Rushing’s Sustainability Studio recently had the privilege of interviewing Denise Henrikson, co-founder of EcoTHRIVE Housing. EcoTHRIVE is a community-led community land trust (CLT) that focuses on developing small private homes co-owned by residents through a limited equity cooperative (LEC). Denise shared with us the inspiring story behind the Burien Village, a cooperative that will be…

Decarbonization of the built environment’s MEP systems is a critical component in the global fight against climate change. The industry still has a way to go to make true decarbonization a reality, but there are steps that we as engineers can take today to usher in that reality. In our MEP 2040 Company Plan, Rushing…

ESG in the Built Environment Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) outlines the criteria used to assess a company’s impact on our ecological systems, its relationship with the community, and the efficiency of its internal controls and decision-making structures. The most common ESG metrics tracked in the real estate and building industry can be broadly categorized…

Effective March 1, 2024, USGBC is launching updates to LEED v4 that impact the energy performance assessment of LEED building projects. These updates apply to the energy prerequisite and credit of all Building Design and Construction (BD+C) – residential and commercial – and Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) projects registered after March 1.  Projects that…

The Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) proposed in Seattle sets carbon emissions targets that larger existing buildings need to achieve in the coming two to three decades. By: Nina Olivier, Manager of Sustainability Background In Seattle, buildings are one of the largest sources of climate pollution, responsible for more than a third of the city’s…

Tips and tricks to promote healthy dirt in your home. By: Carissa Nelson, Manager of Sustainability When thinking of how we can all help pitch in to build a healthier and more sustainable world, soil often doesn’t come to mind. Building healthy living soils is a powerful way in which we can support the health…

Happy National Indoor Plant Week!! We love indoor plants; they offer multiple benefits, both for your physical well-being and the environment. Here are some of the advantages of raising indoor plants: Improved Air Quality: Indoor plants remove harmful pollutants from the air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. They also mirror…

World Water Week – August 20-24 Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World  Rushing celebrates World Water Week 2023 which focuses this year on innovations in design during a time of unprecedented challenges. Planning for various water uses within a building is becoming a high priority. This is due to the increasing cost…

The business case for wellness protocols in the built environment. By: Carissa Nelson and Nina Olivier We all know the research, the built environment plays a crucial role in our health and well-being, but is there a business case that supports the investment of a focus on occupant health through Wellness protocols like WELL &…

People & Place: Linking Stewardship, Community, and Conservation. As a part of Rushing’s Earth Month Series, the Sustainability Studio had the opportunity to interview Leanne Weiss, a Director of Conservation Transactions with Forterra. Rushing’s Sustainability Studio connects PNW clients and projects looking to achieve land conservation and restoration goals with Forterra’s programs. On April 21st,…