Net-zero-energy projects like NeoCity high school are helping Little Diversified Architectural Consulting progress toward climate goals. (Photo: Mark Herboth Photography)
News Analysis
How Climate Commitments Are Transforming Design
Many are struggling to hit 2030 Commitment targets and embodied carbon goals. We picked the brains of three architecture firms that are in the thick of it—and progressing.
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SPECIAL REPORT
SPEC THIS, NOT THAT
Avoiding Toxic Chemicals in Commercial Building Projects
CEUs:
3.5 AIA - LU|HSW
3.5 GBCI
Product Review
The Future of Home Energy Connectivity
Schneider’s Square D Energy Center can connect photovoltaics, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and “smart” meters and appliances.
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As weather becomes more extreme, the damage will be even more devastating—unless we raise the bar through codes and regulations. (Photo: South Carolina Air National Guard)
Feature Article + CEU Spotlight Report
An Advocate’s Guide to Resilience Regulations
Resilience is finding its place in city zoning and building codes. Here are some ideas to bring to your local government.
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Infographic
30 Years of Green Building in the U.S.
As The BuildingGreen Report (formerly Environmental Building News, or “EBN”) celebrates its 30th year of publication, we decided to track the growth—and explosion—of the green building movement.
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News Brief
24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Is the New Net-Zero
Des Moines, Iowa, joins Google in aiming for 24/7 carbon-free electricity—a target that necessitates managing energy loads in buildings.
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News Brief
A Building Electrification Roadmap to Promote Decarbonization
Every major end use for fossil fuels in buildings is ready to be electrified, according to a report from the New Buildings Institute.
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VIRTUAL EVENT
NESSBE 2021
Power of Place
Climate Action and Justice in the Built Environment
March 25-26, 2021
Learn more
Primer
Neutralizing the Downsides of Concrete
Concrete is a durable and necessary building material, but its carbon footprint is huge. Here’s a rundown of concrete’s tradeoffs and some solutions.
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Top 10 product winner RePurpose Energy uses batteries from electric vehicles as energy storage for renewable power. (Photo: RePurpose Energy)
Product Review
BuildingGreen Announces Top 10 Products for 2021
These innovative products reduce carbon emissions and include negative embodied carbon carpet, repurposed EV battery storage, carbon sequestering aggregate, and more.
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News Brief
DOE to Test Grid-Harmonization Tech in the Real World
Seven new “proving grounds” will test the effectiveness of new energy-efficiency and grid-harmonization strategies.
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News Brief
A Growing Embodied Carbon Library
The Carbon Leadership Forum has published a whole library on embodied carbon—and it’s crowdsourcing more resources every day.
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WINTER IS COMING
HVAC Strategies During COVID-19
Three engineers share what they’ve learned so far and give straight advice.
Free webcast
Available on demand
Featured Topic
Explore our full knowledge base »
SmithGroup uses HPDs in its selection process for projects large and small, including the million-square-foot MGM National Harbor Resort near Washington, D.C. HKS was the design architect. (Image: HKS and SmithGroup)
Material Health
Buildings shouldn’t harm their occupants. Is anything more fundamental than that? Yet many building materials contain toxic substances with the potential to make people sick. Finding and interpreting material health information is an emerging practice among building professionals.
LEARN THE BASICS
- What’s an HPD? Health Product Declaration FAQs
- WELL v2: What’s Changed?
- The High Price of Stain Resistance: Environmental Persistence
- Phthalate Plasticizer Toxicity Explained
GO DEEPER
- LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis
- Three Hazardous Textile Treatments and How to Avoid Them
- Why “Zero VOC” Was Never Enough
- How to Get from VOC Certifications to Better Products
RELATED TOPICS
Explore our full knowledge base »
Maintain Your Credentials
WELL AP Exam Study Guide
The best and only WELL AP study guide you’ll ever need. Use our guide and you’ll pass the exam on your first try—we guarantee it.
The Urgency of Embodied Carbon and What You Can Do About It
Building materials emit massive amounts of carbon long before the lights go on. In this PDF report, we take an analytical look at the greenhouse gases that are emitted in the process of constructing our buildings in the first place—the embodied carbon. We then offer strategies for reducing embodied carbon, with examples of projects that have succeeded in this regard.
Lighting Design for Health and Sustainability: A Guide for Architects
What do we mean when we say sustainable lighting? In this PDF report, we take a closer look at lighting as an essential element in quality environments that support health and wellness while reducing energy use.
Fundamentals of High-Performance Building Assemblies
This four-part course, designed for architects and builders, provides methodologies for how best to design and manage these details and achieve superior performance—while avoiding expensive pitfalls.
Introduction to Fitwel Certification
Are your clients asking you about wellness? You’re not alone. Employee health and wellbeing has been called the ‘second wave of sustainability.’ In this hour-long webinar, GreenStep Education’s Alex Spilger will walk you through Fitwel certification, including its requirements, lessons learned from Fitwel projects, and how Fitwel compares to other frameworks like WELL and LEED. We’ll also discuss how to earn the Fitwel Ambassador credential.
