Championing the
Changemakers

Hi, a local sustainability not for profit whose board I'm on is considering a vinyl siding collaboration with the Vinyl Sustainability Council, started in 2016 by the Vinyl Institute. There would be some funding to create a program to help recycle siding and a chance to win a full new vinyl cladding. I don't think we should collaborate with... Read more

Howdy all,

Following up on Emily's post (https://www.buildinggreen.com/forum/aia-2030-zero-tool-vs-cbecs-baseline) on AIA2030, the folks on the steering committee's monthly call thought it'd be a good idea to do a general call for feedback on reporting this year while the bangs and bruises are still fresh. The intent is to compile the... Read more

Hi- Happy Monday!  

Does anyone know if there is an open-source list of manufacturers that have take-back programs? Looking for a summary/spreadsheet with details (costs, qty, etc). I have a small list but I'm guessing there is already one out there...

Also, Doesn't stage D in LCA account for take-back programs? Could this be... Read more

Dear SDLers,

I wanted to share that Canadian Architectural Professionals declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency and Committed to Urgent and Sustained Action. The declaration was launched last Friday as part of a week of events surrounding the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. Like others around the world, the week of global... Read more

Is EV100 on your radars? We're reviewing our company leases and aleady have employee free access to EV charging at our office and jobsites by request (if technically feasible).

"With businesses owning over half of all new registered vehicles on the road, it is crucial that companies lead the shift to electric vehicles." Does your role in... Read more

Description: The places we live in can be enough to offer refuge to native plants and animals. We just have to be able to reintegrate the right native plant species, hosts to many declining insect and animal species, to an area once filled with them. This feature explores how we can build native gardens at various scales to protect and help... Read more

Hi everyone, 

Thank you so much to the SDL members who attended the Summer 2023 Summit! We had an amazing time with you there. A big thanks as well to the attendees who shared 5-minute presentations during the summit.

Below are some of the slides for the presentations. Please note that we have permission from all of these... Read more

I am wanting to take the pulse of this group on behalf of a manufacturer who has asked us a similar question.

The company in question makes wood products and has had FSC CoC for over a decade. Recently, they are encountering issues with sourcing FSC for about 50% of the wood species they offer. There just aren't FSC sources available.... Read more

HI All,

Really hoping to get some insight from all you wonderful people on how the Sustainability teams are set-up in your construction companies. As mentioned in my introduction post, I am the first ever Sustainability Engineer hired by my company.....until now all the work was handled by project teams. Which worked for them in the... Read more

Hello Sustainable Community Design Leaders,

The SDL Winter Summit (Jan 23-25, Tempe AZ) has a few spots still open, so we are excited to invite SCDL members to join! This is an opportunity to plug into the conversations happening in the Sustainable Design Leaders group, plus a possible chance to carve out some in-person SCDL time.

What a great first day!

Here are the slides from the show and tell presentations last night at SOM's office; everyone who presented with slides has given approval to share them.

Welcome to the quiz portion of The Building Envelope: Innovations in Planning, Materials and Budgets (recorded webcast)

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


1. Explain how to make the building envelope of a rehab super-insulated and resilient.
2. Recall innovative... 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?