Measuring Energy Use in Buildings: Do Our Metrics Really Add Up?
How much energy our buildings use matters a great deal, but figuring out how to measure that use and compare it from building to building is tricky. Here's a guide to key metrics and how to use them.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2011
Re-Framing Sustainability: Green Structural Engineering
Want to design the greenest building possible? Get a handle on the best structural options available to you, and invite a creative structural engineer to join your team.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2011
The Chemicals on Our Carpets and Textiles
The array of water-, dirt-, and mold-repellent chemicals added to carpeting and fabrics is dizzying. Which are causes for concern, and how can we minimize exposure?
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2011
Choosing Windows: Looking Through the Options
We ask a lot from windows: energy efficiency, aesthetics, durability, affordability, and more. Which window frame materials and low-e glazing options balance these choices best? This article explores all the options and decodes the performance labels we see when buying windows.
Environmental Building News—February 1, 2011
A Green Building Wish List: Policies, Trends, and Products for 2011 and Beyond
Guaranteed energy performance of homes. Rapidly renewable materials that don't compete with food production. These are just a couple of the new developments we explore that would help the building industry clean up its act.
Environmental Building News—January 1, 2011
What’s New in Multi-Attribute Environmental Certifications
The industry is increasingly recognizing the need for a more comprehensive review of green products. We don't have perfect programs yet, but we scrutinize the most prominent programs out there and highlight how they're useful.
Environmental Building News—December 1, 2010
Your Guide to the New Draft of LEED
USGBC is accepting comments on what will become LEED in 2012—EBN walks you through key changes as they appear in the current draft.
Environmental Building News—November 8, 2010
Reexamining Priorities in Green Building
Rarely can we do everything we want with a green building project—particularly in today’s constrained economy. When we are forced to choose, where will our efforts make the most difference in improving the environmental and health performance of our built environments?
Environmental Building News—November 1, 2010
Retrocommissioning: Big Savings for Big Buildings
Retrocommssioning or RCx can be a valuable tool for commercial building owners. RCx addresses the same scope as new building commissioning but is performed on existing buildings. RCx can improve building performance, save energy and money—especially for large buildings.
Environmental Building News—October 1, 2010
Reducing Environmental Impacts of Cement and Concrete
Reducing the carbon emissions of concrete means replacing its portland cement content. But is fly ash from coal power plants a safe substitute?
Environmental Building News—September 1, 2010
