Championing the
Changemakers

Sustainable Design Leaders in NYC

New York City has been discussing implementing PACE Financing for years but has not taken action. Over 48 municipalities in New York State have PACE financing for Commercial (including multi-family) properties, it's time NYC does as well. I recently learned from colleagues in the City that all of the... Read more

Our building scientist has been using Insight 360 to model daylight and document it for LEED certifications.  However, it appears that Autodesk is no longer fully supporting the tool and may eventually stop all together.  (we have not been able to run simulations for weeks due to a change to how "cloud credits" work on their end that they... Read more

Hi all,

I see that this was a hot topic for the Winter Retreat this past year, but I am wondering how your firms manage standard materials across your practice. two aspects - standard specification items, and also designer choice materials. 

1. Do you have a spec baseline with high performance materials that you start with for all... Read more

I am looking for examples of adaptive reuse projects that have addressed current or future flooding by elevating floors from the existing condition.

Lisa Richmond

Show & Tell Break-out Session: Post Occupancy Evaluations and Occupant Behavior

Presentations: 

High-performance buildings integrate site-responsive orientation, climate-responsive form, hefty R-values, efficient mechanical systems, healthy... Read more

I'm wondering if people are seeing any increase in WELL or Fitwel certification interest? Or any other 3rd party systems aimed at health and wellness? WELL seems like a higher bar and now WELL v2 offers more flexibility. Is interest and adoption of 3rd party health and wellness certs growing? 

Hi folks,

Here's the next Peer Networks private webinar. As usual, it will be recorded and shared in the network if you can't make it in person:

Thursday, July 18, 2pm EDT (11am PDT)

The Center for Active Design (CfAD), operator of the Fitwel Certification System, recently launched Fitwel v2.1, which advances a vision where... Read more

Discarded tires are an environmental disaster, and finding a beneficial use for them is a high priority.

BuildingGreen does not approve any flooring product that is made with tire-derived rubber, though some products may be appropriate for exterior use.

Just highlighting a tool from Circular Ecology (the group that brings you the Inventory of Carbon and Energy data) for measuring Scope 1 and 2

https://circularecology.com/organisational-carbon-footprint-tool.html

Hi,

Are any of you attending this conference? Michelle and I are doing this low-carbon concrete/EC policy work and can't attend this conference on short notice - but if YOU are attending - we might ask a couple of small favors (collecting specific info from trade show etc)

AND/OR: if any of you have attended in the past - was it... Read more

Hi all,

For your planning purposes for next year, here’s info on an in-person event coming up in 2024:

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting an all-peer-networks workshop for SMEPL, SDL, and SCL members at Miller Hull’s office in Seattle on July 15, 2024. We’re still working out the details, but given the recent... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of The Problem with Net-Zero Buildings (and the Case for Net-Zero Neighborhoods).

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


1. Describe several unintended consequences of focusing on net-zero-energy buildings.
2. List at least three advantages... Read more

Lake|Flato is growing our design performance team!  If you know any great applicants for our new design technologist position, please send them our way:

Design Technologist in San Antonio.pdf (lakeflato.com)

Hello Sustainable Advising Leaders,

Here are the notes from the last Zoom call. We had a great turnout! Looking ahead, now that things are rolling along we’d like to get into the rhythm of a regularly scheduled monthly call. Since Tuesdays seem to work well for most people, I am proposing the 4th Tuesday of the month from 3-4pm ET. That... Read more