Championing the
Changemakers

Has anyone documented the Food Alternatives credit as part of WELL or as an innovation credit in LEED?

Hello Green Gurus,

I am starting some research on municipal incentives offered to developers seeking to achieve sustainability targets and am wondering what you may have come across in your work, including but not limited to achieving Passive House. In my limited research, here are few I have come across to get us started:

First, there was Energy Use reductions

Then there was embodied carbon

Soon it will be refrigerant use/leakage calculations

…and much more

As coordinators and leaders of project teams, what does this look like for the practicing architect and our collaborators?

I have no idea. BUT I’m guessing someone is... Read more

Pipe that delivers domestic water in North America is typically made from copper, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), all of which present environmental challenges. Bimodal polyethylene  (PE-RT) and polypropylene (PP) are potential alternatives with lower climate and health impacts.
... Read more

Hi everyone - in doing a carbon footprint for our firm, does anyone know if buildings that we design as Architects considered scope 3 emissions, or are they beyond the boundary of emissions? LMN's buildings, despite best efforts, are cumulatively multiple orders of magnitude above our scope 1 and 2 emissions. We have never included these... Read more

Has anyone used a commercial heat pump water heater for a large protect?  I have found a few manufacturers for this technology, but want to make sure this is a viable and cost approach to electrical eliminate gas on a path to all electric.

It’s hard to believe COP28 is upon us. Kicking off tomorrow (11.30) and concluding 12.12, it’s sure to be a full few weeks of sharing, live streams, and interesting takes.

We’ve been excited to see a few Peer Network members represented as attendees in Architecture 2030’s (in-person and virtual) delegation.

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has insight as to the "New Federal Building Performance Standards" that were announced in May of 2021 and then referenced again when E.O. 14057 came out. The memorandum for heads of agencies that was sent out with E.O. 14057 said that the CEQ would issue these standards, but I can't find a commitment to when... Read more

Hello SDLs!

Here is the 2018 SDL Summer Summit Report, ENJOY!

In a couple of weeks we will share this report with the broader Green Gurus group. 

We are also working on setting up a webinar to present the 2018 SDL Summer Summit Report and discuss the Summit!

All the best,

RoseAnn

Hi SAL friends,

As some of you have heard by now, we've decided to shut down this Peer Network.

After several years of trying, we have not managed to activate it as we had hoped. Given the urgency of the collective action we need to transform the building industry into a force for good in the world, we all need to focus our... Read more

Not a green design question but a green firm design question... Finalizing the renewal of our Just certification, we're taking a fresh look at all our benefits & policies. We have already reviewed industry-wide survey data (AIA and PSMJ) but are interested in how the firms we admire (i.e., *you*) are approaching benefits in the transformed... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of The PVC Debate: A Fresh Look.

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


1. Examine the actual cost-effectiveness of PVC in terms of quality.
2. Explain what makes PVC a health hazard.
3. Recognize market effects of PVC's durability and... Read more

The Getting to Zero Forum is happening next week in Minneapolis, Minnesota (my home state!). Anyone else from this group planning to attend in person? I'm especially curious as the Forum comes so quickly on the heals of the Living Future Conference.

As a proud Minnesotan, I have a hard time imagining how anyone could ignore an... Read more

Does anyone have an experience on recycling/reusing architectural glazing? We have a sizable glazing replacement project, and I am realizing how difficult it is to find a way to prevent the glazing from going into the landfill. So far, I have reached out to Terrazzo (aggregate) manufacturers, Glass Recycling Coalition, Architectural Glass... Read more