The inherent unpredictability of LEED projects creates a unique liability for green building owners and contractors that is rapidly gaining momentum. In an effort to ease its clients’ elevated legal anxiety, Energy Ace, an Atlanta-based consulting firm, is guaranteeing LEED certification—or your money back—when the company supervises... Read more

Regular readers might remember the toilet-flushing video from March that showed ridiculous quantities of carrots, chess pieces, Gummi bears, hot dogs, plastic letters and numbers, grapes, golf balls, and dog food getting flushed. Fun, but it didn't qualify for GreenSpec because it only met the federal minimum standard for water use. Well, here... Read more

If you’ve ever wondered where AstroTurf gets its vibrant color, consider the mystery solved: turf-makers use lead to keep artificial grass green. Now, as the result of a 2008 California lawsuit against the Georgia-based company, AstroTurf will drastically reduce the lead content in its imitation turf.

Studies show lead levels of more... Read more

For energy conservation, 'where' you build could matter more than 'what' you build.

One of the things I like most about my seven-mile bicycle commute into work is the chance it affords me to just think about stuff in... Read more

Formerly the senior vice president of policy and public affairs at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Michelle Moore has moved on to join the Council for Environmental Quality as the federal environmental executive.

In her new role, Moore will promote sustainability in the federal government’s operations.

Rick Fedrizzi,... Read more

The Landscape Institute at Arnold Arboretum, formerly run by Harvard University, has joined the Boston Architectural College (BAC) and is now named the Landscape Institute at the BAC. Starting in fall 2009, BAC will run all of the Institute’s educational programs, incorporating them into its catalog of continuing education courses. “Landscape... Read more

A recently adopted addendum to the Massachusetts state building codes, known as the “stretch code,” exceeds the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) by 20%. The optional code sets performance standards for commercial buildings over 5,000 ft2 (460 m2) and residential buildings (see table above). According to Mike Guigli, technical... Read more

A conventional, storage-type water heater has an insulated tank and a relatively small gas burner or electric heating element (often two elements) to heat the water. Water is heated slowly and remains “thermally stratified” so that water drawn off from the top remains hot even after 90% of the hot water is used up. There is the risk of running... Read more

Invelope is a unique steel and foam panel installed behind brick veneer or terra cotta in metal-framed commercial buildings. The panel serves as a moisture and vapor barrier, drainage plane, and insulation while also providing a mounting system for brick veneer or terra-cotta cladding. Manufactured by Centria, Invelope is certified Cradle-to-... Read more

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) announced several changes to the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) program in November 2008. Among those changes was the addition of a credential maintenance program that would require those at all levels of LEED accreditation to obtain a certain number of continuing education hours every... Read more

Updated April 23, 2025; updates by Elene Drosos

Climate scientists have been speaking out for decades about the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid a significantly warmer and less livable future. Now that climate change is finally part of the public discussion, the future is already here—and it’s only... Read more

Traditional leases in commercial buildings are either gross leases (the landlord pays for utilities and other expenses) or net leases (the tenant pays for everything). According to Glenn Fischer, executive vice president of The Corporate Realty, Design, and Management Institute (CRDMI), neither situation works particularly well for promoting... Read more

Since its first public backing of the 2030 Challenge over three years ago, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has set an example for its members. A number of architectural firms have signed on to the challenge to eliminate fossil-fuel consumption in buildings by 2030, even though both those signing and some choosing not to have... Read more