As a result of COVID increasing our attention towards global health, we've heard a lot about improving Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), despite not having new standards and little new technology for IEQ. At a recent ASHRAE conference, I listened to a keynote presentation in which the presenter said, “If we just maintained our buildings as they should be maintained, we'd see a dramatic improvement in IEQ.”

If you think of the major news stories of the past two years, some that come to mind include The Great Resignation, supply chain problems, chaotic energy prices, and genuine push for companies to be sustainable. Despite these stories being seemingly unrelated, there is a theme across all of them: Conscious Capitalism.

2021 was a year full of growth, innovation, and change at Foresight. In our 2020 recap newsletter, published last January, we wrote the following, “Over the last few years, our clients have steadily increased their focus on sustainable business practices. Several factors contributed to this trend, some of which include: the changing climate, an increased demand for transparency from financial markets, the shift from a shareholder economy to a stakeholder economy, and the increased value consumers have placed on how products are made. Since 2018, we’ve responded to this growing trend by adding services and expertise to support our clients’ sustainability goals and needs.” As we look back on 2021, these sentiments continue to ring true 12 months later, and in almost every respect they ring more emphatically than ever before.

If your organization has already begun accounting for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, it might be time to brave the next step: inventorying your Scope 3. In a recent report released last month, investment research firm MSCI listed the top ten ESG trends to consider in 2022. What was #1 on the list? “Corporates Pushing Corporates for Net-Zero Supply Chains.” That’s right–supply chain decarbonization.

While I'm not an expert in lighting controls, I interact with them frequently as a part of our commissioning work. Throughout my many years of designing and troubleshooting buildings' functionality, I have repeatedly inquired about the commissioning of lighting controls. Way back, the “only” lighting system was daylighting; candles didn't work all that well for many activities. The only “controls” were drapes and shades.

Want to be an excellent supply chain partner? Align your sustainability goals with those of your customers.

How do we put the pieces together, and who pulls off a report of this magnitude?

What's Natalie's superpower? (Spoiler: It makes her absolutely exceptional at her job).

Data and charts may validate your claims, but compelling storytelling is what will inspire your stakeholders.

Data tells a compelling story about your company's efforts and performance. Here's how to include it in your sustainability report in a compelling way.

Don't miss this critical first step in developing your sustainability report! A materiality study surveys your internal and external stakeholders to determine what topics or issues are most important to them.

Learn about the UNs' SDGs and how they align with sustainability reporting frameworks.

Mike and Natalie open a can of alphabet soup as they discuss the GRI, TCFD, SASB, and CBD.

Learn how frameworks inform storytelling, data collection, and depth of a sustainability report.

Whether public or private, the time is now to tell your sustainability story.

Did you ever get yelled at by your parents to "Turn the lights OFF!" when you were a kid? I did. As an energy engineer as an adult, I wish I could have shown my kid-self the calculations on how much it really costs to leave the lights on.

In addition to exploring the benefits of solar energy, Season 4 of the MicroVlogCast dove into the growing need for Integrative Design Services. Matt, our resident expert in LEED, WELL Building Standard, and regenerative design, discusses the importance of biophilia, democratizing design, and holistic design support earlier in the construction project.

We are excited to officially announce our recent acquisition of VIKRON Energy Solutions. For over ten years, VIKRON has provided natural gas consulting and brokerage services to large energy users throughout the United States.

To be at the forefront of climate and sustainability work is to envision an entire economic system that does not exist. Currently, CEOs are tasked with continual growth, keeping the lights on, and avoiding risks that upset operations. There isn't much room for envisioning or influencing an entire system, so sustainability solutions have traditionally been incremental and limited to existing frameworks.

Have you ever noticed that the IRS seems to love using three numbers and sometimes a letter to describe funds, policies, or codes? Many of us immediately think 401k, 503b, or 529 plan. However, there is a lesser-known IRS tax code that can save you significantly when you invest in energy efficiency for your commercial building…