Comfort
Chartwell School puts students first with an emphasis on natural daylighting and other passive comfort strategies.
A focus on comfort in building design means a focus on people and their ability to work, learn, and heal. The connection between thermal, acoustical, and other types of comfort and productivity in the workplace is well established.
Because of this, investing in the comfort of occupants is one of the most cost-effective green design strategies. It’s also just common sense: buildings aren’t here for their own sake; they’re here for us.
Comfort
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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How to Access the Full Power of Biophilia
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People wither physically and mentally without nature. Biophilic design is a remedy and a foundation for regenerative design all at the same time.
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Is Using Smart Glass Smart?
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Electrochromic glazing holds the promise of less glare and better energy efficiency with fewer attachments. The reality is much more complicated.
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Designing for the Next Century's Weather
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How do you create a climate-responsive building in a changing climate? Brand new modeling techniques are helping us figure it out.
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Boost Happiness and Save Energy with Adaptive Thermal Comfort
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Adaptive thermal comfort is an emerging practice designed to save energy while keeping occupants more satisfied.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Neuroarchitecture: Thinking with Our Buildings
Explainer
Can the fields of cognitive science and neuroscience improve the built environment? Those studying neuroarchitecture think so.
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Acoustic Ecology: Designing for the Ear
Explainer
By engaging our sense of hearing, and our sonological competence, design can improve our ability to listen to and know the places we inhabit.
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Glazing Performance Metrics
Explainer
A few key metrics are important for understanding the thermal performance of glazing units used in curtainwalls and windows.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Greenest Greenbuild Products for the Indoor Environment and More
Product Review
We look at products that improve indoor environmental quality and check in on advances from previous Top 10 winners.
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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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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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Acoustic Panels: Cutting through the Product Noise
Product Review
Choosing interior acoustic products that contain fewer potentially hazardous materials will improve the overall interior environmental quality without compromising designs.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Future Heat Waves Will Kill Power and AC—and People
News Analysis
Passive cooling strategies are surprisingly effective, even as heat waves become more extreme.
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How to Use the Right Tools to Design for Climate Change
News Analysis
Weather files that help designers plan for climate change will soon be readily available. ASHRAE design conditions still lag.
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Two Books on Mold and Indoor Air
News Brief
Two new books, "Carpet Monsters and Killer Spores: A Natural History of Toxic Mold," by Nicholas P. Money, and "My Office is Killing Me!: The Sick Building Survival Guide," by Jeffrey C. May, offer a critical understanding of a range of issues relating to mold and indoor air quality in general.
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Greenguard Mold Protection Program Takes Off
News Brief
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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