Navigating the Sea of Sustainability Standards (II of III)
Part one (Places) of our three part series, Navigating the Sea of Sustainability Standards explored the role of standards within an expanding green building market. In summary, certifications and standards have ushered in a new era of green building development, by establishing a set of shared principles,... 
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The Value of Benchmarking: Buildings and Operations
We may not realize it, but we rely on the process of benchmarking every day. Whether we’re in the market for a new car or simply choosing between cereal options, reviews and product information (think Consumer Reports, Angie’s List, and nutrition labels) help us analyze goods or services. Information... 
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Leveraging Sustainability in the Convention Industry
I bet you didn’t know that we are able to use a planet’s gravity as a slingshot to send things into space. It’s true. Spaceships regularly use Gravitational Assist in order to save fuel, time and expense on their journeys. Although not orbital mechanics, we have noticed an interesting phenomenon... 
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Data, Urban Strategies, & Visualization
Strategic Data Use to Stabilize Neighborhoods was a conference I attended December 6-7 in Baltimore. Around 200 were in attendance, all of us connecting with data differently in our work: community leaders, municipal staff from cities across the US, researchers, urban planners, financial and real estate... 
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The Scaling of Sustainable Development: Eco-districts
When it comes to making a difference, we’ve all been in a place that gets us feeling like what we are doing isn’t making that big of an impact. Research has shown that when the going gets tough, people change their attitudes, not their behaviors. That is to say: when the barriers to change are seen... 
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Communicating with Infographics
evolveEA continuously evaluates how we help our clients tell their stories and analyze their data in clear and meaningful ways.  We find that translating words and numbers into graphics enable a new level of understanding to any set of complex information and help make strategic thinking easier and... 
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Navigating the Sea of Sustainability Standards (I of III)
When it comes to sustainability there’s a vast sea of information available—and it’s not always easy to parse out accurate claims vs. marketing hyperbole. Phrases such as ‘all natural’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ have been slapped on about everything and anything we buy. First let us... 
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Greening Existing Buildings on College Campuses
Greening Existing Buildings on College Campuses | evolveEA Attending this year’s annual AASHE conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh supported our ongoing efforts in the realm of higher education, one of the leading sectors in sustainability thinking and... 
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Sustainability for Supermarkets
Returning from the Food Marketing Institute’s Energy and Store Development Conference in Atlanta, I pondered the unique role that supermarkets play in our daily lives. Trends unveiled at the conference include a blurring of the lines between restaurant and store, as well a move away from hydrocarbons... 
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evolve insights: Green Operations and Corporate Culture
Buildings are the most ubiquitous form covering modern landscapes. Their pervasiveness presents a paradox—our built environment is both crucial to and a symbol of modernity—but also a major contributor to degradation that threatens future prosperity. Simultaneously, our buildings define and separate... 
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evolve insights: “the business of business”
Nobel Prize Winning economist Milton Friedman was famous for his statement that, “the business of business is business. “  He believed the best thing a company could do for society was to maximize its profits, and any other activities related to social or environmental causes were unnecessary and... 
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Navigating the Living Building Challenge
Often the first thing we are asked is “Would you do it again…should we attempt the Living Building Challenge?” My personal answer is a resounding YES!  But only if you can accommodate and address the uncertainty that the LBC injects into the normal design, construction and occupancy process.... 
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Entry Point Assessment
Are you a commercial property owner, facility manager or developer? Are you interested in saving money and improving your building or portfolio’s valuation? Do you, your tenants, and employees appreciate efficient operations and greener buildings? If you answered yes to any of the above questions…... 
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Changing Tenants in a LEED Certified Retail Space
For those of you who have had the pleasure of shopping at the Borders bookstore in East Liberty in the last five years, you have been able to experience a nicely appointed bookstore, with music, magazines, coffee and lounge areas, all within a nicely daylit environment with unique urban views in a brand... 
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Is Sustainable Consumption an Oxymoron?
When shopping for a product, let’s say a computer, have you ever wondered, what went into it? How much energy, water, toxic chemicals, carbon emissions etc., are embodied in this very innocent computer that you absolutely need for surfing the internet? What will happen to it when you are finished... 
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Urban Strategies: Design for Engagement
Have you ever seen a familiar place that has been transformed through the lens of a Hollywood film? A few years ago, a Bruce Willis production filmed some of my favorite urban places and reconstructed them in a way that changed how I saw relationships between the neighborhoods of my fair city. Once... 
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Urban Strategies: Involve the Community
Have you ever found an idea that was so interesting that you are compelled to action? What if your friends felt the same way and your singular action multiplied and had a much greater effect? How could we create and harness some of that energy for other causes, like environmentally friendly neighborhoods? Galvanizing... 
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The Progress of Sustainable Governments
When the USGBC began marketing their 2011 Federal Summit we openly wondered around the office if someone should attend this year’s summit. After all, we’ve been to a number of Greenbuild Conferences among others, but had never attended a Government Summit. As a firm, we’ve collaborated... 
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Urban Strategies: Rethink Boundaries
Have you ever wondered how there came to be 67 counties in Pennsylvania? Back in the 1800s the counties were largely delineated by a day’s horse ride, which made a lot of sense 100 years ago. Now we get from county to county within an hour. Today, each county has a different governance structure and... 
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Creating the Ideal Sustainable Building
We’ve been excited to participate in the Living Building Challenge as we help guide the Phipps Conservatory Center for Sustainable Landscapes toward meeting its requirements. Now that construction has begun, we’re excited to see some of the sustainable strategies take shape. Phipps Conservatory... 
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Is There Truly Strength in Numbers?
Crossing the street in some cities is a matter of following directions. Observe the signs—cross when green, stop when red. In other cities, Pittsburgh included, crossing a downtown street is more of a sociological experiment. A crowd of people stand at a corner with a common goal to be on the other... 
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Asking Kids: What is a Sustainable Neighborhood?
Challenging children to think in new ways can create a new generation of critical thinkers who are ready to solve tomorrow’s problems in revolutionary ways. Someday these children will influence environmental decisions and policy, and we support organizations like the Environmental Charter School ... 
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Urban Strategies: Eco-Districts
For the first time in human history more than half the world’s population–3.3 billion humans– live in urban areas. This trend is expected to accelerate through 2030 when 5 billion will call cities home. While the sheer numbers are staggering; urban regions must prepare for such growth.... 
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Why Pittsburgh is a Front-Runner in Sustainable Development
One of Pittsburgh’s best attributes that has helped bring it to the top of the “livability” list time and time again is its commitment to and connection with nature. The unique thing about Pittsburgh is that, when it comes to sustainability and environmental stewardship, it has support in spades.... 
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Gordon Gill Lecture
This past week, I attended Gordon Gill’s lecture about his firm’s work. He shows a rare concern for an architectural project’s overall life cycle and environmental impact. Although his firm, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill is only five years old, it employs over a hundred and the partners bring... 
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