News Analysis
A study published in the June 5, 1992, issue of
Science by researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Arizona suggests that smoke emitted into the atmosphere from human activities may be having a significant effect in counteracting... Read more
Product Review
To the best of our knowledge, this product is now being marketed under the name Rauhsaser by Better Wall System of Kenora, ON.
CoverAge is a tacky name for a great product that all remodelers should know about. It is a paintable, textured wallpaper that’s made entirely of recycled paper (at... Read moreFeature
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
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
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
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
Forum topic
My company is looking for ways to introduce and train employees on jobsite recycling and composting. There is definitely a culture shift that needs to change in order for it to happen, but we are looking for any success stories to help us on our journey.
1) Has anyone been successful in setting up recycling/composting programs for... Read more
Forum topic
Hi All,
Attached are the meeting notes from the Carbon Group's 2/26/20 -- also in the PDF are the slides presented in the 2/26 meeting.
Before our next meeting in late March/early April, we are looking for input on the following topic related to tracking and reporting carbon:
Building the business case / Case Studies from... Read moreForum topic
Does anyone know about temporary flushout equipment that could be used to augment a building's systems to get additional CFM of OA during construction? For our non-laboratory type projects the flushout period ends up being too long, especially in either humid summers or frigid winters (Pennsylvania).
Hoping that some of you on either... Read more
Forum topic
Hello Colleagues,
You all know our industry’s progress over the past decade related to the impact of materials. We have come a long way. Today we have over 110 firms that have signed onto the A&D Materials Pledge, pledging to a holistic approach to materials considering: Human Health, Climate Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health... Read more
Forum topic
Hi Sustainability Leaders,
(Note: this post was edited to correct Jen's affiliation and to add Rob Winstead.) Please join me and the BuildingGreen team in congratulating the Peer Network members of the USGBC 2023 Class of LEED Fellows!
Geoffrey Brock, IPS-Integrated Project Services, SCL
Heather DeGrella, Opsis... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Climate Change: Building Industry, You’ve Got This!
Important: This quiz covers all related articles within this topic. Scroll to the bottom of the article page to find links to all the articles covered by this quiz.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course,... Read more
Forum topic
All, today is the day I had committed to sending out the DRAFT request to equipment manufacturers of what is needed for full electrification. I apologize that I didn't have time or focus to get my thoughts together till now (I had intended to share this with Chris and others prior to sending to the full group, but just didn't get my thoughts... Read more
Product Guide
Churn and renovations can disrupt occupants, release or introduce indoor pollutants, and increase the embodied footprint of a building.
BuildingGreen-Approved Partitions
Movable partition systems allow spaces to be easily reconfigured, reducing costs and environmental impact. BuildingGreen approves partitions and panels that have... Read more
Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars
The site license permits the purchaser to share the PDF Guide file within their company/organization and post it on their intranet. Site licenses do not include the CEU quiz. If multiple individuals in your organization would like to access the CEU accredited quiz, please purchase individual copies.
The sheer number of... Read more
Forum topic
Hello SDLs!
Many of you have internal research groups or internal grants to foster thought leadership in your firms. We have run an annual research-innovation grant program for about the last 5-6 years. Anyone in our firm is allowed to apply, submit their idea, the time/budget they need, define a deliverable and then a small group... Read more


