Feature

Energy Reporting: It’s the Law

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As building owners comply with new laws to report energy use, the data may change the industry—and the act of reporting it already has.

News

Feds: Popular Retrofit Program Still Too Risky
A handful of states are picking up PACE, but with FHFA still saying it’s too risky, the rest of the nation might have to wait.

EBies Honor “Unsung Heroes” of High-Performance Buildings
Envelope, please! The Urban Green Council awards the first EBies for high-performance existing buildings.

Newsbriefs

New Study Makes Previous Climate Projections Look “Rosy”
U.S. Ranks 9th Out of 12 on Energy Efficiency but Feels Least Guilty
Urban Trees Curb Shady Behavior
New Report Says U.S. Is “Burning Our Rivers”
LEED for Homes Crosses 20K Threshold
Build Bike Lanes and They Will Ride
LEDs Have Lower Impact Than CFLs Over Lifetime
GE Solar Panel Factory on Hold

 

Product Review

Expanded Cork: All-Natural Rigid Boardstock Insulation

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Amorim expanded cork board is a 100% natural, rapidly renewable rigid insulation that offers a green alternative to polystyrene and polyiso.

Vinyl Flooring: Is Less Bad Any Good?
With iQ, Johnsonite has reduced the environmental impact of its vinyl flooring, but it is still working around the edges of the problems with PVC.

BackPage Primer

Basics of the Psychrometric Chart
In high-performance buildings, we have to manage energy and moisture with equal intensity. The psychrometric chart shows us how.