Feature
Getting From Design to Construction: Writing Specifications for Green Projects
Green projects are rife with stories in which contractors or subcontractors inadvertently undermined the goals of a project by defaulting to their usual procedures instead of the intended green alternatives. Good design specifications are key to preventing such mix-ups, and in this article we share lots of tips for writing effective green specs.
From the Editors
Our 10th Anniversary Issue!
It's been ten years since we published our first issue, at a time when most of today's influential green building institutions were either in their infancy or nonexistent.
Letters
More Green Programs
Two California Counties have Green Building Programs that we missed in our recent table of local and state government programs.
Apology from Waterless on Falcon Waterfree Urinals
Waterless apologizes for and retracts several statements made in a recent letter to EBN concerning Falcon Waterfree urinals.
What's Happening
Kyoto and Climate Policy
The Kyoto protocol for lowering greenhouse gas emissions received a boost recently, although its future is still shaky.
Then & Now
Revisiting Rigid Foam Insulation and Ozone
Back in 1992, manufacturers of rigid foam insulation had begun phasing out the most ozone-damaging blowing agents. Today, as the transition continues, some kinds of rigid foam are fully ozone-safe, others will be soon, and still others have a long way to go.
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Projects
Oberlin College’s Lewis Center
Two years after its completion, the Lewis Center at Oberlin College continues to inspire visitors with its ambitious vision, innovative wastewater system, and inviting interior spaces, amid the ongoing controversy over its often-touted but as-yet-unrealized energy performance goals. This article explores the building's achievements and analyzes the controversy, including an expert opinion on what it will take for this McDonough + Partners project to attain its promised net-energy-producer status.
Product Review
Silica Aerogel Nearing Commercialization
Silica aerogel is a very light, highly porous form of silica that has the remarkable ability to transmit light while insulating as effectively as rigid foam. An innovative form of aerogel, which overcomes a major weakness of earlier products, will soon be on the market, and one U.S. company is already lined up to use it in skylights. This development may radically improve the equation for translucent insulation applications by the end of 2003.
Product News
Agriboard is Back
Agriboard Industries is now back in business producing 4"- and 8"-thick structural insulated panels (SIPs) from compressed straw and oriented strand board.
James Hardie Reaches Settlement
James Hardie Building Products has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit regarding some of its cement-fiber roof shakes.
From the Library
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Calendar of Events
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