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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Cladding: More Than Just a Pretty Façade
Feature Article
Cladding materials should be chosen to minimize environmental impacts and help maximize a building’s energy performance.
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Behind the Logos: Understanding Green Product Certifications
Feature Article
The number of environmental product standards and certifications is growing rapidly, putting numerous different "green" logos on products. This article reviews the key programs and evaluates their rigor, and offers guidance in using them to accomplish project goals.
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Are Cool Roofs Green? The Answer’s Not Black and White
Feature Article
Roofing choices are complicated by heating tradeoffs, climate effects, and condensation, but proponents say reflective roofs still make sense in most climates.
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Can Concrete Save Us? Locking Up Carbon in Building Materials
Feature Article
Concrete is responsible for a huge proportion of global carbon dioxide emissions. A few companies want to reverse this cycle by sequestering carbon in building materials.
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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Game-Changing Products from Greenbuild 2016
Product Review
USGBC’s 2016 expo showcased innovative products, including building-integrated ERV and an industry-first PV solar water heater.
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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.
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Treated Wood for Ground Contact, Minus the Toxic Pesticides
Product Review
Accoya, now code-approved for fungus and termite resistance, relies on acetylation as a benign alternative to conventional pressure-treated wood.
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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.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Transportation a Key Factor in CLT Sustainability
News Brief
A life-cycle assessment of Katerra cross-laminated timber reveals opportunities for lower carbon impact. -
Ending Human Exploitation in Building Supply Chains
News Brief
Building professionals push for ways to ensure “slave-free” buildings.
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A New Initiative for “Climate-Smart” Wood
News Brief
Environmental groups including the Forest Stewardship Council have gotten together to support better forestry practices.
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Stemming Illegal Logging with a New LEED Credit
News Brief
Timber Traceability is one group’s answer to the controversial Legal Wood pilot path.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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How to Choose a Sealant That Works
Blog Post
Any sealant can perform well in the right application, but knowing which to pick for your job is another thing. Our guide to sealants and how to use them.
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A New Edge in Specifying Green Building Products
Op-Ed
BuildingGreen will link our Web-based green products resource, GreenSpec, with the Healthy Building Network's Pharos Project to provide one trusted, authoritative, independent source for specifying green building products, information and research.
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Tape It? Seal It? Glue It? Sealing Weather Barrier Seams
Blog Post
Lots of building products offer some help in keeping air, water, and heat in our buildings, but without attention to the joints, you lose critical continuity in your barriers.
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Fixing the Perception Problem with Cradle to Cradle Certification
Op-Ed
Products carrying Basic and Silver Cradle to Cradle labels are on a path toward sustainability, but calling them "certified" is misleading.
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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