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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What Makes Plumbing Green? BuildingGreen’s Guide to Plumbing Products
Feature Article
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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Design Strategies for Occupant Engagement—and Why They Boost Performance
Feature Article
Researchers reveal simple ways to empower occupants to reduce energy, water, and waste. It all starts with good design.
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How to Succeed with the Living Building Challenge: 12 Teams Share Tips
Feature Article
The bar is high—that’s obvious—but watch out for some surprising pitfalls. Here’s how dedicated teams have tackled Living Building challenges.
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Cladding: More Than Just a Pretty Façade
Feature Article
Cladding materials should be chosen to minimize environmental impacts and help maximize a building’s energy performance.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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How Active Dehumidification Works
Explainer
Whether you choose a refrigerant-based or a desiccant-based system, dehumidifiers use energy and produce waste heat.
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Post-Occupancy Evaluations: Ignorance Isn't Bliss
Explainer
POEs tell you everything you ever wanted to know about your buildings. Don't be afraid to ask.
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Radiant Barriers and Reflective Insulation
Explainer
Shiny materials control radiant heat flow, but there is a great deal of misinformation about these systems.
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Water Budgets: A Holistic Look at Efficiency
Explainer
Developing a water budget for a building can identify opportunities for savings that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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An Award-Winning Energy Management Outlet
Product Review
RAB’s Lightcloud Outlet enables wireless monitoring and control of plug loads while allowing for demand response and other energy-saving scheduling.
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A Plug-and-Play Hydronic System that Captures VRF Waste Heat
Product Review
The LG Hydro Kit, now sized for residential and multi-family use, captures waste heat from its Multi V heat pumps to provide a fossil-fuel-free source of hot and cold water for space heating or domestic hot water.
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Mag Lev Chiller uses Low-Global-Warming-Potential Refrigerant
Product Review
YORK YZ Magnetic Bearing Centrifugal Chiller is the first chiller to be optimized for use with a low-GWP hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant.
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A New Foam-Free Sub-Slab Insulation
Product Review
Foam glass aggregate made from post-consumer recycled glass bottles can replace both foam insulation and aggregate below grade.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Yay, Your Building Is Net Zero! Meaning … What Exactly?
News Analysis
ASHRAE 228 aims to replace the Department of Energy’s “gold standard” definition of net-zero energy—and it adds carbon to the mix.
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Resilience SOS: How to Save Kids’ Minds, Lungs, and Housing
News Analysis
Global heating is already making today’s children more vulnerable, a new EPA report reveals. Adaptation measures are needed to protect them.
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Investors Will Use EPIC Tool to Decarbonize Existing Assets
News Brief
Galvanize Climate Solutions commissioned a custom version of EHDD’s software to locate real estate with financial and sustainability potential.
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COTE Top Ten for 2023 Provide Open Space Teeming with Life
News Analysis
The COTE Top Ten for 2023 promote biodiversity, equitable access to nature, and other positive outcomes for occupants, owners, and broader energy and water systems.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Testing Pressure-Sensitive Tapes: Rounds Two and Three
Blog Post
Tension and pressure, tears and creeps. The Wingnut Test Facility (WTF) gets dope-slapped in our latest round of experiments.
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Plastics Industry Still Shouting "Fire" At Its Own Peril
Op-Ed
The foam insulation industry's united stand against code changes could backfire in the marketplace.
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4 Insider Tips for Choosing Flashing Tapes, from a Real-Life Engineer
Blog Post
A research engineer at Pella Windows finally offers some adult supervision for our benchtop tape tests.
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7 Tips to Get More from Mini-Split Heat Pumps in Colder Climates
Blog Post
Air-to-air heat pumps are getting more popular as a primary heat source in colder climates. Here’s how to get the most from your system.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
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