​​​​​​​​​​Sustainable Buildings​​

This video is the first module in the Sustainable Buildings educational video series. We hope this video gives you the inspiration to start your sustainable building journey and establishes a commitment to building healthier and more sustainable projects.

In this module, we will begin by discussing not only the importance but also the urgency for green buildings in the United States, followed by the associated benefits of investing in green building technologies.

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The Green Building Rating module explores existing frameworks and tools that can be used to assess a building's environmental impact and subsequent sustainability.

Through a more integrated design approach, achieving full integration of building systems is more likely and this will reduce the environmental impacts of buildings.  In this video, we will explore the definition of integrated design and provide some tools and advice on implementation.​

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Energy efficiency plays a crucial role in reducing the impact of buildings on climate change, as it directly addresses the demand for energy and mitigates the reliance on fossil fuels.  This module discusses a wide range of strategies, technologies, and practices aimed at reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving overall performance. 

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​In this video, you will learn about the importance of considering impacts across the full life cycle of materials used in building projects and ways you can reduce those impacts. Decisions made early in the building design and construction process permanently affect the overall environmental impact of a building, so reviewing your material choices as early as possible in the process is crucial!

​This video presents an introduction to Indoor Environmental Quality or IEQ, a term that encompasses various aspects of occupant comfort and health (such as thermal comfort, air quality, visual comfort) as related to indoor built environments. 

​​This video introduces the concept of water efficiency in buildings and reviews its interdependency with the building energy consumption. It also covers the key water conservation strategies such as reducing potable water use, removing the need for irrigation, and low-flow fixture. 

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​In this video we will define the concept of sustainable sites, explore why this is important, and share a few examples of how you can improve your project's site performance.  

Embodied carbon reflects the carbon emissions associated with the materiality of buildings. The embodied carbon video of this series presents an overview of basic discussion points regarding embodied carbon, definitions of embodied and operational carbon, and mitigation strategies to lower embodied emissions of buildings. 

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​Learn about different lease types and how green leases can align incentives so that tenants and landlords work together to make leased spaces more efficient and cost effective. Learn how Pennsylvania is making this a priority and learn about resources available to help you get started with green leasing.​