Oak Ridge National Laboratory has announced a call for papers for its ninth

Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings conference, to be held December 5–10, 2004 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The conference will be organized along two tracks: “principles” will be devoted to research, while “practices” will explore applications... Read more

Children who play on wooden playsets treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) may face an increased risk of cancer, according to a study just released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In the federal government’s first recognition of health risks resulting from CCA-treated wood, the study estimates that between 2 and 100... Read more

The

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Products Association (AACPA) offers a wealth of information about autoclaved aerated concrete and its structural and insulating capabilities. The organization aims “to promote the AAC industry in all aspects,” with the eventual goal of mainstreaming AAC in American construction. For more information on... Read more

According to research performed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), 22% of available

residential gas furnace models are rated at or above 90% annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). Only 12% scored that high five years ago. Although the federally mandated minimum efficiency for gas furnaces is 78% AFUE, 90% AFUE is... Read more

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Document 220/K-02-001, Sandra Mendler, HOK, principal author. Available at no charge from: US EPA, Office of Administration and Resources Mgmt., MD-C-604-05, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; or as a PDF file from:

www.epa.gov/rtp/new-bldg/environmental/environmental.htm. Paperback, 75 pages

Edited by David Gissen. Princeton Architectural Press, New York, and National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., 2002. Hardcover, 192 pages, $40

Big & Green: Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century, a bound version of the museum... Read more

In Volume 11, No. 12, EBN included Kalwall® R-20 (RSI-3.1) with Nanogel in its list of ten best new green building products. Certainly the first commercial use of aerogel is a remarkable milestone. It is very worthy of an EBN award.

Five additions to the federal government’s list of “known human carcinogens” and ten “reasonably anticipated carcinogens” debuted in the tenth

Report on Carcinogens, recently released by the National Institutes of Health. The biennial report was presented to Congress in December by the National Toxicology Program, a branch of the... Read more

Report from Buildings magazine and Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute, 2002, 46 pages. Order at

www.squarefootage.net or by calling 800-452-4480, $495 + $7.50 s+h

The Boston Society of Architects (BSA) and New York chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) are

looking for outstanding sustainable design projects. Co-sponsored by the groups’ Committees on the Environment, this biennial contest is open to designers practicing anywhere in the world and for any type of project located... Read more

The

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has moved its headquarters from Oaxaca, Mexico to Bonn, Germany. FSC plans to use the new International Center to coordinate FSC activities worldwide. The Oaxaca office will serve Latin America, joining a network of regional offices that will eventually include hubs in Asia, Africa, Europe, the... Read more

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected its 2003 Honor Award recipients. The esteemed awards will be presented at the AIA National Convention and Expo, to be held in San Diego, California this May. This year’s selections, chosen from nearly 600 submissions, include 15 whole buildings, 11 interiors, and 5 urban design projects.... Read more

The Portland, Oregon-based Bonneville Environmental Foundation has announced an impressive

increase in support of Northwest wind and solar energy production. Due largely to new commercial accounts, Bonneville’s Green Tag renewable energy sales were 471% higher in 2002 than in the previous year! These sales represent the avoidance of... Read more

Proton Energy Systems, Inc. has been awarded a $375,000 contract to develop a solar-powered fuel-cell system for the U.S. Navy. During daylight hours, the one-kilowatt demonstration system will supply solar power while also generating hydrogen fuel through electrolysis of water. When the sun is not shining, the system will rely on the stored... Read more

In related news, USGBC has awarded Meeting Strategies Worldwide the challenge of “greening” the 2003 Conference. The Portland, Oregon consulting firm will work with local hotels, food and beverage caterers, the city of Pittsburgh, the Lawrence Conference Center, and the exhibit hall decorating company to incorporate sustainable practices into... Read more

A team led by CTG Energetics, Inc., of Irvine, California was selected by the California Department of General Services (DGS) to develop a database of

environmentally preferable building materials for schools. Also on the team are BuildingGreen, Inc., Scientific Certification Systems, Inc., and Green River Data Analysis. A working group... Read more

Governor George Pataki thrilled the environmental community in January with his announcement that within the next ten years, 25% of New York’s electricity will come from renewable sources. Although 17% of the state’s electricity is already renewable (mostly from hydroelectric sources), Pataki’s announcement means financing for the construction... Read more