Vermont's winter and summer temperatures are both rising. Source: Alan Betts, Ph.D. Click on image to enlarge.

Which flush is which? Dual-flush fixtures should be better at making it obvious.

Editor's note: Thanks to Evan Dick for this guest post. Evan is a former writer from BuildingGreen and now works at the Center for EcoTechnology in Massachusetts.

For wood siding, preparing the surface is as important as the paint itself. Here are some factors to look for, or fix, to help that next paint job last. Premature paint failure is often caused by poor preparation.

The highly productive Kingsbury Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont in mid-August, 2011. Note the tracking PV modules in the background. Photo: Alex Wilson. Click on image to enlarge.

Energy modeling Q&A: first some answers on cost, and then it's your turn to ask (or answer) some questions. Chris Schaffner

There is so much confusion about energy modeling--what it should cost, what benefits it offers, how to approach it--that clear statements addressing these questions are like a breath of fresh air.

Going to BuildingEnergy this year? There are a lot of exciting sessions to choose from. Alex Wilson, a naturalist as well as a green building expert, knows a thing or two about being prepared.

It's easy to get lost in a sea of greenwash. Our updated GreenSpec criteria provide clear direction on what makes a product green.

BuildingGreen has been defining what makes a product green since the start of the GreenSpec directory in 1998--and we're repeatedly surprised by how far and wide our list of green attributes travels. The industry is not static, though, and it is our aim to continue providing a compass that points from today's best practices to truly sustainable materials management.

There are plenty of products that simply aren't efficient, low-emitting, or sustainable. but here are some products that have a lot going for them, but also have some serious flaws.

 

A pedestrian-friendly, walkable community was created in Annapolis, Maryland, making getting around without cars much more feasible. Photo: Dan Burden. Click on image to enlarge.

Free Webcast: LEED Energy Reporting Made Easy: Fulfilling LEED-2009 MPR #6 Tues. Feb. 28, 2012 | 1 p.m. Eastern Time

When the Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) were introduced in 2009, it quickly became clear that MPR #6 would be perhaps the most controversial and the most difficult to comply with. Under the requirements of MPR #6, certified LEED-2009 projects are committed to sharing whole-building energy and water usage data.

The Army is still going for Gold and Platinum despite recent legislation calling a halt to LEED spending. Fort Carson is piloting net-zero energy, water, and waste--and expects to meet that target by 2020.

Lighter, more fire-resistant, and a better insulator, autoclaved aerated concrete caught on in the rest of the world ages ago. It's taking a lot longer in the U.S. The porous AAC structure comes from being "leavened" with aluminum. Photo: H+H UK

July, 2011 dust storm in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Militec, Inc. Click on image to enlarge.

Will environmental product declarations end greenwashing for good? Not so fast. This is Part 3 in our series on transparency. Part 1: Why We Care About Product Transparency Part 2: Why We Need "Nutrition Labels" for Building Products

  This green wall covers the exterior of Whole Foods in Vancouver, BC.