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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Measuring Drywall Against Environmental Standards
Product Review
Drywall is one of the most ubiquitous building materials. A new UL standard aims to reduce its energy impact and toxicity in landfills.
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What Is Building Science, Anyway?
Primer
Building science is an integrated discipline that stands many conventional design and construction ideas on their heads.
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BioPCM: Finally, a Low-Cost, Practical Phase-Change Material
Product Review
A sea change for phase-change materials? BioPCM brings phase change into the 21st century with biobased mats.
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Open Offices Engender Collaborative, Transparent Workplaces
News Analysis
Open workspaces are increasingly popular, and thoughtful design can help ease the transition.
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Dampness Causes Health Problems, But Mold Pathways Remain Unknown
News Brief
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Radio Frequency Exposure from Smart Meters Very Low, Says Study
News Brief
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Preliminary Study Supports LEED Productivity Benefits
News Analysis
Workers moving from existing buildings to new LEED-certified buildings were surveyed for before-and-after health and productivity changes.
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High-Efficiency, Variable-Speed Pumps from Wilo and Grundfos
Product Review
Advanced, variable-speed, "smart" pumps from the German company Wilo and the Danish company Grundfos offer significant energy savings for hydronic heating systems and other circulation systems.
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New Standard 55: 'Cool People, Not Buildings'
News Brief
Changes to ASHRAE Standard 55 will allow building operators to turn up fans, instead of air-conditioning, to keep people cool in warm conditions.
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Adaptive Thermal Comfort
Primer
Adaptive thermal comfort broadens our understanding of the comfort zone by accounting for human behavior and perception, and factors like amount of clothing and air movement.
