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.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
An Affordable Heat-Pump Water-Heater Retrofit
Product Review
AirTap is an affordable heat-pump module that can be retrofit onto a conventional electric or gas water heater. The unit has a first-hour rating of 42.5 gallons, an efficiency of 240%, and a GAMA-tested energy factor of 2.11.
-
Phoenix Solar Tank Does it All-Efficiently
Product Review
The Phoenix Solar hot water tank stores both primary solar-heated and secondary gas-heated water.
-
Colt's Faade Shading with Passive Control
Product Review
Colt International's Solarfin shading louvers with Girasol controller adjust automatically in response to solar exposure.
-
High-Efficiency Refrigerators and Freezers from SunDanzer
Product Review
SunDanzer offers small, DC-powered, highly insulated refrigerators and freezers.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
New Zero Energy Certification Powered by ILFI and NBI
News Brief
Focused solely on net-zero-energy performance, the new certification aims to distinguish projects that verify outcomes with actual data.
-
Scaling Up Engagement with Net-Zero-Energy Goals
News Analysis
The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and Architecture 2030 collaborate to scale up energy efficiency reporting and certification.
-
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.
-
LEED to Certify Entire Communities, Cities
News Brief
USGBC rolls out two new certifications based on actual performance tracked through the Arc platform.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.