OVERVIEW
The days of the windowless box are over!
Why? Because investing in the humans who live, work, play, and heal in our buildings is one of the most cost-effective green design strategies there is. It’s also just common sense: buildings aren’t here for their own sake; they’re here for us.
These resources look at rigorous scientific data on the value of comfort. They also present strategies for focusing on the human element of design and construction—without ever forgetting the importance of conserving water and energy.
IN-DEPTH
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Overcooled Offices Impair Thinking
News Brief
New research shows a warmer setpoint combined with personal fans saves energy while maintaining occupant comfort and performance levels in tropical climates.
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Neuroarchitecture: Thinking with Our Buildings
Primer
Can the fields of cognitive science and neuroscience improve the built environment? Those studying neuroarchitecture think so.
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Smog Outdoors Saps Worker Productivity Indoors
News Brief
75% of small particulates in outdoor air pollution come indoors and cause workers to be less productive, putting a $2 billion dent in China’s service sector.
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Demand-Controlled Ventilation: Fresh Air Only When You Need It
Primer
Balancing the need for fresh air with minimizing energy use is difficult. Demand-controlled ventilation is the responsive solution.
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Verifying Project Outcomes: Which Metrics Work?
Feature Short
Project success is increasingly tied to performance metrics, especially EUI. But that doesn’t always capture what owners are really looking for.
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Demountable Walls: Here to Redeem the Open Office
Product Review
These movable partitions preserve the flexibility of an open office and provide the acoustical privacy office workers say they want.
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Circadian Rhythm and the Role of Lighting
Primer
LEDs with color tuning are now being sold, but do we really have the light formula for waking us up and putting us to sleep?
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The Best Indoor LED Luminaires of 2016
Product Review
Winners of an annual DOE competition represent some of the best LED lighting for decorative pendants, downlights, and healthcare.
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Standard Effective Temperature: A Metric for Thermal Comfort and Resilience
Primer
Do you know how hot or cold your building would be if the power went out? You could be using thermal modeling to find out.
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Three Ways to Find Sustainable Textiles, and Seven of the Best Brands
Product Review
A complex supply chain makes finding sustainable textiles for furnishings, draperies, panel fabrics, and other applications a challenge, but there are shortcuts.
