OVERVIEW
We rarely think about our building products beyond their immediate impact on a building or its indoor air quality. But we should.
How much energy does it take to make a product? What are the raw materials? How much does the product contribute to global warming?
These questions are not addressed by most green product programs, but the resources found here look at products and materials throughout their life cycles, including through:
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life-cycle assessments
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environmental product declarations
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carbon accounting
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embodied energy
With additional knowledge, you will have a more nuanced view of why products are environmentally sustainable and how they can be improved in the future.
IN-DEPTH
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How to Read an EPD: 7 Tips from the Field (Video)
Primer
In this short video primer, Arup engineer Frances Yang explains how to get what you need from environmental product declarations.
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What’s an EPD? Environmental Product Declaration FAQs
Feature Short
We answer FAQs on EPDs, which allow manufacturers to disclose a product’s carbon footprint and other impacts.
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Getting the EPD Credit in LEED v4: Atlanta Stadium
Feature Short
Innovations go far deeper than a stunning, biomimetic roof. The Atlanta Falcons’ new stadium aims to bring green building to the masses.
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Apples to Pineapples: Four Reasons You Can’t Compare EPDs
Feature Short
We’d love to use transparency tools to compare products “apples-to-apples.” But we’ve got a long way to go.
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LEED v4 and EPDs: How’s That Market Disruption Working Out for You?
Feature Short
More EPDs are appearing as a result of LEED v4, even as problems with data quality get worked out on the fly.
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Opinion: How EPDs Are Improving Our Products—A Manufacturer’s Perspective
Op-Ed
Some manufacturers wonder if EPDs are worth the effort. Yes—and the business case is stronger than the marketing case.
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Carbon and Financial Payback Mismatched in Retrofits
News Brief
Lighting, windows, or the chiller? Choosing a retrofit package is all the more tricky when dollar and carbon ROI are at odds.
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Cross-Laminated Timber Could Save 4% on Building Costs
News Brief
Though cross-laminated timbers are still relatively rare, they are already cost-competitive and likely to get cheaper, an analysis suggests.
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Twenty-Year Payback for Embodied Carbon of Triple-Glazed Windows
News Brief
It takes almost 20 years for triple-glazed windows to save enough energy to overcome their additional embodied carbon, according to a new study.
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NYC Carbon Challenge Makes Headway in the Private Sector
News Analysis
With projects meeting New York’s steep goal of 30% less carbon ahead of schedule, the city calls on even more buildings to take on the challenge.
