Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency involves a set of strategies that can be used to reduce the consumption of energy—especially fossil-fuel energy—in buildings. These strategies include:

  • monitoring energy use

  • improving building commissioning

  • applying insights from building science

  • selecting innovative HVAC and building envelope technology

  • using natural ventilation and daylighting to provide low-cost alternatives to standard systems

Energy Efficiency

Deep Dives

Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.

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  • The Challenge of Existing Homes: Retrofitting for Dramatic Energy Savings

    Feature Article

    Greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential energy use account for a fifth of all emissions in the U.S. Retrofitting existing houses to achieve a two- to three-fold reduction in energy use is necessary if we are to achieve the emissions reductions scientists say are required for avoiding catastrophic climate change. Here's a look at how it can be done.

  • Piping in Perspective: Selecting Pipe for Plumbing in Buildings

    Feature Article

    Potable water supply piping and drain-waste-vent piping represent a significant fraction of a building's materials. Choosing the greenest pipe for both applications, particularly deciding between metal pipe and plastic alternatives, requires evaluating a variety of environmental and human health impacts as well as durability and performance issues.

  • In the Pipeline: District Energy and Green Building

    Feature Article

    Very common in northern Europe, district energy systems use a network of buried, insulated pipes to distribute centrally produced steam, hot water, or chilled water to heat or cool multiple buildings. These systems can make use of waste heat from power generation (combined heat and power) or renewable fuel sources to help reduce the environmental impacts of buildings and communities.

  • The Evolution of Exit Signs (and Why the Latest is a Bad Idea)

    Feature Article

    Searching for reliable, energy-efficient exit signs, EBN's Alex Wilson explains why photoluminescent exit signs, one of the newest "energy-saving" devices, are one of the worst from a total-energy-use standpoint. The article reviews current technology, including LED and electroluminescent exit signs, and offers recommendations.

Quick Takes

Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.

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Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.

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  • Infrared Cameras Provide View of Building Performance

    Product Review

    Infrared cameras are valuable, non-invasive tools for diagnosing potential problems in buildings and electrical and mechanical equipment.

  • Pentadyne GTX: Backup Power from a Flywheel

    Product Review

    The Pentadyne GTX supplies short-term power, without the use of lead-acid batteries, to cover the time between a power anomaly and the start of the generator.

  • Heat-Pump Water Heaters Ready for Prime Time

    Product Review

    Heat-pump water heaters offer significantly greater water heating efficiency than conventional electric water heaters. EBN takes a look at three new products, along with two existing products and one that is expected out soon.

  • Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heaters

    Product Review

    Navien's demand water heaters use conventional and condensing stainless steel heat exchangers to produce hot water with an industry-best 0.98 energy factor.

In The News

We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.

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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Just For Fun

Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...

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