Championing the
Changemakers

Hi everyone,

As part of our monthly SDLS call yesterday, we looked through the 2020 SD Leaders Winter Summit Report. To help paint an even fuller picture of what was covered at that summit, here are slides from many of the 5-minute presentations.

As a note: we have permission from these presenters to share their slides within the... Read more

Our firm held off from signing the AIA Materials Pledge because it was perceived as a feel-good commitment to promise to have good intentions, with no tracking.  I was pleased to learn yesterday that reporting for signatories of the AIA Materials Pledge would "open" today (July 18) and close August 31, and would include mandatory reporting on... Read more

Hi all!

I've heard several people talk about developing tools for assessing/codifying a client's values for a project as part of an integrated design process (ie. a set of questions, survey, etc.). Would anyone be willing to share?

(Z, are you listening? I specifically recall you mentioning a tool like this...)

Thanks!... Read more

Ventilation is essential for indoor air quality, but it can bring very hot or very cold outdoor air into conditioned space.

BuildingGreen-Approved ERVs

Heat-recovery ventilators (HRVs) and energy-recovery ventilators (ERVs) can save energy by capturing nearly all of the heat in the air being exchanged. BuildingGreen approves:... Read more

I'm working with the AIA Minneapolis chapter on guidance for small firms related to how and when to energy model. A lot of small firms would like to sign the AIA 2030 Commitment (we had 100 in a room in 2022 in a session led by Nadav and Gwen Fuertes). But we have learned that a) they don't have a good way to energy model small commercial to... Read more

This is deep nerdy stuff, so don't say you haven't been warned.  ASHRAE has opened the first public review to its net zero standard (228).  Here's the blurb:

Standard Method for Evaluating Zero Net Energy and Zero Net Carbon Building Performance ASHRAE Standard 228-202x sets requirements for evaluating whether a building or group of... Read more

Hello Sustainability Leaders!

It’s been almost a month since we met in NYC for our Regional Mini-Summit! I’m pretty sure time moves faster when the seasons are changing! I hope the fall is treating you all well.

We have completed our Post-Summit Report, and would like to share with you all. Click here to view the report.

... Read more

Hello SCL, 

I have a slightly different ask than my usual Contractor's Commitment announcements.

Our newest writer, Elizabeth Waters, and I are researching for a BG article about construction emissions and jobsite carbon for BuildingGreen.com

In particular, we are trying to research how much of a building’s lifetime carbon... Read more

Hello, All!  I'm hoping for your help to keep a green roof on a project of ours.  We have a large healthcare project in the Midwest that is coming in over budget.  To avoid losing our extensive green roof, I'm looking for alternate sources of funding - grants, private sources, etc.  Has anyone gone down this path before and have shareable... Read more

I have reached out to the AIA staff members that I work with on the Energy Leadership Group (AIA ELG) to see about getting into the cycle of updating these standard documents.  Another member of the ELG, architect Kjell Anderson of LMN in Seattle, is interested in working with us on this effort, as he has started including Standard 209 language... Read more

Hi all,

HOK has ~75 WELL APs whose credentials will expire in 6-12 months, so we're starting to look into a more robust CMP program.  Do you have great sources of health + wellbeing education, particularly WELL-specific CEUs, that you would recommend (emphasis on free or very low cost)?  We are currently using GBES, BuildingGreen, and... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

Here is the information for January's Peer Networks Webinar, The AEC Industry is in the Driver's Seat: Strategies to reduce waste & carbon emissions. We hope you will join us!

Register HERE

The AEC Industry is in the Driver's Seat: Strategies to reduce waste & carbon emissions
Thursday,... Read more

Hello Sustainable Construction Leaders,

Save the date! The network's next quarterly call is scheduled for 1pm ET (10am PT), Tuesday November 16th. Topic TBD. Steering Group member Emi LaFountain from Turner will be leading the conversation.

Keep an eye on this thread for more details and Zoom information.

Jen

I've been seeing Armstrong's DC flexzone ceiling system at Greenbuild for many years. I'm working on a net zero project with LED lights and solar panels. In theory, the transmission losses in going from DC power from panels to AC for the building to DC for the lights would be eliminated. But does anyone actually have experience using this... Read more

Hi Fellow Design Professionals: It would be great if you could participate in this important research on the status of professionals addressing extreme heat.

Thanks.

MAL

Planning for Extreme Heat Survey

Our research team from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University is studying how planning... Read more