The world’s newborns have it made in the shade.

A new study shows positive birth outcomes when mothers live in verdant neighborhoods, building on mounting evidence that trees and other vegetation have far-reaching, if poorly understood, positive health implications (for another example, see Tired Brain?... Read more

The Building Research Establishment (BRE), publishers of the most popular sustainable building rating system in the U.K., say basic green buildings now cost the same as conventional buildings.

In a recent cost analysis, BRE researchers selected three case-study buildings to evaluate as representative... Read more

Designers routinely underestimate total heat flow through their wall assemblies by 20% to 70%, according to a new report prepared by the engineering firm Morrison Hershfield and sponsored by several other Canada-based partners. The good news? Tweaking envelope details may be more effective than adding another inch of insulation... Read more

I’m not a frequent social activist. In fact, I haven’t been to a major rally since my college days. But when my teenage daughter gets excited about something I care about, I'm all in! And she was getting excited by the social media buzz... Read more

Trace amounts of highly toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are ubiquitous in food packaging, office supplies, and certain building products, according to an analysis from the Washington State... Read more

Global warming policies that target carbon emissions would simultaneously reduce air pollutants that cause ailments like asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer and in turn reduce healthcare spending—a co-benefit that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says could more than pay for the policies.

Portland citizens could save $7 million annually by planting more trees, according to researchers at Portland State University. The team of biologists, environmental scientists, and urban planners developed a new methodology that could help municipalities maximize the health effects of urban greenery.

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The thought of songbirds spontaneously combusting in midair horrifies even the staunchest supporters of solar power, yet all other ways of generating electricity harm many times more birds, a report claims in the wake of news that the largest solar farm in the U.S. may be killing thousands of birds a year.

Water moves through buildings in four ways (see How Water Moves Through Buildings), and of these, vapor diffusion is the most confounding to understand and manage. Yet it’s arguably the most important, too: there are lots of ways to get a building wet, but vapor diffusion is uniquely important in allowing them to dry out.

EBN’s prayers for a nontoxic sofa have finally been answered. Ekla Home, a small company based in California, exclusively manufactures organic couches, chairs, and beds containing no added chemical flame retardants.  

Not only that, but Ekla’s furniture offers a long list of green features, including... Read more

Electrocution is seen as a growing hazard for firefighters as solar installations become more widespread, according to the National Fire Protection Association, and strategies to mitigate risks are complicated by the fact that panels can’t be powered down by a single switch (see Making Green Buildings Safe for Firefighters).... Read more

Like any landscape, green roofs need maintenance—but unlike other landscapes, vegetated roofs offer marginal growing conditions and may require extra attention. Green roofs are meant to mimic natural systems, providing rainwater management (see Putting a “Lid” on Harmful Stormwater Runoff), heat-island mitigation, and wildlife... Read more

This isn’t a book for bicycle commuters to lug around! At more than 550 pages, the oversized volume weighs in at an impressive five pounds. But it’s worth every calorie you might expend carrying it. In fact, if I could recommend only one book today for designers and builders of low-energy, green homes and small commercial... Read more

A report published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers basic guidance for controlling moisture in both commercial and residential buildings by compiling introductory principles into one 103-page report that is free to the public.

The report, “Moisture Control Guidance for Building Design... Read more

Cladding has to protect a building from moisture and wind and is an integral part of a wall assembly, responsible in surprising ways for a building’s overall thermal performance. There is a wide array of cladding materials available—and lots of ways to attach them—but a few key considerations can help us assess the... Read more

It looked more like a headline from BuildingGreen’s April Fool’s issue than one from an official press release: “USGBC and ACC to Work Together to Advance LEED.”

Nonetheless, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) have confirmed the news is real—so what’s going... Read more

In what appears to be the most recent in a string of attempts to restrict the federal government’s use of LEED, the House Committee on Appropriations has asked the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to change its approach to green building, including its use of green building rating systems (see Two New Laws Restrict... Read more

With more practitioners seeking transparency about building product ingredients, a new program aims to verify the claims made in health product declarations (HPDs—see Health Product Declaration Provides Building Product “Nutrition Label”). Alpar Architectural Products is the first company to successfully put one of its products... Read more

In 1970, black students at San Jose State College picketed an Earth Week event where a student environmental group spent $2,500 to purchase and bury a brand-new car—money that the black students argued could have been better spent on alleviating poverty. In the months that followed, the Sierra Club polled its membership on... Read more

UPDATE: The article has been updated with information obtained through an interview with ASHRAE president Tom Phoenix.

Building codes could harmonize seamlessly with LEED certification as USGBC, ASHRAE, and ICC join forces.

By Paula Melton

In many parts of the U.S., LEED has... Read more