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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Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building
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Why we will never understand the true impact of our buildings—and how we should try to anyway
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Innovative Products and Technology from the Greenbuild Expo
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Our product editors pick some winners from the expo floor at Greenbuild 2013 while raising questions about some materials.
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Go with the Flows: The Promise and Peril of Hygrothermal Modeling
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Tools modeling heat and moisture flows in building envelopes, such as WUFI, offer vital information for architects and engineers-but their misuse can do harm.
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Net-Zero Water and More: Moving Beyond “Low Flow”
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These emerging water strategies are finding momentum and filling the need to address efficiency and resilience on multiple scales.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Talk Perms Like a Pro: The Science of Water Vapor
Explainer
Faced with managing water vapor in buildings? Who isn’t? Put down that polyethylene and learn to talk like a building scientist.
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How Environmental Site Assessments Work
Explainer
Existing buildings and previously developed sites are great, but they often need environmental cleanup. An ESA is the first step.
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The Surprising Connection Between Water Conservation and Deadly Infections
Explainer
Legionella and other pathogens can proliferate in pipes and low-flow fixtures, threatening the health of vulnerable people.
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New Refrigerants, Less Global Warming
Explainer
HFOs usher in a new era of refrigerants and foam insulation blowing agents with low global warming potential.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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The First Practical Heliostat
Product Review
Practical Solar has introduced a simple heliostat system to reflect sunlight into buildings for lighting and space heating; future applications will include water heating and electricity generation.
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Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heaters
Product Review
Navien's demand water heaters use conventional and condensing stainless steel heat exchangers to produce hot water with an industry-best 0.98 energy factor.
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Retrofitting Exterior Foam on Existing Walls
Product Review
The R-etro System from Quad-Lock makes installing exterior foam for deep-energy retrofits easier and less expensive.
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Convia's Energy-Management Platform
Product Review
Convia and Wiremold have partnered to provide a modular, highly adjustable energy distribution infrastructure and reporting tool.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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DOE To Ban Multi-Spray Showerheads
News Analysis
DOE has issued a ruling limiting shower systems to 2.5 gallons of water per minute total, shocking plumbing manufacturers and water conservationists alike.
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Preliminary Study Supports LEED Productivity Benefits
News Analysis
Workers moving from existing buildings to new LEED-certified buildings were surveyed for before-and-after health and productivity changes.
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D.C. Energy Performance Ratings Set National Precedent
News Analysis
Energy waste in Washington D.C.'s public buildings is getting increased scrutiny as performance numbers are released under a new statute.
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World Trade Center Construction Uses Onsite Composting
News Analysis
The One World Trade Center construction project in New York has been using food and waste composting systems during the first phase of construction, to be completed in 2013.
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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