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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Design Strategies for Occupant Engagement—and Why They Boost Performance
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Researchers reveal simple ways to empower occupants to reduce energy, water, and waste. It all starts with good design.
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What Makes Plumbing Green? BuildingGreen’s Guide to Plumbing Products
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People like a clean flush and a long shower, but water is getting scarcer. Selecting the right building products can meet both needs.
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What Makes the Building Envelope Green? BuildingGreen’s Guide to Thermal & Moisture Protection Products
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From insulation to flashing tape to cladding, we look at the attributes of the greenest building envelope products.
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Energy Modeling For Sustainability
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Evolving software for modeling energy dynamics makes it easier for architects and engineers to design green buildings.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Demand-Controlled Ventilation: Fresh Air Only When You Need It
Explainer
Balancing the need for fresh air with minimizing energy use is difficult. Demand-controlled ventilation is the responsive solution.
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Building Enclosure Commissioning: Ensuring Durable and Energy-Efficient Buildings
Explainer
The building envelope is crucial for all other building systems. How can we use commissioning to make sure it performs?
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Designing for Daylighting
Explainer
In addition to making your space more pleasant visually, daylighting reduces the need for electric lighting.
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Reading Sustainability
Explainer
What are the books that all designers should read? This reading list on sustainable design, gathered from experts, is a mini-degree on green building.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Mineral Wool Residential and Commercial Insulation
Product Review
Mineral wool insulation offers a good alternative to foam-based insulation, with fewer hazardous chemicals.
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Silva Cell Facilitates Urban Tree Growth
Product Review
The Silva Cell provides a framework that supports streetscapes and paved surfaces and encloses uncompacted subsurface soil so it can be used for tree-root growth or stormwater mitigation.
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Pentadyne GTX: Backup Power from a Flywheel
Product Review
The Pentadyne GTX supplies short-term power, without the use of lead-acid batteries, to cover the time between a power anomaly and the start of the generator.
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Active Chilled Beams: Saving Energy and Space
Product Review
Active chilled beams use a combination of chilled water, finned heat-exchanger coils, and ventilation air to induce air flows that supply cooling and heating in commercial buildings.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Air Dryer Claims Lower Impact Than Paper Towels
News Analysis
If you thought paper towels were a better option than the hand dryer, think again.
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Study: Learning Can Be Harmed by Classroom Design
News Analysis
A new study from England identifies six design parameters with significant impacts on student performance.
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Heat-Pump Clothes Dryers Really Work, Study Confirms
News Analysis
The technology, prevalent in Europe, could be adapted for super-sized American laundry loads.
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Window Film: An Overlooked Retrofit Option?
News Analysis
In mild climates, window film pays for itself faster than more popular retrofits, an industry report argues.
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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