Championing the
Changemakers

Congrats, Kjell, on your elevation into the AIA College of Fellows! Much deserved!

We've put together an infographic that offers a brief rundown of a bunch of programs and tools that help firms promote equity. The idea for this came out of the SDL Winter Summit, so thanks to those who were there and pushed us to create this resource!

https://www.buildinggreen.com/infographic/equity

Who all is implement 360-degree reviews as part of their employee review process?  Lake|Flato is thinking of implementing this and would like to talk to a few other firms who have experience they would be willing to share.  Please contact me if you'd be up for a short email discussion or phone call to discuss.  hholdridge@lakeflato.com

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Hi all,

We have been noodling on how to preference socially just building products and are feeling a little overwhelmed by the number of questions that we would need to ask our suppliers. Essentially we find ourselves wishing that there was a fair trade label for building products very similar to the one for global agriculture. Or, maybe... Read more

I'm looking into using solar shingles as a roofing option for a historic building renovation. Has anyone used them before and have any recommendations? I understand they won't be as efficient as traditional panels, but I'd like to figure out if it would be a worthwhile compromise to discuss with the historic commission, if necessary. Thanks... 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

We are coordinating an effort to produce a "Building Reuse Practice Guide for Climate Action" for the AIA.  This is intended as a resource for architects working on major renovations and adaptive reuse, with a focus on reducing energy use, lower embodied carbon, electrification, and adapting to a changing climate. We are looking for around 5... Read more

The site license permits the purchaser to share the PDF Guide file within their company/organization and post it on their intranet. Site licenses do not include the CEU quiz.​ If multiple individuals in your organization would like to access the CEU accredited quiz, please purchase individual copies.

The sheer number of... Read more

Hi folks,

We had a fun impromptu conversation on our call last week. We got most involved in the challenge of getting developers interested in taking advantage of IRA Tax Credits. That can be quite a challenge given their business model.

We also heard about emerging data on tradeoffs between embodied and operating carbon, and how... Read more

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that the first-ever Sages monthly call is happening tomorrow, February 13th, at 12pm ET! We'll be introducing ourselves to each other and discussing our visions for the network. 

Here is the agenda for the meeting, and below is the Zoom info: 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/... Read more

Hi all! During our Contractor’s Commitment call last week Amanda made a great point about sharing of waste data to gain some realistic, current metrics. Just like I assume many of you, we have both seen a decline in successful diversion these last few years and our companies’ overall percentages have taken a hit. In an effort to gain a full... Read more

Good morning all,

I'm new to the forum and I am really happy to be here. For the last year or so, I have been working to advance high performance design at Flad, grappling with so many of the issues discussed in this forum. Especially in the context of recent times, it feels really wonderful to join a group of people dedicated to helping... Read more

Products recommended by BuildingGreen avoid potentially hazardous additives and binders and have high recycled content or offer superior energy performance.

Recommended cellulose insulations are derived from agricultural waste, offer superior moisture or air leakage performance, or impart lower indoor air quality concerns than other... Read more

At the summit we discussed sharing which consultants our firms have used for anti-bias training and EDI education. My office will participate in the upcoming AIA Seattle pilot Intercultural Leadership Program, but that only includes two of our firm leaders. If anyone can refer a consultant in the Seattle region for all-office trainings, I'd... Read more