In working on major updates and expansions to The BuildingGreen Guide to Insulation, we’ve had an opportunity to dig into some of the insulation products out there that you don't hear so much about. Some of what we’re found has been surprising.
Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) has been out of the spotlight, but going into a lot of buildings—often being referred to as Amino Foam.
LED light quality is still not very good, but a new California standard could change that, and prevent another CFL-style consumer rejection.
A would-be HVAC designer wonders if a ductless mini-split head can be hidden in a closet and connected to conventional ductwork.
This post by Scott Gibson first appeared on Green Building Advisor.
Managing moisture as intensely as we manage energy is key to building durability and indoor air quality (IAQ)
WUFI doesn’t kill buildings. Poor design, specification, and workmanship kill buildings.
With EarthCraft certification being a requirement, energy performance of homes in Serenbe is relatively good; transit options being planned will also help save energy.
A research engineer at Pella Windows finally offers some adult supervision for our benchtop tape tests.
This is part of an ongoing series. Read all the Sticky Business posts here.
The pending closure of Vermont’s only nuclear plant will hurt the local economy, but it could catalyze sustainable economic development
A new generation of CO2-based heat pumps could avoid the high global warming potential of standard refrigerants and generate much higher temperatures
Editor’s note: We updated this 2013 blog post on April 15, 2024, to reflect more recent advancements in CO2-based heat-pump water heaters. To learn more about another such product, see the April 2024 article by Brent Ehrlich “On-demand Water Heat Goes All Electric with Heat Pumps, CO₂.”
Paying attention to the various layers in a building envelope is critically important for ensuring air tightness and moisture management—and can be attractive, too.
