The Big Picture

Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. License: CC BY 2.0

It’s easy to get caught up in the details—earning one more LEED point or getting that documentation you need for recycled content.

But it’s a lot easier to achieve all the project goals if the owner and the whole project team are in agreement about why you’re putting in all this work in the first place. Stuff like:

  • slowing down climate change

  • dealing with global water shortages

  • avoiding depletion of nonrenewable resources

  • preventing public health problems associated with manufacturing

  • righting social wrongs

Here we set the scene, providing context that can help get—and keep—everyone on the same page about project goals.

The Big Picture

Deep Dives

Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.

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  • Wal-Mart: Every Day Low... Impact?

    Feature Article

    The world's largest company claims to have embraced environmental responsibility in everything from its supply chains to its waste stream, with goals of creating a prototype store with 30% lower greenhouse gas emissions within four years and doubling trucking efficiency within ten years. But how big a difference can the shift make, and is it enough?

  • Six Ways Existing Buildings Can Save the Planet

    Feature Short

    Renovations, retrofits, and better-informed O&M will determine how quickly the developed world slows its carbon emissions.

  • How Boston Reduced Its Carbon Footprint

    Feature Short

    Building operations represent 75% of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s what we can learn from the city’s work on ambitious climate goals.

  • Progress on 2030 Goals, Ten Years Later

    Feature Short

    The number of firms committing to 2030 carbon targets has more than doubled, and 8,182 project teams reported in 2014. But what about the carbon?

Quick Takes

Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.

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Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.

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In The News

We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.

Perspective

Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.

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  • Bringing Water Back into the Discussion

    Op-Ed

    Most Americans treat freshwater as if it were limitless and free, even as water shortage is becoming a reality in many areas of the United States. But there are many cost-effective ways to reduce that consumption.

  • When It's Greener To Build

    Op-Ed

    Building green is not just about reducing environmental impacts, but also about valuing the human need for harmony with the natural and built environments.

  • Staffing Changes at EBN

    Op-Ed

    EBN announces changes to its editorial team.

  • Reflections from Five Years on the USGBC Board

    Op-Ed

    EBN Executive Editor Alex Wilson reflects on five years of organizational growth he witnessed while on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Learning Resources

Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.

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Just For Fun

Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...

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