The Folly of Building-Integrated Wind
Wind turbines on buildings could produce electricity where it's needed and catch high winds above ground level. However, wind turbulence, safety, cost, and poor performance all make building-integrated wind a limited strategy.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2009
Cost-Effective Green Retrofits: Opportunities for Savings in Existing Buildings
Between lighting, water use, mechanical systems, the building envelope, and occupant health, existing buildings are rife with cost-effective retrofits and operational opportunities that also offer environmental benefits. Improvements range from the painfully obvious to the more complex and involved.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2009
Thinking Beyond Buildings: LEED for Neighborhood Development
LEED for Neighborhood Development is not yet final, but it’s already clear that it’s a different type of rating system. Lessons from the pilot projects show that cooperation among team members and with the local government is essential to a successful project.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2009
Growing Food Locally: Integrating Agriculture Into the Built Environment
With a little ingenuity, the flat roofs and vacant lots of urban centers can be used effectively for food production. Numerous models can bring building-integrated food production to your project, while making our food supply chain more sustainable.
Environmental Building News—February 1, 2009
Finding the Green Lining: Surviving and Thriving in an Economic Downturn
A sharp slowdown in nearly all sectors of design and construction has been a defining component of the current recession. Green building has remained a relative bright spot, however, giving firms with strong green capabilities a leg up. This article examines the current climate and offers specific pointers on thriving with a green agenda.
Environmental Building News—January 1, 2009
Energy Dashboards: Using Real-Time Feedback to Influence Behavior
Real-time feedback on energy use can change occupant behavior and save energy. Several products now on the market provide this feedback in varying degrees of complexity.
Environmental Building News—December 1, 2008
Integrated Project Delivery: A Platform for Efficient Construction
Integrated project delivery, or IPD, is a new contract mechanism for design and construction. Among its benefits for green building, it enshrines integrated design and building information modeling (BIM) into a legally supportive framework.
Environmental Building News—November 1, 2008
Bringing Nature Indoors: The Myths and Realities of Plants in Buildings
Some proponents of indoor plants promise that they will clean the air and promote occupant health and productivity. But will they? Scientific backing for these claims is still being developed, but some of the results are promising.
Environmental Building News—October 1, 2008
Water Policies: Encouraging Conservation
Conserving water goes beyond building design and technology. Water use is governed by federal, state, and local policies, from maximum flow requirements to pricing structures that encourage or discourage conservation.
Environmental Building News—September 1, 2008
Ductless Mini-Splits and Their Kin: The Revolution in Variable-Refrigerant-Flow Air Conditioning
Ductless split systems using heat pumps and variable refrigerant flow offer an energy-efficient alternative to conventional heating and air-conditioning systems for a variety of settings, from homes to hotels and schools. Three major manufacturers—Daikin, Mitsubishi, and Sanyo—offer the greatest variety of products.
Environmental Building News—August 1, 2008
