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
The Problem with Net-Zero Buildings (and the Case for Net-Zero Neighborhoods)
It can be tough to make an individual building into a zero energy building, while working at the community scale can offer up opportunities for energy efficiency and cost-effective renewable energy generation.
Environmental Building News—August 1, 2010
Rethinking the All-Glass Building
Is it time to end our love affair with the all-glass building? A lot of proponents of high-performance, green design certainly think so—while other respected architects, including some leading green designers and energy experts, argue that all-glass can work well if done right.
Environmental Building News—July 1, 2010
Avoiding the Global Warming Impact of Insulation
Insulation is key to reducing carbon emissions from buildings. But the blowing agent in extruded polystyrene and spray polyurethane foam offsets much
of that benefit.
Environmental Building News—June 1, 2010
Integrated Design Meets the Real World
Proponents of integrated design say that it results in higher-performing buildings at lower costs than the conventional design process. But real world obstacles can derail or limit integration. We offer tips from experts to keep things on track.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2010
Passive House Arrives in North America: Could It Revolutionize the Way We Build?
The Passive House standard, imported from Germany, sets a high bar for energy performance in buildings. But some see it as inflexible and inappropriate for some U.S. climates.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2010
