The most recent Green-e Verification Report, released annually by the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), shows a 45% increase in the U.S. certified renewable energy certificate (REC) market from 2007 to 2008.

The Boston Architectural College (BAC) Department of Sustainable Design, a national leader in sustainability education for building professionals, will offer a variety of new certification options beginning in January 2010.

Changes to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) proposed by the New Buildings Institute (NBI), The American Institute of Architects, and the U.S. Department of Energy have cleared the first hurdle on their way to adoption.

The proposals, modeled on NBI’s Core Performance prescriptive building guidelines, would result in 20%–... Read more

As green building takes hold, so too do concerns about litigation and the need for better contracting mechanisms (see

EBN Dec. 2009). Both The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ConsensusDOCS have released new model contract addenda to address these concerns.

On December 9, 2009, the New York City Council passed a package of legislation, known as the “Greener, Greater Buildings Plan,” that it says will reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 5%—a figure that has been compared to the entire carbon footprint of Oakland, California.

In December 2009 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled the final version of the California Climate Adaptation Strategy, a project of the California Natural Resources Agency examining the likely impacts of climate change on the state and proposing a suite of adaptation measures.

EBN Nov. 2006). After considering manufacturer claims about safety, energy efficiency, and total cost, NEMA concluded, as did

EBN in... Read more

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a study in November 2009 that confirms a link between Chinese-manufactured drywall and high levels of hydrogen sulfide in homes; the study also links the drywall to metal corrosion.

After five months of mandatory water rationing in Los Angeles, the city is reporting a considerable reduction in water consumption.

EBN Aug. 2009), with commitments to participate from the U.S. General Services Administration and several major developers and designers.

In rolling out the pilot,... Read more

Since its founding in 1993, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has depended on volunteer committees for a wide range of activities, from creation and management of the LEED rating systems to guiding green building research and education. After a six-month study by the Committee Assessment Task Force—a group of volunteers and staff—USGBC is... Read more

Standard 189, the code-enforceable high-performance green building standard that has been in development since 2006, will soon be available to the public.

10 Ways to save energy in 2010

Some energy-saving strategies involve spending money: replacing appliances and lights with more energy-efficient products, tuning up a heating system, and insulating an attic, for... Read more

You're down to the last few days before Christmas. You're looking for that meaningful, special gift for a family member, special friend, or co-worker. Buy a gift that keeps on giving--by saving energy! Below, is my... Read more

Interesting how it's at once forward-looking and backward.

Last week we took at look at one way to achieve very-high-performance windows: adding additional layers of glazing and multiple low-emissivity (low-e) coatings. This week, we'll look at another option that's even higher-tech: vacuum-... Read more

With $127.5 million in funding from the federal stimulus package, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the State of California will partner with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to connect state buildings in the capital city to a district heating and cooling system equipped with “smart grid” technology.

The... Read more