Heating & Cooling
District heating systems provide economies of scale in large cities like Copenhagen.
HVAC—heating, cooling, and ventilation—is responsible for more than a third of energy use in commercial buildings in the U.S. Smart designs can easily save upwards of 40% of that energy, often with strategies that offer instant or short payback. And good design that focuses on thermal comfort supports healthier, more productive occupants.
Heating & Cooling
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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How IRA Can Take Ground-Source Heat Pumps Mainstream
Feature
Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act help GSHPs pay for themselves faster than conventional HVAC systems—with far better performance.
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In the Pipeline: District Energy and Green Building
Feature
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.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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New Refrigerants, Less Global Warming
Explainer
HFOs usher in a new era of refrigerants and foam insulation blowing agents with low global warming potential.
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Building Decarbonization: Learn the Lingo
Explainer
Building decarbonization 101 for architects, engineers, and sustainability consultants cutting emissions from building materials and operations.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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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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Cooling Giants Introduce Smaller Thermal Storage Units
Product Review
Trane and Carrier team up with Ice Energy to bring thermal energy storage to the mainstream. Distributing chilling loads will be a crucial part of upgrading the grid to more easily incorporate renewable energy.
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Innovations in Solar Air Heating Systems
Product Review
Transpired solar air systems from Enerconcept and Matrix Energy provide two new fossil fuel-free methods of preheating ventilation air in commercial buildings.
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Next Up in Heat-Pump Refrigerants: Carbon Dioxide
Product Review
Japanese manufacturer Mayekawa is leading the charge with three CO2-based products for commercial buildings.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Equitable Neighborhood Decarbonization Gets the Go-Ahead
News Analysis
A new California law will allow utilities to replace aging gas infrastructure with zero-emission alternatives in 30 pilot projects.
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Stricter Air-Conditioner Efficiency Standards Take Effect
News Brief
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Unvented Gas Heaters Still Gaining Ground
News Brief
Annual sales of unvented gas heaters have nearly doubled since we expressed concern ten years ago.
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Patagonia Grows into a New Building
News Brief
Ten years after EBN's initial case study of the Patagonia distribution center in Reno, Nevada, the company has completed a substantial addition, learning from and improving on the first building.
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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