Building Science
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Building Science
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Avoiding the Global Warming Impact of Insulation
Feature Article
Insulation is key to reducing carbon emissions from buildings. But the blowing agent in extruded polystyrene and spray polyurethane foam offsets much of that benefit.
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Passive House Arrives in North America: Could It Revolutionize the Way We Build?
Feature Article
The Passive House standard, imported from Germany, sets a high bar for energy performance in buildings. But some see it as inflexible and inappropriate for some U.S. climates.
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Commercial Kitchens: Cooking Up Green Opportunities
Feature Article
Commercial kitchens run energy- and water-intensive equipment for long hours, sometimes even when not in use. While the challenges of saving water and energy in commercial kitchens are daunting, they're not insurmountable. Careful equipment selection and a commitment to conscientious kitchen practices can dramatically cut down on waste-and utility bills.
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Design for Adaptation: Living in a Climate-Changing World
Feature Article
Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow, rising global temperatures would still bring major changes to the climate system and our way of life. This article offers solutions for designing buildings that not only mitigate our impact on the global climate, but also adapt to the changes that are coming-and those that are already here.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Porous Paving
Explainer
Pavement that allows infiltration of stormwater comes in a variety of types, and offers many environmental and even cost benefits.
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Graywater Collection and Use
Explainer
If properly stored and separated from potable water, graywater collected from sinks, showers, and clothes washers can be used to irrigate landscaping.
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Using Fly Ash in Concrete
Explainer
Fly ash lowers the environmental footprint of concrete and improves durability. Pouring and curing concrete with high levels of fly ash requires special treatment.
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Reducing Heat Flow Through Windows
Explainer
Bringing daylight into a building through windows usually means a loss of heat; low-emissivity coatings, multiple panes, and gas fills can make windows more energy-efficient.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Aerogel Coating May Reduce Thermal Bridging
Product Review
Thermal breaks can be pricey and may affect structural integrity. Aerolon is a non-structural alternative designed to have similar benefits.
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Sewage-Source Heat Pumps Turn Wastewater to Warmth
Product Review
International Wastewater’s heat pumps provide heating or cooling using sewage and don’t require dual plumbing.
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A New Place to Store Rainwater: The Fence
Product Review
Created by a 14-year-old student for a science fair, Water Fence provides an innovative solution for storing large volumes of water.
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Faucets That Combat Infection Without Wasting Water
Product Review
New technology from Rada helps prevent life-threatening Legionella and other pathogens from growing in pipes and faucets—a big problem in healthcare.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Building Carbon Caps to Scale Up with New Coalition
News Analysis
Building performance standards like NYC’s carbon limits could spread across the U.S. as the Biden administration assists 33 jurisdictions that have joined a new coalition.
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New York State Tackles Electrification, Embodied Carbon
News Brief
Governor Kathy Hochul has laid out plans for widespread building electrification and signed a law regarding low-embodied-carbon concrete.
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NYC Carbon Caps Could Cost More in Frontline Communities
News Brief
New York City’s building performance standard will be a breeze for many but potentially harder in “environmental justice communities,” says a recent report on carbon trading.
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Biden Orders Carbon-Neutral Federal Government by 2050
News Analysis
New policies from Biden's executive order will require carbon-free electricity and embodied carbon disclosure for building materials, and could limit procurement of products with PFAS.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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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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