Features

Passive Solar Heating

Using the sun for most of a building’s heating needs is in the DNA of green building. But in an age of superinsulation, does it still make sense?
Environmental Building News—July 1, 2012

Exterior Paints: Long-Term Protection and Environmental Tradeoffs

Exterior coatings protect buildings from the environment but often contain hazardous ingredients, so maximizing their durability is often the greenest option.
Environmental Building News—June 1, 2012

Biobased Materials: Not Always Greener

We tend to think of biobased materials as inherently greener—but even “natural” and “rapidly renewable” materials can carry big environmental impacts.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2012

Doing Daylighting Right

Harvesting daylight is a popular way to save energy and promote productivity. But getting it wrong is all too easy—and can have the opposite effects.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2012

Resilient Design—Smarter Building for a Turbulent Future

Resilience is the new green. With decades of green building experience, we are ready to face climate change.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2012

What Makes a Product Green?

Lots of manufacturers call their products “green,” but are they? Here’s our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
Environmental Building News—February 1, 2012

The Product Transparency Movement: Peeking Behind the Corporate Veil

Manufacturers are offering more product information than ever, but how can we know what to trust?
Environmental Building News—January 1, 2012

LEDs: The Future Is Here

LEDs have finally become an economically viable lighting option, but choosing the best LED products still takes knowledge and skill.
Environmental Building News—December 1, 2011

Occupant Engagement–Where Design Meets Performance

No matter how carefully you plan a retrofit or design a building, the occupants hold the keys to environmental performance. But design teams can help them unlock any building’s potential.
Environmental Building News—November 1, 2011

Better Choices in Low-Slope Roofing

There are big differences in environmental impacts of commercial roofing materials, but the biggest variable may be service life.
Environmental Building News—October 1, 2011
Join the Discussion!

BlueskinVP Water-Resistive Barrier

Brent Ehrlich says, “Hi Patsy, This listing is just for BlueskinVP, not Air Bloc (a fluid-applied product), which we do not list. On the...” More...

Patsy Heasly says, “Note that when you search the Henry's website for Blueskin, you're directed to a page that has 3 products with...” More...


Radiant Barriers and Reflective Insulation

Kirk Teske says, “Good summary. In the South, I see a lot of people purchasing Radiant Barriers to try to lower summertime...” More...


Insurers Ill-Prepared for Climate Change, Survey Finds

Caleb Crawford says, “I thought that the insurance companies were way ahead on this stuff. They are supposed to be dispassionate analysts in...” More...


Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building

Paula Melton says, “Peggy, I appreciate the note. Glad you find the article thought-provoking!” More...

Peggy White says, “Paula - thank you for the very thorough, thoughtful, and thought-provoking article on this complicated topic.” More...

Paula Melton says, “A spokesperson from the Green Building Initiative has gotten in touch with EBN with the news that the next version...” More...


Sustainability: Too Much or Not Enough?

William G. Grover says, “When I am confronted with the current state of the Earth Community, I ask: is this what we intended? To...” More...