Championing the
Changemakers

Colleagues,

As we all know, ventilation rates must be kept the same between the LEED Baseline and proposed energy models. However, we're aware of projects that have been able to claim energy savings associated to reducing ventilation using systems like Aircuity. 

Have any of you successfully claimed credit for reduced airflow due... Read more

I'm curious if anyone can share their strategy on indoor air quality for the return to office. Is this something that is prioritized at your firm from a wellbeing standpoint and with the current health crisis at hand? Lendlease is looking into options to safeguard our employees/occupants as we move back into the workplace and I'm researching... Read more

Wellness is key to sustainable design. As more and more clients understand the value of healthy built environments, designers need to understand the various wellness rating systems available, and which would meet the project's goals and needs.

WELL and Fitwel have emerged as the two leading wellness rating systems,... Read more

Curious on stories when IAQ testing for LEED or WELL didn't come back with "all clear, everything's good" results we all hope for. 

I have a project right now where we are tracking down suspicious sources and look forward to telling the full story when it's done being written. 

Thought maybe this would be a good safe space to talk... Read more

All--

A few months ago, I sent around a note about an article I was writing about the state of post-occupancy studies. It finally came out, in the latest issue of Metropolis. Great quotes and work from Payette, EDR, KieranTimberlake, HKS, and others. Thanks to all for helping with this.

I don't believe it's available online yet,... Read more

OSB subflooring typically contains formaldehyde, and wood may not be sustainably sourced.

BuildingGreen-Approved Subflooring

Products approved by BuildingGreen contain no added formaldehyde or are available with FSC-certified content.

Magnesium oxide panels, which are particularly insect and moisture resistant, are also... Read more

(posting here for Kira)

Sustainable Design Leaders:

Is your firm using the AIA COTE Top Ten Toolkit in some fashion? COTE would like to hear from you, especially if you are willing to share your story. 

Specifically, we'd like to share best practices and lessons about how it is working (with certain types of projects, at... 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

SCL group,

I have aquaintances at a new startup called Dumptd that is launching a platform to make it easier to order waste solutions online while providing tracking and reporting options. They are looking for beta test projects. If you are interested, contact Clayton (below).

Thanks,

Scott

Dumptd is an early stage... Read more

Posting for Kira Gould: 

Since his death on August 27, 2021, Lance Hosey has been missed by our community. We miss his voice and his vision -- as well as his collegiality and humor. Now, Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation announced the Lance Hosey Scholarship Fund to Make Things Better. We are pleased... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of A Guide to Selecting Sustainable Textiles.

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:


test

For those of you working in jurisdictions with both prescriptive and performance-based commercial energy code pathways, roughly what percentage of your projects are using the performance pathway? How do your project teams decide which pathway to follow?

In Minnesota we are seeing very few projects pursuing the performance pathway,... Read more

Hello All! 

We are using TallyCat to extract quantities from our REVIT Model, and bring them over to EC3 to get a model GWP (focusing on material categories required to evaluate ILFI Zero Carbon certification).  There are a number of questions that are popping up!!

I am sure there are others trying the same thing, yes... maybe?! ... Read more

Hello all,

My name is Stephen Messinger.  Thanks for including me in the group.  I am excited to get involved.  Glad to see some familiar and amazing names on this list.  

A little about me: I am born and raised in Massachusetts.  I live in Jamaica Plain (Boston) with my wife Lauren and two amazing daughters (Penelope, 4.... Read more