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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Making Air Barriers that Work: Why and How to Tighten Up Buildings
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Incorporating a continuous air barrier into a building's design and construction can save energy and improve the indoor environment, among other benefits. The right materials and assemblies can help accomplish that goal, but careful attention during design and close oversight during construction are essential.
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Counting Carbon: Understanding Carbon Footprints of Buildings
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Everyone seems to be talking about measuring carbon footprints and designing carbon-neutral buildings, but these terms mean different things to different people. Some focus just on operating energy, while others also look at transportation, materials, and other building-related emissions. As with so many things, the results depend on what you count and how you count it.
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Ductless Mini-Splits and Their Kin: The Revolution in Variable-Refrigerant-Flow Air Conditioning
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Ductless split systems using heat pumps and variable refrigerant flow offer an energy-efficient alternative to conventional heating and air-conditioning systems for a variety of settings, from homes to hotels and schools. Three major manufacturers-Daikin, Mitsubishi, and Sanyo-offer the greatest variety of products.
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Water Policies: Encouraging Conservation
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Conserving water goes beyond building design and technology. Water use is governed by federal, state, and local policies, from maximum flow requirements to pricing structures that encourage or discourage conservation.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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What Is Building Science, Anyway?
Explainer
Building science is an integrated discipline that stands many conventional design and construction ideas on their heads.
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How Smart Windows Work
Explainer
Smart windows have a lot of energy-saving potential, but can they really pass the test in the marketplace?
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Radon Risks and Prevention
Explainer
Radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., can get into our homes and bodies without us knowing it-and its presence doesn't depend on geology or locale.
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Dry-Bulb? Wet-Bulb? What's the Difference?
Explainer
Dry-bulb and wet-bulb thermometers measure two different types of heat. Understanding them is crucial to understanding building science.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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New Admixture Solves Concrete's Weaknesses
Product Review
A new concrete admixture, Hycrete, could come to replace a variety of waterproofing and corrosion-proofing membranes and coatings applied to concrete.
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Cardinal Introduces New LoE3 Glass
Product Review
The nation's largest manufacturer of low-emissivity glass for residential windows has introduced an improved triple-coated glass, now being used by several window makers.
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Cold-Cathode CFLs from Litetronics
Product Review
The same technology that backlights laptop computer screens is making its way into decorative and area lighting.
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Reflector LED Lamps from Lighting Science Group
Product Review
A manufacturer has introduced the first full-dimming LED lamp bright enough for general illumination.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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BIM Companies Acquiring Energy Modeling Capabilities
News Analysis
Major building information modeling (BIM) software companies Autodesk and Bentley Systems have announced acquisitions that will give them energy modeling and other sustainable design capabilities.
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Wal-Mart Introduces Second Generation of High-Efficiency Stores
News Analysis
Following a long program of testing green practices in experimental stores, Wal-Mart is now building high-efficiency stores that are expected to be 25% more energy efficient than conventional stores, but critics say that's not enough.
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Energy Star Labels for LED Lighting
News Analysis
Energy Star ratings for LED light fixtures, to become effective in September 2008, provide assurance that products have been tested to meet a wide range of performance and durability specifications.
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New Type of Waterless Urinal Cartridge Focus of Lawsuit
News Analysis
A new type of cartridge for waterless urinals uses an elastomeric membrane as a trap and potentially lasts much longer than conventional cartridges. But it has been at the center of a legal settlement in which its manufacturer agreed not to sell it for use with certain urinals.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Tape It? Seal It? Glue It? Sealing Weather Barrier Seams
Blog Post
Lots of building products offer some help in keeping air, water, and heat in our buildings, but without attention to the joints, you lose critical continuity in your barriers.
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Breaking the Bonds of Bad Sealant Jobs
Blog Post
Seals at window openings and other penetrations need to be done right the first time. Are your seals failing because of the most common application error—forgetting the bond break?
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How to Choose a Sealant That Works
Blog Post
Any sealant can perform well in the right application, but knowing which to pick for your job is another thing. Our guide to sealants and how to use them.
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Stickiness Explained! Making Building Tapes and Membranes Stay Put
Blog Post
When you use tape to seal a seam or flash a sill, you need peel-and-stick performance—not “stick-and-peel.”
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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