Material Selection
Selecting building materials can be complex. You have to take into account toxicity, performance, the environmental life cycle, cost, and other factors.
Understanding what makes a building product green is a long-term prospect. Green characteristics differ from product category to product category, and multi-attribute vetting is critical.
Material Selection
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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How to Get from VOC Certifications to Better Products
Feature Short
The FDA regulates flies in our soup, but no one regulates VOCs in our indoor air. Somehow that’s a designer’s job to figure out.
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Why “Zero VOC” Was Never Enough
Feature Short
We used to look for coatings, adhesives, and sealants that contained no VOCs. Great for smog prevention, but IAQ and installer health are also important.
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Wood, Concrete, and Steel—And Their Incomparable EPDs
Feature Short
Don’t expect the turf battles over sustainability of structural systems to be settled anytime soon by EPDs.
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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In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Spray Foam with Minimal Global Warming Impact Now Available
News Analysis
U.S. production of next-generation HFO blowing agents signals a positive shift in the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) market.
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Material Health Tools Harmonize
News Analysis
Manufacturers should get more consistent signals as Cradle to Cradle, GreenScreen, Pharos, and other tools align, while staking out niches.
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GreenCircle Will Label Products Eligible for LEED v4
News Brief
Does that HPD meet LEED v4 credit requirements? Soon, you can just look for the logo to find out.
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Industry-Average Impacts of Concrete Revealed in EPD
News Brief
The industry-wide EPD for concrete shows impacts by U.S. region and meets LEED v4 requirements for a new material credit.
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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