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 moreNews Analysis
The City of Austin’s Green Builder Program was one of 12 award recipients in the United National Local Government Honours Programme at the Earth Summit in Rio, and the only winner from the United States. “The purpose of the Honours Programme is to recognize innovative local approaches to... 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
Feature
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
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
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
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
Product Guide
Air movement keeps occupants comfortable when it's warm, so cooling setpoints can be higher, and natural ventilation is a viable option even at higher temps and humidity.
BuildingGreen-Approved Ceiling Fans
BuildingGreen approves Energy Star-certified ceiling fans with ECMs—motors using electronic commutators.
Energy and... Read more
Forum topic
Hi everyone,
We’re happy to officially announce some big news you might have heard about on our monthly calls: as we wrap up 2024, we will be transitioning to a new platform for our Peer Networks Hub!
Instead of finding the forums, member directory, and all other Peer Network resources on BuildingGreen.com, you will be able to... Read more
Forum topic
Hi All -
Has anyone explored hydronic system analysis software (1D CFD)?
Some options are PipeFlo, AFT Fathom, PipeFlow (eerily similar name to first option), COMSOL Pipe Flow Module.
Applications could range from general system troubleshooting, pump sizing, to district hydronic system network analysis.
Best,... Read more
Forum topic
My name is Boyd and I’m the newest member of the BuildingGreen Peer Networks team. I’m joining BG after a long line of jobs in the service industry. I’ve worked everywhere from breweries to adventure sports companies and I’ve loved every job along the way. I was drawn to BG because of my history of meeting people and fostering connections and... Read more
Forum topic
Hi all,
We are looking for a great energy analyst with communication skills to join NBBJ - if you know someone who fits the bill, send them my way! http://jobs.jobvite.com/nbbj/job/oTrk8fww
Margaret
Forum topic
Seeing Jen's post prompted me to write in support of the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School program (Greenbuild Legacy Project). I spoke to the students earlier in the year and it is a great program. I'll reach out to our HR about interns.
I am the Director of Facilities Management Integration and Sustainability for Shawmut... Read more
Forum topic
Team SCL,
This was a tough week. My husband coined a phrase "20% laid off."
Unfortunately, 50% of our business is currently impacted by governmental orders stating that our work is non-essential. This is bitter-sweet. I certainly want people to be safe, but we've had to make some tough decisions and in the geographies that were... Read more
Forum topic
Lake|Flato developed a project process road map as an internal project management tool over a decade ago, and we're looking into updating it. It serves as a sort of "checklist" of major design, sustainability, and QA/QC milestones for each project phase. I know we've talked about similar tools at other firms at past SDL summits, so wanted to... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Sustainability Literacy: A Foundation For Transformed Practice!
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:


