Know Your LEED Points Before You Break Ground
Most LEED issues do not appear during construction; they emerge at the end, when a missing CDPH certificate, an unverified composite wood letter, or a paper inspection log is found during the GBCI review. At…
Decoding the Flow: Key Differences Between Stormwater Pollution Prevention and Erosion Sedimentation Control Inspections
SWPPP vs. ESC: Same Storm, Different Inspection Goals When LEED project teams hear Construction Activity Pollution Prevention, the knee-jerk reaction is often: “Got it—SWPPP inspections.” But here’s the twist: SWPPP ≠ ESC, and one does…
LEED v5 Construction Credits: What’s New, What’s Changed, and What Teams Need to Know
LEED v5 was officially balloted and approved by USGBC members in late spring, with the final rating system and initial reference guide released in May 2025. Additional tools and guidance followed throughout the year, including…
The Alphabet Soup of Sustainable Construction
When researching sustainability in construction, there are a lot of acronyms that can be confusing to anyone new to the field. This blog is your guide to the 15 most common terms related to sustainability…
Why Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Are the Easiest Path to LEED v5 Optimization Points
As LEED v5 raises the bar on sustainability, product transparency and optimization have become central to earning Materials and Resources credits. One of the most effective and efficient ways to meet these new requirements is…
EPD vs. HPD: What’s the Difference and When Do You Need Each?
By Kristin Brubaker Head of Sustainable Construction Services If you work on LEED projects, you have probably seen the acronyms EPD and HPD in credit language, product data sheets, and submittal reviews. They look and…
A Shared Blueprint: Connecting the CMF and AIA Materials Pledge
by Lauren Richardson Sustainability Manager at Green Badger Two of the most important forces in sustainable building materials share a common mission. Here’s how they reinforce each other — and how Green Badger helps you…
Embodied Carbon Is No Longer “Future LEED.” It’s a Construction Decision
by Lauren Breckenridge, LEED AP Sustainability Associate at Green Badger For years, embodied carbon lived comfortably in the design phase. It appeared in early studies, sustainability narratives, and long-term climate goals. Then construction started, schedules…
Materiality Made Simple for Contractors
by Kristin Brubaker Head of Sustainable Construction Solutions What is a materiality assessment? A materiality assessment is a process for identifying and ranking the ESG topics that are most important to your company and its…
From Benchmarks to Buy-In: Tools for Lower-Carbon Projects
by Lauren Richardson Sustainability Manager at Green Badger The Problem: Why Embodied Carbon Is So Hard to Reduce Embodied carbon is a major part of a building’s climate impact, but remains among the hardest for…
Green Badger and One Tree Planted: Growing a Greener Future
By Kristin Brubaker Head of Sustainable Construction Services At Green Badger, we know building a better future means thinking beyond construction sites and certification checklists. It means taking action to protect the planet we all…
How to Get Started on the JUST Label
by Lauren Richardson Sustainability Manager at Green Badger What is the JUST label (and why should I care)? People in the building industry are used to talking about products. We know how to discuss EPDs,…
Dig Into Greenbuild 2025: What to See, Learn, and Experience
Get ready! The Greenbuild International Conference & Expo (November 4-7, 2025, Los Angeles) is the premier gathering of green-building professionals where vision meets action. At this year’s show, you’ll immerse yourself in cutting-edge sessions on…
