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Southface Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is a leader in sustainable advocacy, building, planning and operations across the U.S. With a mission to create a healthy and equitably built environment for all, Southface's programs, consulting services, education, research and policy practices are supporting better homes, workplaces and communities. Experts in the fields of resource efficiency, building tech and organizational sustainability since 1978, Southface is committed to building a regenerative economy to meet tomorrow's needs today.
 

Southface Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is a leader in sustainable advocacy, building, planning and operations across the U.S. With a mission to create a healthy and equitably built environment for all, Southface's programs, consulting services, education, research and policy practices are supporting better homes, workplaces and communities. Experts in the fields of resource efficiency, building tech and organizational sustainability since 1978, Southface is committed to building a regenerative economy to meet tomorrow's needs today.
 

This webinar is intended for professionals in HVAC and home performance industries, as well as designers and builders of new homes. We will provide an overview of building science with a focus on convection and air leakage and present an overview of the process for designing a proper mechanical system. Participants will apply this knowledge to duct design and installation. We'll also address how to assess and improve an existing home's ducted system. The training will be supported with helpful diagrams and pictures from field inspections. 

Thursday, May 21 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

The courses in this series are free, and all participants will receive a certificate of participation. CEUs are available for a fee. 
 

Please join us for the BIT Building Community call this Friday, May 22, from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET.  Paul Shahriari, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Ecomedes, and Michael Bloom, High-Performance Buildings Program Advisor for the U.S. General Services Administration, will speak about how to make it easier to specify and buy environmentally preferable products while measuring their impact and return on investment.

Each month our community calls give you the opportunity for an informative exchange with knowledgeable subject matter experts and other BIT Building users. Come back on the fourth Friday of each month, at 2 p.m. ET, for this one-hour BIT Building call.

 

Join Southface as we present at the 10th Annual Cutting Edge: Remodeling Education Expo. The event will include a day full of educational sessions on building codes, business, marketing, building technology and design. You can choose between a variety of sessions available through the Zoom webinar platform, earning up to 6.5 CEUs.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020
8 a.m - 4:30 p.m. EDT
NARI Member - $80
Non-Member - $95

Evaluations and CEU Certificates will be distributed by NARI online. Make sure you register with your correct email address.

Visionary Dinner Is Getting Closer!
 

Join us at this year''s Visionary Dinner, a virtual event with a robust program and opportunities for discussion, engagement and even online networking! Support Southface from home while preparing a delicious meal with James Beard Award semifinalist chef Asha Gomez. For the 2020 Argon Award, Southface will honor designer, urbanist and spatial justice advocate, Liz Ogbu, a global expert on engaging and transforming unjust urban environments.
 

September 17, 2020
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

For any questions about Visionary Dinner or sponsorship, please contact Elizabeth North at enorth@southface.org. 
 

Dear Noah,

I am heartbroken by the recent tragic deaths of George Floyd and, closer to home, Ahmaud Arbery, losses that add to incalculable others and underscore a structure of racism in America. As we stand alongside those making their voices heard through leadership and peaceful protests, I feel the gravity of the work to help create equity and equality across our communities more powerfully than ever.

The importance of striving for a regenerative future that gives back more than it uses, improving conditions for our planet, its people and their prosperity, is put in stark reflection in a moment where inclusion for everyone feels hard to reach. But as a part of the greater Atlanta community and the global effort to build a tomorrow that is healthier and more equitable in every respect than it is today-from the built environment to the relationships within and around it-we know that standing together is what will move us all forward. 

In the turmoil that we are all living through, from COVID-19 losses to these outrages of racism, the one thing we can count on is each other and the capacity for good we all have. Making things better for the future is a plan we can all be a part of. Southface is here to join in that effort. 

Our community is one of strength, resilience and vision, and we look forward to the opportunities to come together, support each other and help all our cities become places of equity and opportunity. We all know there is much work to be done; that's not news. But we can use this crossroads to redouble our efforts and gain speed toward that better tomorrow. 

Warm regards, 



Andrea Pinabell

President, Southface Institute


Related Resources:

The NAACP's page on Environmental Justice and Racism

"The Quest for Environmental Justice and the Politics of Place and Race" by Climate Reality

Southface Resources:

Development Without Displacement 

The Opportunity for Green Affordable Housing

What Does Food Insecurity Look Like in Atlanta?

Building Sustainable, Resilient Neighborhoods and Communities

The Dollars and Sense of Green Affordable Housing

Everyone Has a Role in Community Health

Training the Next Generation of Green Building Professionals

Received this newsletter from a friend? Sign up for it here.

 

Become a Southface Member Today
 

Support Southface''s Work in Healthy Housing!

Dear Noah,

In the midst of this holiday season, many of us are thinking about the importance and meaning of home. I am grateful to have a healthy place to raise my son and am especially thankful to have a safe refuge from the pandemic. And I know many are not as lucky as my family. Many of us are looking for ways to help others during this season, and I hope you will consider investing in Southface's work to ensure that healthy housing is attainable for all.
 

