Indoor Air Quality
“Indoor air quality” refers to how clean the air in a building is.
As buildings become more airtight and energy efficient, actively managing indoor air quality becomes more important. Some air pollutants, like carbon monoxide, are highly dangerous. Others, like volatile organic compounds, can cause short-term health problems as well as chronic ones.
Moisture management, adequate ventilation, and selection of low-VOC products are some of the best ways to ensure good IAQ.
Indoor Air Quality
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
Bringing Nature Indoors: The Myths and Realities of Plants in Buildings
Feature
Some proponents of indoor plants promise that they will clean the air and promote occupant health and productivity. But will they? Scientific backing for these claims is still being developed, but some of the results are promising.
-
Commercial Kitchens: Cooking Up Green Opportunities
Feature
Commercial kitchens run energy- and water-intensive equipment for long hours, sometimes even when not in use. While the challenges of saving water and energy in commercial kitchens are daunting, they're not insurmountable. Careful equipment selection and a commitment to conscientious kitchen practices can dramatically cut down on waste-and utility bills.
-
Innovative Products and Technology from the Greenbuild Expo
Feature
Our product editors pick some winners from the expo floor at Greenbuild 2013 while raising questions about some materials.
-
Natural Ventilation: The Nine Biggest Obstacles and How Project Teams Are Beating Them
Feature
Designers are reinventing the art and science of passive comfort control even where climate and culture favor mechanical systems.
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.
-
Laminate Flooring: Worth a Second Look?
Product Review
Laminate flooring offers recycled content and low emissions in an economical, low-maintenance product that has overcome aesthetic and performance challenges.
-
Benjamin Moore Natura Adds Mystery Biobased Content
Product Review
Natura Renew uses 40% biobased-content resins, but the company says it doesn't know the source, making it difficult to judge environmental performance.
-
Green Multifamily Cabinetry: Three Top Options
Product Review
Need multifamily millwork that’s attractive, high-quality, domestically manufactured, low-emitting, and sustainably sourced? You’re not alone.
-
BuildingGreen Announces Top 10 Products for 2017
Product Review
Our innovative Top 10 product selections reduce stormwater and wastewater, improve efficiency and IAQ, and contain fewer hazardous materials.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
Pushing Weatherization, Feds Look the Other Way on Radon
News Analysis
When using federal dollars to button up, low-income homeowners don't get additional funding for radon mitigation. What happens next? The government isn't telling.
-
Tuning Today’s Building Designs to Tomorrow’s Climate
News Analysis
A new modeling tool, WeatherShift, helps designers see how designs today can account for comfort, resilience, and energy needs decades down the line.
-
Air in Fitness Centers Laden with Pollutants, Study Finds
News Analysis
Lack of ventilation and elevated levels of VOCs are common problems in gyms, according to European research, and pools have issues too.
-
USGBC to Staff Sustainability Leaders in School Districts
News Analysis
USGBC's new Center for Green Schools will be funding sustainability coordinators in school districts across the country.
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.
