GREEN BUILDING NEWS

The newest GSA crosswalk publication illustrates how the various green building rating systems align with federal (GSA) priorities. It also provides a quick comparison of the rating system provisions. ~Tina

Crosswalk of sustainable federal building requirements and certification standards

GSA SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES TOOL

The Green Building Certification Systems (GBCS) webpage provides context and information on a variety of certification systems. GBCS broaden the focus beyond products, materials, and ecolabels to consider a building as a whole. This crosswalk identifies specific credits/points within selected commercial green building certification systems and standards that federal agencies should focus on in order to meet the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (GP) and other sustainable federal building requirements.

New initiative launched to guide CO2 removal policies

THE VERGE

As major tech firms ramp up investments in carbon removal technologies, a new initiative backed by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures hopes to assist policymakers in establishing rigorous oversight mechanisms through a "bottom-up approach to standardization." The effort, known as the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative, aims to offer independent guidance and resources to ensure these technologies genuinely reduce carbon emissions and prevent greenwashing. Read more.

CODES and STANDARDS NEWS

The ICC Multi-hazard Resiliency Committee was created to address hazards for residential construction. The first hazard considered was high winds (see the ICC 600 standard). Now the committee has proposed a standard for wildfire hazards. ~Tina

ICC 605, Standard for Residential Construction in Regions with Wildfire Hazards

ICC

The International Code Council (ICC) has partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to create a new standard to address wildfire hazards, ICC 605. The core objective of ICC 605 is to provide prescriptive methodologies and design details for constructing and retrofitting buildings in wildfire-prone areas. The standard encompasses various construction types, including wood-framed, steel-framed, concrete, and masonry structures. It provides detailed guidelines for multiple building components, such as walls, roofs, foundations, windows, and doors, to ensure that these structures can withstand the conditions associated with wildfires. Learn more here.

One Click LCA, USGBC venture supports decarbonization

ONE CLICK LCA

One Click LCA and the US Green Building Council have announced a strategic partnership to offer discounted life-cycle assessment software and training to USGBC members. The collaboration aims to promote building and construction decarbonization, complementing LEED v5, which incentivizes whole building life-cycle assessments.



Berkeley’s natural gas tax is a warning to building owners nationwide

GREEN BUILDING LAW UPDATE

After being told by the courts that its attempts to prohibit the installation of natural gas piping within newly constructed buildings were constitutionally preempted by Federal law, the City of Berkeley is trying to ban natural gas by taxing it out of existence. Read more.

GREEN PRODUCT NEWS

The articles below showcase great examples of sustainable masonry construction - one a reuse of a historic masonry building and one new construction. ~Tina

Adaptive reuse transforms St. Louis warehouse

BUILDING DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION

St. Louis' massive Butler Brothers Building dates back to 1906 but sat unused for more than 20 years before the conversion completed a year ago that created nearly 400 apartments and a multifamily community. This article examines how the project team came together with an adaptive reuse approach to the former warehouse that embraces its history, including restoring the exterior brick to its original color and revitalizing the remaining terracotta cornices.

Remarkable design advantages of concrete block

ARCHITECT MAGAZINE

To understand the transformative power of concrete block, consider 2820 Polk Avenue in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood. There you’ll see the rising towers of Le Parc, a $13.6 million, 25,562-square-foot multifamily development that reinvents the art of the possible in masonry design. “We love that the building bones are also the outer skin. When the mason lays down the block, that block is the finishing material on both sides,” explains project architect Dominique Houriet in this interview. Fellow architect and project partner Christian Dimeling are developers, general contractors, and owners of the 32-unit in-fill development, projected for substantial completion this fall. Read more about the project here. 

EDUCATIONAL NEWS

TMS Annual Meeting – Register now!

THE MASONRY SOCIETY

Preparations are underway for an enjoyable and productive 2024 Annual Meeting held October 16-19 in Portland, Maine at the Regency Spa and Hotel. From business meetings to educational sessions to special events, it is an event not to be missed! For more information and to register, visit the Annual Meeting website.

ASTM 2026 Masonry Symposium: Advancing Masonry Technology and Tradecraft

ASTM INTERNATIONAL

The 2026 Masonry Symposium will be held June 2, 2026 in Dallas, TX. The objective is to gather and disseminate the latest information on all aspects of the innovations in masonry materials, design, specification, construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation. It will emphasize the application of ASTM standards to those areas, and their coordination with building codes, project specifications, and international standards. Submit an Abstract by 2/7/2025. Learn more.