Efficient, affordable and healthy housing is a foundational component of building resilient and equitable communities, and Southface has doubled down on this work over the past year. We recently launched the Health and Efficiency for Residential Environments (HERE) program to comprehensively step up our leadership and create a pathway for scalable impact. We are working on the ground in LaGrange, Georgia, to ensure low- and moderate-income housing supports health while increasing affordability for residents through lower energy and water burdens. In Sarasota, Florida, we are working on a similar project in partnership with the Sarasota Housing Authority that will measure residents' health indicators both before and after renovations. With an increased focus on indoor air quality because of COVID-19, we can monitor indoor air quality with state-of-the-art sensors and provide critical data for families to understand their environment and make changes that will support their health. Southface's research and implementation helps deliver practical solutions that are in demand throughout the South and beyond. We hope to scale this work through partnerships with the Chicago, Memphis and other housing authorities in the coming year. 

I hope you will consider making a year-end gift to support this and Southface's other program work to ensure a better future for families and communities. Thank you for all the many ways you help to advance sustainability and Southface's mission. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday.
 

Warm regards,


 
Andrea Pinabell
President
Southface Institute

Southface Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is leading the way toward a sustainable, equitable and healthy built environment for all. Since 1978, our programs have closed the gap between environmental awareness and action by promoting scalable resource efficiency and clean energy solutions for homes, workplaces and communities. Our practice of regenerative placemaking amplifies real-world strategies to create a built environment where the synergy between ecological and human needs supports health and well-being while creating resilient, equitable and thriving communities, striving to achieve a low-carbon future.

Tuesday, August 25, and Wednesday, August 26
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE
Cost: Free, with paid option for CEUs
 

This Week:
BIT Building Community Call on Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Commercial AC Units

How much refrigerant does your air-conditioning unit leak annually? What are the economic, performance, comfort and environmental impacts of leaks? How do you prevent leaks? What alternative and natural refrigerants are available that can reduce the environmental impacts of commercial air-conditioning units? Join us for a BIT Building Community Call on Friday, August 28, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET to learn more from David Peavey, Owner of PV Heating & Air, and Southface Institute Technical Principal for Research, Hugh Magande. 

Friday, August 28 
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

Each month our community calls give you the opportunity for an informative exchange with knowledgeable subject matter experts and other BIT Building users. Come back on the fourth Friday of each month, at 2:00 p.m. ET, for this one-hour BIT Building call.
 

Join us for a three-day course designed to introduce the skills necessary to become a Duct and Envelope Tightness (DET) Verifier, certified to perform the diagnostic testing required for new homes by the 2009 and 2012 IECC amendments.
 

An in-person evaluation will occur on Sept. 3 or 4 and require any attendee seeking certification to schedule a time to complete their exam(s). COVID-19 protocols will be enforced to ensure the safety and security of everyone involved.
 

Thursday, October 29, 2020
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE

Friday, November 6, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

 

Building professionals can earn CEUs for RESNET, BPI, AIA and ICC through the Southface Institute online learning platform. Lead by Southface technical experts, these courses are all one hour long and free to view or $15 with CEU reporting.

Basic Building Science Series:

• 01: Understanding Heat Transfer
• 02: Airflow Basics
• 03: Moisture Management

Applied Building Science Series:

• 01: Ventilation Concepts and Calculations
• 02: Ventilation Strategies and Applications
• 03: Conditioned Crawlspaces
• 04: Ducted Mechanicals
• 05: Understanding Manual J Load Calculations
• 06: High-Performance Insulated Rooflines
• 07: Insulation Grading
• 08: Combustion Safety

At Southface
Would you like to join our team?
Check out these current Southface job opportunities here.

Other Organizations
New Building Institute - Project Manager, Codes and Policy 

Become a Southface Member Today!
 

Dear Noah,

After the events of the past year, it's clearer than ever that sustainability means good jobs and healthy, energy-efficient and affordable places to live and work. Each day at Southface Institute, we strive to build a more sustainable and resilient future. Our work to promote equitable, healthy, efficient buildings and communities and train the next generation of the green workforce, has taken on a new urgency in this moment. From applying our technical advice on building materials, policies and practices to our work with cities to develop resilience hubs and the impact of our training programs, we are leading the way toward a sustainable future and building the workforce to help speed that transition. I hope you'll consider joining Southface as a professional member.

By becoming a member of Southface, you not only gain access to valuable technical resources but you are also connected with the best resource of all-other innovators in this community. Our events are known as some of the most valuable opportunities to connect with the sustainability community in the Southeast and beyond, and our network of the best in the region's building community will keep you connected to the resources you need to expand and improve the sustainable impacts of your business or organization. Best of all, you can increase your reach while supporting an organization committed to the goals you share. Together, we can build a regenerative economy that meets tomorrow's needs today.

