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An ecological argument for why men should follow the female example and sit down.

by Allyson Wendt

Men should pee sitting down. Now before you call me a strident feminist, let me say that I'm backed up on this one by male colleagues and the reasons aren't what you think.

What are the latest updates and changes to the LEED AP program? What's the latest with CIRs (credit interpretation rulings)? How are professionals currently tackling key LEED credits?
Exterior shades is one way to keep out direct sunlight during hot summer days.

In the wake of the pictures of that 13-story apartment building that fell over, here's video of a multistory factory building rolling over and coming to rest upside-down, largely intact.

Success and failure are often matters of perspective.
Chart from the feature (requires login):Human Health and Environmental Concerns with Polystyrene Constituents

(click image to enlarge)

The hazards of a poorly sealed crawl space: 1) Roof runoff and improper grading allow water to collect, where it can enter the crawlspace through cracks in the foundation walls. 2) Humid summer air enters the crawlspace through foundation vents and condenses. 3) Radon rises through the soil, into the crawlspace and ultimately into the living space. For more information, see Crawl Spaces.
Installation of Cedar Breather rainscreen material on house in Yarmouth, Maine.
Any college student writing a term paper on the history of the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED rating system, and criticisms of LEED over its history, now has a cheat sheet. The motherlode of research comes courtesy of Pat Murphy of Community Solutions, according to its website, "founded in 1940 as a ... non-profit organization that educates on the benefits and values of small local community living."
Twice each month, BuildingGreen publishes an email news bulletin with current news and product information briefs. Sign up here — it's free. We will never share or sell your email address, and you may unsubscribe at any time. Here's an unformatted, text-only version of the current bulletin: BuildingGreen Email News Bulletin— an overview of some of the fresh information in BuildingGreen Suite.

The U.S. Green Building Council just sent out information from a report written by McKinsey and Company about energy efficiency and its role in U.S. mitigation of climate change. Here's what they found:

12/1/09 Update: If you're looking to keep up to date on LEED 2009, I recommend checking out our own LEEDuser.com, which was recently launched
A variety of insulation types were used on this retrofit including blown-in celluose, rigid foam, and cotton batts.
Sucking air out is one way to clean up indoor air With an exhaust-only system, make-up air comes from air leaks in the building envelope. This drawing also shows passive air inlets in the walls.

As houses get tighter, they becaome less able to 'breathe' on their own -- they need mechanical ventilation. Put another way, energy efficient houses deserve healthy indoor air.