BuildingGreen is the most trusted voice in sustainable design and architecture.

This ad-free, member-supported resource is here to guide designers in using high-performance strategies, and in selecting sustainable and healthy products.

If you haven't already, start by creating your unique user profile to get your log-in, and be... Read more

Is LEED Online mind-numbingly slow today for anyone else? Or is it just me? I may give up and try again tomorrow. Frustrating as I was hoping to submit a final review today. :(

Hi Gurus,

It seems odd to think about leases now, during a time when most business are giving up leases or reducing their footprints, but there are still leases going on! Please share this link to any clients of yours who might be interested and sign up yourself if you want to advocate to your clients to consider these leases!

... Read more

Hello all,

I need future weather files for a project. We are looking at three years, 2050, 2075, and 2095 using two climate change scenarios, low emissions, and high emissions. I have seen ARUP's Weathershift site that uses RCP 8.5 and RCP 4.5. Are we assuming that 2.6 is not achievable? I would have used this as a low emissions scenario... Read more

Metal roofs can also provide high solar reflectance, minimizing a building’s contribution to the urban heat island effect. 

BuildingGreen-approved

Materials and finishes recognized by Energy Star maintain solar reflectance levels after three years of use of 50% for low-slope and 15% for steep-slope. Some unpainted metals and many... Read more

Who else missed Building Green’s annual April Fool’s issue?

Welcome to the quiz portion of Dream Materials: What Do You Really Want to Build With?

Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:


1. Differentiate the tools that encourage accountable design.
2. Identify materials that are hazardous and list certifications that optimize for... Read more

Hello Sustainable Construction Leaders,

It's come to our attention that although we shared the slides from last fall's all-network Show & Tell in Atlanta, we neglected to include the presentations from the SCL Summit itself. Since we believe in "better late than never," here they are!

As a reminder: we have permission from... Read more

Hello all, 

Wondering if anyone has experience with lead limits in electrical cable and wiring? 

LEED for Healthcare allows a limit of 300 ppm of lead in electrical wire and cabling - my search for compliant products has been all dead ends. (MRc PBT Source Reduction - lead, cadmium, and copper)

Acceptable regulations for... Read more

Greenbuild 2018 has a new feature – the People’s choice.  This is where you can vote for sessions that sound interesting.  I have been scrolling through this list and I am seeing a lot of great sessions, and familiar names.

So let’s crowd source this one.

Go here https://www.greenbuildexpo.com/en/education/peoplesvoice.html to... Read more

Under a high carbon scenario, most of North America will be 2 degrees C hotter by 2050. Meantime, we're designing buildings that will still be around in 2050, to codes that don't yet factor in chronic risks associated with climate change. I want to explain these risks to my colleagues; I'm hoping some of our green gurus can help answer the... Read more

Hello Green Gurus,

A close colleague of ours, Frances Yang of Arup, is distributing a survey developed in partnership with the Healthy Building Network (HBN).

The survey asks for which product categories you need more health information. Answers will help inform which product categories HBN next incorporates into its HomeFree and... Read more

Folks -anyone know if the 179D Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Tax Credit will be renewed for this year? The DOE website only references renewal on Jan 1, 2017... I am not holding my breath, but curious if anyone else has heard one way or the other. Thanks!

Hello fellow sustainable design leaders! I am about to kick off an intensive effort here at EHDD to refine our internal standards for materials. We will be considering both GWP as well as the health of materials (avoiding harmful chemicals). In addition to setting the standards, I will be working to develop a process to vet materials before... Read more

Hi all,

As you know, the Carbon Leadership Forum has been busy in recent years growing the tent of discipline-based commitments for reducing embodied carbon. SE 2050 and MEP 2040 provide the platform and commitment for structural and MEP respectively, and there is now interest brewing for an additional commitment in support of civil... Read more