News Brief
Carol Venolia, Publisher/Editor
If “progressive construction” can be defined as pushing the tools and techniques of conventional builders in the direction of less environmental destruction, then Building With Nature’s material goes beyond progressive, into the forefront of visionary thinking about construction. This bimonthly newsletter, now... Read moreNews Analysis
It isn’t just environmental zealots who are up in arms about the U.S. Forest Service’s policies on managing the nation’s timber resources. The Association of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics has jumped into the fray—from the inside. Jeff DeBonis, the Association’s founder and executive director,... Read more
News Brief
The American Institute of Architects convention in Boston this past June was the setting for a changing of the guard in the American architectural establishment. The Institute’s first woman president took the reins, the Committee on the Environment became its largest and fastest growing committee, and the first installments of the Environmental... Read more
Op-Ed
Introducing the first issue of our newsletter.
Buildings have a tremendous impact on the environment. In North America, buildings and the building industry account for about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, 35-40% of ozone depletion, 20-30% of municipal solid waste, vast quantities of natural resource consumption, and dramatic loss of open space each... Read more
Feature
Carefully stake the building site and driveway, remove trees that are within the excavation area or too close, then erect a fence to keep heavy equipment off fragile soils and away from nearby trees.
Protecting trees and the local ecosystem when building on previously unbuilt land is a vitally important—yet often overlooked—part of environmentally responsible construction. Healthy trees and shrubs can reduce a home’s environmental impact and directly benefit homeowners in a number of ways:
•Enhancing comfort by shielding the house... Read more
Feature
Ozone depletion and global warming are two of our most serious environmental problems—and foam insulation materials containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute significantly to both of these problems. The environmentally concerned builder or designer should make it a highest priority to avoid them. Even many of the non-CFC alternatives... Read more
Feature
Susan Maxman is the first AIA president to make sustainable design a priority.
Q.Where would you say architects as a group stand on environmental issues?
A.Architects tend to be reactive rather than proactive. It is important that we take the lead on these environmental issues. The architecture schools in particular tend to be conservative. They just aren’t... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Sustainability Literacy: A Foundation For Transformed Practice!
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
Forum topic
So nice when nice happens to nice people. And smart ones too! Congrats to Sarah Gudeman, Blake Stanton, Stanton Stafford, Kathy Wardle, and everyone else in this year's class.
https://www.gbci.org/green-business-certification-inc-celebrates-2021-cl...
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Hi All,
I've been signed up to give a Green Building Rating Systems overview presentation to Clean Energy Interns this summer. I thought I'd reach out and see if anyone has an updated overview presentation like this already pulled together that they'd be willing to share. It's been a while since I've given a presenation on this topic. ... Read more
Basic page
For questions, please email Jerelyn Wilson directly
Forum topic
Hello everyone,
For those I have yet to meet, I'm Jen, the latest member of BuildingGreen's Peer Networks team.
Although it's been a few weeks now, we wanted to share the slide decks from some of the presentations that took place in Las Vegas back in June. Thank you to those of you who presented and who have given us permission... Read more
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There are so many great contractor-related sessions at Greenbuild this year! I doubt I'm alone in trying to choose between sessions.
Is there interest in debriefing with SCLers the week after (say Novemeber 9th at 2pm ET?). We could share the golden nuggets from the sessions we attended, saving everyone from wading through the session... Read more
Product Guide
Typically made from petrochemicals, carpet and its adhesives can offgas. It is also a challenge to recycle them, increasing the chances that it will be incinerated or disposed of in a landfill. Because carpet has a limited lifespan, its life-cycle performance is key.
BuildingGreen recommends modular carpet that demonstrates lower life-... Read more
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Good morning SALs! Nicole's survey on restrooms inspired me to post a survey of my own.
I’ve been trying to stay useful lately. I've been posting new writing on the industry, much of it complimentary, over on Roberts’ Green Letter. (Yesterday I posted the mission statement, explained via brand-new-puppy pics.)
I have a 1-minute... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Design for Adaptation: Living in a Climate-Changing World.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the major known causes of climate change
2. Describe the range and reliability of predicted temperature changes.
3. List... Read more
Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars
THIS WEBINAR PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
ESG is the hottest acronym in green building right now. But let’s be honest: most people are flying by the seat of their pants.Most—but not all.
Four experts... Read more
Forum topic
Happy 2021 Green Gurus,
BuildingGreen has some New Years news to share with you all!
Announcing an addition to the Peer Networks family, we are excited to be launching the Sustainable Community Design Leaders (SCDL) Peer Network!
The SCLD peers are planners, architects, landscape architects, and other professionals at... Read more
Forum topic
World: There is no way we can shut down in order to lower emissions, slow climate change and protect the environment.
Mother Nature: Here's a virus. Practice.
Who is measuring the positive environmental impact our actions are having on the environment?
For example, there have been reductions in air pollution. If the... Read more

