Championing the
Changemakers

Hi All,

Has anyone dug into ASHRAE 2016 as part of the new v4.1 requirements or as codes start to adopt it? I recently presented on this and thought I should check my math to make sure I'm understanding and communicating this correctly.

My understanding is that there is a new reference baseline, that is essentially the ASHRAE 2004... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

Here is the information for August's Peer Networks Webinar, Using a Circular Economy as a Framework for Zero Waste, Zero Energy + Zero Carbon. We hope you will join us!

Register HERE.

Using a Circular Economy as a Framework for Zero Waste, Zero Energy + Zero Carbon
Monday, August 23rd, 2021
... Read more

Hi SDLers! I hope early fall is finding you well.

There is a current opportunity to make a difference in the campaign to reduce use of toxic flame retardants.

Arlene Blum and the Green Science Policy Institute, whom many of you know, are currently organizing a campaign of support for the CA State Fire Marshal's proposal to allow... Read more

I hope this post finds you all well. Some news to share.  I have recently made a decision to leave Thornton Tomasetti with an eye toward finding another opportunity to use my 30+ years of green building experience, education, and advocacy to have an even larger impact on climate change. I am going to move slowly to ensure my next chapter is the... Read more

Carpet cushion may emit VOCs or contain halogenated flame retardants that can slough off in dust.

BuildingGreen-Approved Carpet Cushions

BuildingGreen approves carpet backing made from natural materials as well as synthetic commercial products that meet the Carpet and Rug  Institute’s Green Label standards.

... Read more

Has anyone found any options to recycle safety vests, or discovered an upcycling option for them?  We are about to replace all of our vests company-wide and will have thousands that we don't want in the waste stream and we don't want to be reused as safety vests.  Any thoughts or ideas would be great!

Thanks and I hope everyone is... Read more

Dear SLD-ers,

We have a project team considering the use of copper cladding for a high profile project in Vancouver. The preference is to use pure copper that is pre-patinated and does not have additional coatings.

We are attending a CEU from the Copper Development Association to understand options and environmental impact, but we... Read more

Hello Gurus,

I have a client (bldg owner) who has asked me to recommend a list of firms who have the internalized resilient design in their practice.

They are *not* asking for resiliency consultants right now, but for firms that they might hire for "regular" capital projects, but since resiliency is high on their priorities, they... Read more

They say that Louisianans are often late to the party but enjoy catching up.  The state, which had been stuck on ASHRAE 90.1-2007 (commercial) and IECC 2009 (residential) and has just adopted legislation jumping to IECC 2021 / IRC 2021, and commits to automatic upgrades with each 3-year code cycle.  This means we join CA, OR, WA, MA, and VT--... Read more

Hi folks,

I know the last thing we all need is another assignment, but I took a look at this survey and it really should be pretty quick. And we've been talking a lot about how we can be better advocates for the things we care about...maybe this is a chance to do that? 

From an email request: 

I am writing on behalf of an... Read more

Sharing the below message from Mike McMeekin, who some of you know, regarding his current initiative, the Engineering Change Lab USA Climate Change Noble Purpose Statement. (Also, here is a Link to today's LinkedIn Updates on this topic.)

Greetings, I am re-sending my email from last week primarily as a reminder regarding the sign-up... Read more

This just in from Berkeley Earth. The definitive report on 2023 global temperatures. Lots of incredible graphs to peruse but the news is pretty incredible. Actual temperatures far surpassed predictions. "At the start of 2023, we foresaw only a 14% chance that 2023 would become a record warm year, and only a ~1% chance that 2023 would reach 1.5... Read more

Welcome to the quiz portion of LEED v4 Tips from Early Adopters: Earn High Ratings Without Added Costs.

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


1. Explain how the Integrative Process credit rewards good design but is tricky for taxpayer-funded projects.
2. Describe how... Read more

Hi folks,

Any of you who have completed WBLCA for projects - we are working on a new initiative with the City of Cambridge (building on our prior work NZ Climate Action Plan) but this time focused exclusively on embodied carbon.

We have not yet begun the work - but they have an opportunity to make a move on this on Tuesday and... Read more