Product News & Reviews

Coolerado: Evaporative Cooling Without Added Humidity

As an indirect evaporative cooler, the Coolerado provides cool air without adding moisture. Its innovative technology also delivers lower temperatures than conventional evaporative coolers, and it's much more efficient than conventional central air-conditioners.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2008

Cree Acquires LED Lighting Fixtures

LED manufacturer Cree, Inc., has acquired LED Lighting Fixtures, maker of an innovative LED recessed downlight, giving the company access to greater technical, financial, and marketing resources.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2008

Energy and Performance in Thermally Preserved Wood

Cambia by Greenleaf recently joined Purewood in the market for wood preserved with high heat and without hazardous chemicals. The companies have competing products, as well as competing claims for the significant energy use during production.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2008

FSC-Certified Bamboo Plywood Now Available

In an industry first, Smith & Fong now offers bamboo plywood panels certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council.
BuildingGreen.com—April 11, 2008

Composite Panel Industry Adapts to Pending CARB Regulation

California will adopt stringent new standards for emissions from composite wood products in 2009, pushing the panel industry to convert to more environmentally friendly binders.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2008

Three-in-One Insulating Sheathing from Dow

A new polyisocyanurate sheathing from Dow uses recycled content and provides structural shear bracing, wraparound insulation, and a water-resistant barrier in one product.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2008

Decorative Ceiling Panel Uses Recycled Content

Chicago Metallic has introduced Monarch GE, a decorative ceiling panel system using gypsum and 70% recycled content from glass.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2008

A Low-Emissivity Coating That Really Works

Despite manufacturer claims, not all insulating coatings are created equal. Coatings with ceramic particles are not effective, but coatings with metallic particles, like LO/MIT-II from SOLEC-Solar Energy Corporation, can reduce radiant heat transfer.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2008

PureWood: Chemical-Free Preserved Wood

PureWood is a thermally modified wood decking that achieves decay resistance and dimensional stability through a process that exposes the wood to very high temperatures and steam, rather than chemicals. Although totally natural, it is energy-intensive to produce.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2008

Formaldehyde-Free Bamboo Flooring from EcoTimber

Environmental Building News—March 1, 2008
Member Comments

More Solar Gain, Not R-Value, Better for Heating Climates

Steven Konstantino says, “Thermotech has been manufacturing windows with very low U-Values for years and has always addressed solar orientation in selection of...” More...

pat sapinsley says, “WIndows, solar heat gain and R value Posted by pat sapinsley on May 2, 2008, 06:25 PM The...” More...

pat sapinsley says, “The real solution was discussed in a June 2006 EBN article. Dynamic glazing, which allows solar heat gain to enter...” More...


Boulder County Limits Energy Use for Homes

Kim Calomino says, “The BuildSmart code enacted by Boulder County, Colorado, is unreasonable, impracticable, over reaching, and is going to be very costly...” More...


Universities Gain New Sustainability Reporting Tool

Allyson Wendt says, “A draft of STARS is now available for public comment from AASHE. The public comment period goes through May 9...” More...


How the Sun's Path Can Inform Design

Mark Smith says, “Using the sun instead of roads as the primary organization principle, solar orientation can be applied to production SFD and...” More...


Revolutionary Vacuum Glass Coming from Guardian

Laura Catanzaro says, “What would the R-value be of the frame of such a window?” More...


Incorporate Passive Survivability into Building Codes

Claire Barnett says, “This is a particular strong issue for schools everywhere, since schools are large community facilities often used as shelters in...” More...


LEED Delivers on Predicted Energy Savings

Nadav Malin says, “The complete report based on the data mention in this article is now available for download from New Buildings Institute:...” More...