OVERVIEW
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:
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slowing down climate change
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dealing with global water shortages
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avoiding depletion of nonrenewable resources
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preventing public health problems associated with manufacturing
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righting social wrongs
Here we set the scene, providing context that can help get—and keep—everyone on the same page about project goals.
IN-DEPTH
Filter results:
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Why Standing Rock Matters to Green Building (and How You Can Help)
September 15, 2016Op-Ed
The green building community must choose its battles carefully. And Standing Rock should be one of those battles.
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Building Products Matter Even More Than We Thought
September 7, 2016Op-Ed
Operational energy use is critical, but materials might be an even bigger part of the solution to climate change and other pressing environmental issues.
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WELL to Be Led by USGBC Founder Rick Fedrizzi
July 6, 2016News Brief
USGBC chair Rick Fedrizzi, who led the growth of LEED, will take over leadership of IWBI and its WELL Building Standard later this year.
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A Quarter Century of Changing the World
July 6, 2016Op-Ed
Going on 25 years, we still don’t have all the answers. What gets us excited about the next 25? Working with you to ask the right questions.
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Cutting Emissions as Cities Grow: 8 Actions from WRI
June 1, 2016News Brief
Energy efficiency is a prime investment in an era of rapid urbanization, saving $2 for every $1 invested, according to a new report.
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Non-Hazardous Deep-Cycle Batteries for On or Off the Grid
May 3, 2016Product Review
Aquion offers high-performance “saltwater” energy storage without lead, sulfuric acid, or flammable lithium salts.
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AIA’s 2016 Top Ten Span Difficult Building Types
April 22, 2016News Analysis
From a lab to a museum to a grocery store, this year’s COTE Top Ten awards showcase impressive energy savings in buildings with intensive energy usage.
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The 8 Shades of Greenwash: How Many Do You Recognize?
November 25, 2014Infographic
Most building products these days have an environmental angle to their sales pitches. Many are legit, but as ever, you still have to watch for the telltale signs of greenwash—the practice of inventing or exaggerating the environmental benefits of a product.
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The Living Building Challenge Loves Me... It Loves Me Not
December 19, 2014Infographic
Each Living Building Challenge (LBC) petal can elevate teams to new heights—or at times be the cause of unrequited love.
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How Boston Reduced Its Carbon Footprint
April 4, 2016Feature 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.
