flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

New digital platform to foster construction supply chains free of forced labor

New digital platform to foster construction supply chains free of forced labor

Will provide transparency on where building materials come from and how they are made.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor  | September 28, 2022
Construction Supply Chain
Courtesy Pexels.

Design for Freedom by Grace Farms and the U.S. Coalition on Sustainability formed a partnership to advance shared goals regarding sustainable and ethical building material supply chains that are free of forced labor.

SustainChain, the coalition’s technology platform, uses advanced digital technology and machine learning to bring together innovators, impact investors, businesses, NGOs, and public-private sector alliances to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That program is a comprehensive plan consisting of 17 interrelated goals that address and resolve global humanitarian challenges.

“The next step in architectural justice is to include social equity and ethical material transparency in the evaluation of our supply chains so we can understand where our building materials come from and how they are made,” said Grace Farms Foundation CEO and founder Sharon Prince. “Design for Freedom is doing just that—raising awareness of forced labor embedded in our building materials and initializing responses to disrupt forced labor in the building materials supply chain and to come together to create more transparency.”

“As a first of its kind accelerator for achieving a more just and sustainable world, SustainChain is providing a free public utility designed to unify and rapidly scale sustainability efforts,” said Jacqueline Corbelli, founder of the US Coalition on Sustainability and creator of SustainChain.

Related Stories

M/E/P Systems | Oct 30, 2024

After residential success, DOE will test heat pumps for cold climates in commercial sector

All eight manufacturers in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge completed rigorous product field testing to demonstrate energy efficiency and improved performance in cold weather.

MFPRO+ New Projects | Oct 30, 2024

Luxury waterfront tower in Brooklyn features East River and Manhattan skyline views

Leasing recently began for The Dupont, a 41-story luxury rental property along the Brooklyn, N.Y., waterfront. Located within the 22-acre Greenpoint Landing, where it overlooks the newly constructed Newtown Barge Park, the high-rise features East River and Manhattan skyline views along with 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor communal space.

Resiliency | Oct 29, 2024

Climate change degrades buildings slowly but steadily

While natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires can destroy buildings in minutes, other factors exacerbated by climate change degrade buildings more slowly but still cause costly damage.

Hotel Facilities | Oct 29, 2024

Hotel construction pipeline surpasses 6,200 projects at Q3 2024

According to the U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics, the total hotel pipeline stands at 6,211 projects/722,821 rooms, a new all-time high for projects in the U.S.

Office Buildings | Oct 29, 2024

Editorial call for Office Building project case studies

BD+C editors are looking to feature a roundup of office building projects for 2024, including office-to-residential conversions. Deadline for submission: December 6, 2024.

Healthcare Facilities | Oct 28, 2024

New surgical tower is largest addition to UNC Health campus in Chapel Hill

Construction on UNC Health’s North Carolina Surgical Hospital, the largest addition to the Chapel Hill campus since it was built in 1952, was recently completed. The seven-story, 375,000-sf structure houses 26 operating rooms, four of which are hybrid size to accommodate additional equipment and technology for newly developed procedures. 

Contractors | Oct 25, 2024

Construction industry CEOs kick off effort to prevent suicide among workers

A new construction industry CEO Advisory Council dedicated to addressing the issue of suicide in the construction industry recently took shape. The council will guide an industry-wide effort to develop solutions targeting the high rate of suicide among construction workers.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Oct 24, 2024

Stadium renovation plans unveiled for Boston’s National Women’s Soccer League

A city-owned 75-year-old stadium in Boston’s historic Franklin Park will be renovated for a new National Women’s Soccer League team. The park, designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted in the 1880s, is the home of White Stadium, which was built in 1949 and has since fallen into disrepair.

Laboratories | Oct 23, 2024

From sterile to stimulating: The rise of community-centric life sciences campuses

To distinguish their life sciences campuses, developers are partnering with architectural and design firms to reimagine life sciences facilities as vibrant, welcoming destinations. By emphasizing four key elements—wellness, collaboration, biophilic design, and community integration—they are setting their properties apart. 

Adaptive Reuse | Oct 22, 2024

Adaptive reuse project transforms 1840s-era mill building into rental housing

A recently opened multifamily property in Lawrence, Mass., is an adaptive reuse of an 1840s-era mill building. Stone Mill Lofts is one of the first all-electric mixed-income multifamily properties in Massachusetts. The all-electric building meets ambitious modern energy codes and stringent National Park Service historic preservation guidelines.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021