Moisture Management
Moisture management in buildings requires detailed thinking about all the ways water moves through them. The most neglected of these is probably air leaks. The design and construction of the building enclosure determines how well the building performs in relation to water—and for how long. The whole team—from architect to structural and mechanical engineers to construction managers and subcontractors—should be educated about and held accountable for moisture risks.
Moisture Management
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Treated Wood in Transition: Less Toxic Options in Preserved and Protected Wood
Feature Article
Following the recent phaseout of CCA, the dominant wood preservative of the last 30 years, the treated wood industry is in major transition. Some current wood treatment technologies present familiar environmental problems, while less-toxic alternatives are just entering the market.
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Antimicrobial Chemicals in Buildings: Hygiene or Harm?
Feature Article
Carpets, door handles, and a myriad of other building products now contain pesticides targeting fungi and bacteria, offering potential benefit to the indoor environment, but also raising health concerns. This article asks whether antimicrobial products live up to their marketing claims and whether relying on them is a sound path to a hygienic environment.
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Bringing Nature Indoors: The Myths and Realities of Plants in Buildings
Feature Article
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.
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The Hidden Science of High-Performance Building Assemblies
Feature Article
Any four walls and a roof make an enclosure, but for efficiency, comfort, and durability, those elements have to be meticulously designed and installed.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Vapor Retarders and Air Barriers: Managing Moisture in Building Envelopes
Explainer
Air barriers, which prevent air leakage, and vapor retarders, which control moisture diffusion, are both important for controlling moisture in a building envelope.
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Using Fly Ash in Concrete
Explainer
Fly ash lowers the environmental footprint of concrete and improves durability. Pouring and curing concrete with high levels of fly ash requires special treatment.
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How Water Moves Through Buildings
Explainer
Whenever we improve energy efficiency, we have to deal with water in new ways to prevent damage and mold.
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What Is Building Science, Anyway?
Explainer
Building science is an integrated discipline that stands many conventional design and construction ideas on their heads.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Repairing Scratched Window Glass with GlasWeld
Product Review
The G Force Scratch Removal System from GlasWeld uses heat, pressure, and nontoxic chemicals to realign glass molecules, restoring a smooth surface.
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Delta-Dry Takes New Approach to Housewrap
Product Review
A new entry in the category of housewraps offering a textured drainage surface, Delta-Dry housewrap is also vapor-impermeable.
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New Admixture Solves Concrete's Weaknesses
Product Review
A new concrete admixture, Hycrete, could come to replace a variety of waterproofing and corrosion-proofing membranes and coatings applied to concrete.
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Green E-Board Building Panels
Product Review
With the durability of cement backerboards but with a carbon footprint closer to gypsum, Green E-Board panels are an intriguing new drywall option.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Micronized Copper Wood Preservatives Becoming Industry Standard
News Analysis
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Heat-Pump Clothes Dryers Really Work, Study Confirms
News Analysis
The technology, prevalent in Europe, could be adapted for super-sized American laundry loads.
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Can TimberSIL Manufacturer 'Make It Right'?
News Analysis
Timber Treatment Technologies and its innovative non-toxic treated decking product are in the news again-this time over durability and performance in post-Katrina homes.
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New Owner of TimberSIL Hopes to Put Failures in the Past
News Analysis
Everyone loved the treated-wood alternative until its high-profile failures. For the next maker of TimberSIL, quality control is job one.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Bravo!
Op-Ed
Pat Huelman, associate professor at the University of Minnesota, applauds EBN's coverage of durability.
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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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Breaking the Bonds of Bad Sealant Jobs
Blog Post
Seals at window openings and other penetrations need to be done right the first time. Are your seals failing because of the most common application error—forgetting the bond break?
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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.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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The BuildingGreen Guide to Thermal Insulation
Special Report
The BuildingGreen Guide to Thermal Insulation, Fourth Edition, provides detailed guidance on insulation products and practices, including environmental and health comparisons, and recommendations on what insulation to use and what to avoid.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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Judge Robs Yost of Gold Medal in WUFI Modeling
April Fools
Despite a perfect 10 for Yost from two of the judges, this year’s WUFIlympics gold medal goes to Terry Brennan.
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Experts Warn of “Literally Deadly” Hyperbolic Feedback Loop
April Fools
With headlines daily jumping the shark, scientists warn of dangers for Earth’s oceans and for humanity.