Benefits of membership:
-    Access to the Southface community and staff 
-    Networking and educational events tailored to industry needs 
-    Discounts on virtual courses and continuing education units (CEUs)
-    Free access to our Winter Solstice event December 17 at 6 p.m. ET, featuring Dad's Garage Improv, cocktail-making with Tasteful Gatherings and an update on Southface's work.

Check out our membership levels, benefits and pricing at the link below, and please reach out if you have any questions.
 

For a sustainable future,

Catherine Slocum Somuah
Senior Manager, Development
Southface Institute

 

 

Become a Southface Member Today
 

This year's Visionary Dinner will be held as a virtual event, with a robust program and opportunities for discussion, engagement and networking, all online. Come join us!
 

September 17, 2020
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

For any questions about Visionary Dinner or sponsorship, please contact Elizabeth North at enorth@southface.org. 
 

Join us for a three-day course designed to introduce the skills necessary to become a Duct and Envelope Tightness (DET) Verifier, certified to perform the diagnostic testing required for new homes by the 2009 and 2012 IECC amendments.
 

An in-person evaluation will occur on Sept. 3 or 4 and require any attendee seeking certification to schedule a time to complete their exam(s). COVID-19 protocols will be enforced to ensure the safety and security of everyone involved.

Thursday, August 20
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

BIT Building Community Call

Each month our community calls give you the opportunity for an informative exchange with knowledgeable subject matter experts and other BIT Building users. Come back on the fourth Friday of each month, at 2 p.m. ET, for this one-hour BIT Building call.
 

Friday, August 28 
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE

 

Learn online with Southface! Build your professional skills and earn CEUs with our respected building science experts through our online platform and our website. New courses will be added on a regular basis and are available 24/7.

Building Science Webinars

EarthCraft Builder Online Training

Green Infrastructure Low Impact Development - Operations and Maintenance
 

Upcoming Events
 

Next Week: Greenprints Online Conference!
 

Southface is calling all architects, engineers and building professionals! Are you a member of the AEC, policy or education communities looking to connect with industry innovators? On August 6, don't miss Greenprints, the sustainability conference for the Southeast! We''re thrilled that our online platform will allow everyone to safely gather from remote locations.

Thursday, August 6
Conference 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Trade Show / Networking 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

Through our virtual platform, you''ll meet trendsetters creating regenerative practices and policies in the design, building and maintenance of homes, workplaces and communities. The conference will focus on aspects of building a regenerative economy across the region, with an afternoon dedicated to Drawdown Georgia. We hope you can join us!
 

Three Unique Tracks

The morning will feature panels on topics related to homes and workplaces, with a technical track with Southface experts on high-performance buildings.

Panelists will address questions like: 

• How do we ensure resilience in the face of climate change and a growing population?
• How can we address the inequitable energy burden of vulnerable communities?
• Are our work environments making us sick?

Cleantech Entrepreneur Challenge

Keynote Speakers

Carbon Reduction and Climate in Georgia

The afternoon will offer a deeper dive into Drawdown Georgia, which works to identify the most promising solutions for achieving carbon neutrality in the state. Speakers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University will give an overview and guide sessions that discuss opportunities to reduce and reverse carbon emissions in areas like building materials, electricity generation, food systems and transportation.
 

Join Us at Visionary Dinner!

This year's Visionary Dinner will be held as a virtual event, with a robust program and opportunities for discussion, engagement and networking, all online. Come join us!
 

For any questions about Visionary Dinner or sponsorship, please contact Elizabeth North at enorth@southface.org. 
 

THIS Thursday, October 29, 2020
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

November Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable
 

Friday, November 6, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET
ONLINE
 

This webinar is intended for professionals in HVAC and home performance industries, as well as designers and builders of new homes. We will provide an overview of building science with a focus on convection and air leakage and present an overview of the process for designing a proper mechanical system. Participants will apply this knowledge to duct design and installation. We'll also address how to assess and improve an existing home's ducted system. The training will be supported with helpful diagrams and pictures from field inspections. 

Thursday, May 21 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

The courses in this series are free, and all participants will receive a certificate of participation. CEUs are available for a fee. 
 

Please join us for the BIT Building Community call this Friday, May 22, from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET.  Paul Shahriari, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Ecomedes, and Michael Bloom, High-Performance Buildings Program Advisor for the U.S. General Services Administration, will speak about how to make it easier to specify and buy environmentally preferable products while measuring their impact and return on investment.

Each month our community calls give you the opportunity for an informative exchange with knowledgeable subject matter experts and other BIT Building users. Come back on the fourth Friday of each month, at 2 p.m. ET, for this one-hour BIT Building call.

 

Join Southface as we present at the 10th Annual Cutting Edge: Remodeling Education Expo. The event will include a day full of educational sessions on building codes, business, marketing, building technology and design. You can choose between a variety of sessions available through the Zoom webinar platform, earning up to 6.5 CEUs.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020
8 a.m - 4:30 p.m. EDT
NARI Member - $80
Non-Member - $95

Evaluations and CEU Certificates will be distributed by NARI online. Make sure you register with your correct email address.