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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When Passive House Goes Big
Feature Article
More projects are proving Passive House is achievable for large urban buildings. The lessons learned along the way can help guide cities to a low-energy, resilient future.
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The Cost of Comfort: Climate Change and Refrigerants
Feature Article
Refrigerants with very high global warming potential can negate the energy-efficiency benefits of many HVAC systems, including popular heat pumps.
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Mind the Gaps: Making Existing Buildings More Airtight
Feature Article
Leaky building enclosures create health hazards, comfort problems, and high energy bills. Fixing them isn’t rocket science; but you’d better know your building science.
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Why Schools Are Embracing Net-Zero Energy
Feature Article
Schools are leading the way in net-zero energy, but some designers question whether these goals create the best learning environments.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Capillary Breaks: How to Get Them Right the First Time
Explainer
Most people understand that they need drainage—but they forget to plan for the water that flows uphill, and disaster can result.
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The Embodied Energy of Tap Water
Explainer
A third of the annual energy bill paid by a municipality goes toward water treatment. Here’s why clean water uses so much energy.
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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.
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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.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Faucets
Product Guide
Bathroom faucets and aerators with a flow rate of 1.0 gpm or less, plus other unique water-saving tech
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Toilets
Product Guide
These residential and commercial models meet WaterSense criteria for efficiency and performance.
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Urinals
Product Guide
Waterless urinals and high-efficiency fixtures that use 0.25 gallons per flush or less
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Heat-Pump Water Heaters
Product Guide
Heat-pump water heaters are preferable to gas or electric resistance. Those that use CO2 as a refrigerant are future-proofed against refrigerant phaseouts and are also the most efficient.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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IRA’s 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program provides a tax credit to homeowners for energy efficiency improvements in residential homes.
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The IRA’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program will administer grants and loans to owners or sponsors of HUD-assisted multifamily housing to improve its resilience and quality.
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IRA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program funds clean-energy projects, including building-scale technologies, primarily through grants to nonprofit financial institutions.
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IRA’s Section 48 Investment Tax Credit for Energy Property: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program provides a tax credit for investment in renewable energy projects. It includes bonus credit for projects in energy communities and projects that use certain amounts of U.S.-manufactured products, including steel and iron.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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SonicLQ: Reconnecting Acoustics and Airtightness
Blog Post
Early on in our work on energy-efficient homes, the connection between airtightness and sound centered on airport noise; now a new technology reconnects acoustics and air leakage
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Pete’s Puzzle: Mold on Painted Clapboards is Food for Thought
Blog Post
There is mold on the factory-primed, latex top-coated wood clapboards on the south but not the north side of our house
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Combining Sheathing With a WRB and Air Barrier
Blog Post
How well do Zip and ForceField sheathing integrate a structural panel with bulk water and air management?
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Do You Understand Sustainable Design? Nine Quick Ways to Find Out
Blog Post
We asked architects how they evaluate someone’s sustainability literacy in a single question.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Spotlight Report
In this report, we list eight ways that NZE projects miss the mark on climate goals, including how they affect the electricity grid, transportation, embodied carbon, and resilience, and how we can course-correct to achieve our goals.
Just For Fun
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