way! http://jobs.jobvite.com/nbbj/job/oTrk8fww

Margaret