Product Review
Builders concerned about out-gassing of formaldehyde from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) have long used Medex in cabinets. This exterior-grade product, originally developed for highway signs, is considerably more expensive than conventional MDF or particleboard, however. Now Medite II fills the need for a... Read more
News 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
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
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
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
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
Forum topic
Hello Sustainable Construction Leaders!
Here at BuildingGreen we are excited and looking forward to creating a valuable and engaging online summit with you all for 2020! In addition to going online, this year we have shifted the dates so that the SCL Summit will occur within weeks of all other Peer Network Summits. This allows us to host... 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
Hi everyone,
We’re excited to announce that registration for our Summer 2024 Sustainable Design Leaders Summit is now open! Join us from July 15th-17th at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island, a beloved location where we’ve hosted Summits multiple times before. Register early to save your seat, and feel free to reach out to me with any... Read more
Forum topic
My firm is mobilizing for a year of carbon awareness and reduction that goes beyond the energy consumption of our designs. We are looking to hire a full time person to take on LCA tracking for our current projects. Ideally it is a climate crisis super-hero of sorts who could also look at our design process and help develop multi-faceted... Read more
Forum topic
Hi everyone,
I'm interested in identifying any in-person opportunities (local to Greater Boston) to engage my office during Earth Week. We are all excited to be able to do things in person now, so if anyone has anything on their radar please let me know (a panel, educational activity, or volunteer opportunity!)
Thanks,... 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
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
Has anyone had a Contractor track GHG emissions during construction? If so, any advice on how to include that in the project specifications?
Thanks!
Yarden
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Building as an Organism: Understanding the Integrative Process Credit in LEED v4 Projects (recorded webcast)
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Explain why integrative design is the key to cost-effective, high performance green buildings and LEED... Read more
Forum topic
Hi all,
I just joined the SDL group and am grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of this awesome community!
I have an exciting residential embodied carbon research opportunity to share…
Lake|Flato Architects is collaborating as an industry partner with the RE2 Lab and the Hamer Center for Community Design at Penn... Read more
Product Guide
Some plasters have extremely high embodied energy or petroleum-based ingredients.
BuildingGreen-Approved Plaster
Products approved include:
natural lime plasters wall coatings made from ingredients such as clay, sand, and cellulose products with high recycled content those with minimal material use some with other compelling... Read more

