Our Two Cents Archives - Lorax Partnerships | Green Building Consulting Services

LEED v4.1: The Good, The Bad, and the… Helpful?

Are you struggling with your LEED v4 project? It’s not just you! USGBC has heard from LEED users, seen the light, and made adjustments. In case you missed it, on January 21, 2018, USGBC released the LEED v4.1 beta versions of BD+C, ID+C, O+M, Residential, and Cities & Communities rating systems. While a new version…

Looking Back at Look Forward Farm

Many of the projects that Lorax works on are large urban or suburban commercial buildings meeting a green building rating system, standard, or code. Tasteful low-emitting vinyl flooring, insulation made from recycled materials, elegant low-flow plumbing fixtures, and many more features are incorporated into these green buildings. While integrating these features into the design and…

Pro Tips and Case Studies on Multifamily Energy Efficiency

In early April, Lorax Partnerships co-presented “Pro Tips and Case Studies on Multifamily Energy Efficiency” with Baumann Consulting at the 2018 Montgomery County Energy Summit. Co-hosted by Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and U.S. Green Building Council-National Capital Region (USGBC-NCR), the Montgomery County Energy Summit is focused on commercial energy efficiency and clean…

Evaluating Your Existing Building’s Green Performance? Consider Arc

Nope! This has nothing to do with Noah’s ark! Arc is a new way to measure your green performance Created by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI) Offering a different pathway to obtain LEED O+M Certification OR an innovative way to benchmark your building’s sustainability data Instead of focusing…

Lorax Making Headlines

While typically Lorax is tirelessly working to help our clients meet their sustainability goals, this quarter, we took a moment to share our expertise in the fields of green building and wellness in the built environment. The green building and sustainability industry is ever evolving and adapting to the changing market. Lorax has seen trends…

Got a Roof and Walls? Then You Need BECx

I like my walls the same way I like my humor- dry. Rainwater intrusion and condensation account for approximately 80% of all construction-related claims in the US. Black mold has made news headlines as a public health nightmare and represents a huge liability for building owners. And energy waste is a common enemy of owners,…

Ellicott City Walking Tour Recap with ULI Baltimore

Young Leaders Tour Ellicott City was also featured on the ULI Baltimore Website. On Thursday, August 31, 2017, the ULI Baltimore Young Leaders met at the Phoenix Emporium on Main Street in Historic Ellicott City to take a walking tour and learn about the revitalization efforts following the devastating flood of 2016. While at the…

There’s an AP for That (The Sequel)

There are many different sustainability related codes, rating systems, and standards in the marketplace today, and even more project types out there! Suffice it to say, Lorax has the ability and know-how to help you with your sustainability goals! We’ve got an AP for that! And now, in the second quarter of 2017, we have…

Lorax 2017 Retreat Summary: Future Growth and Success of Lorax

Lorax’s 2017 company retreat was held on April 27th and 28th 2017, and was a little challenging to plan; mostly because our 2016 retreat was so AWESOME! During previous retreats, Lorax’s Principal, Neal Fiorelli, typically presented to the company and the focus was on the status of the company, our services, and our performance. Essentially…

New Market Trends: “Wel-coming” Fitwel to the Green Building Industry

Just last month, Fitwel was introduced by the Center for Active Design (CfAD). Marketed as “a fresh approach to certification systems,” their strategies prove unique compared to what we are used to seeing from a LEED or WELL project. As the concept of occupant health and wellness continues to rise as a priority for building…