Product Review
The company's promotional material is the epitome of environmentally friendly packaging—like a Ben & Jerry's annual report. The article reprints sent were even bound in a jacket made from corrugated cardboard. So we were quite intrigued by the product. Syndecrete™ is a lightweight, pre-cast,... Read more
News Brief
Energy Source™ Directory
Life has been a whole lot easier around the office since theEnergy Source Directory arrived. Assembled and published by Iris Communications, this is the most complete and most useful guide to specialized products and materials used in energy-efficient construction that we've seen. The 500-page directory is... Read more
Explainer
News Brief
Carol Venolia, Publisher/Editor
If “progressive construction” can be defined as pushing the tools and techniques of conventional builders in the direction of less environmental destruction, then Building With Nature’s material goes beyond progressive, into the forefront of visionary thinking about construction. This bimonthly newsletter, now... 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
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
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
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
Forum topic
is anyone aware of some guidance about citation protocols for when a person/team/org uses an AI tool to generate some base components for a report (which is then heavily edited by humans)?
I'm inclined to disclose in detail which tools were used and how ... but would love to know if there are some industry protocols shaping up about this... Read more
Forum topic
I am looking for example specifications for low carbon concrete to have our structural engineer(s) review and incorporate. Does anyone have good examples or link(s) to good examples?
Thanks,
Mark
Forum topic
Apologies if some of you are seeing this for the second time - on behalf of Frances Yang, Mike Gryniuk and the Carbon Leadership Forum, consider signing on in support of the SE 2050 Challenge for structural engineers. (Yes, there is an option to sign on as a non-structural engineer, in support of the program.)
http://... Read more
Product Guide
CEUs are available for reading all the building-envelope product guides and primer. Click here to learn more and take the quiz.
Noise disrupts work, learning, and healing and can create stress and discomfort.
BuildingGreen-Approved Acoustic Insulation
We look for products with:
Greenguard Gold certification or similar... Read moreForum topic
Hello Green Gurus, here's a reminder that this webinar is happening one week from today!
Register here.
Sustainable Community Design Leaders: Who we are, What we do
Tuesday, February 16th, 2021
3 - 4pm ET (12 - 1pm PT)
Description: Join this live webinar to learn about the brand-new Sustainable Community Design... Read more
Forum topic
Hi All,
We’re planning a conference here in Boston, October 23rd & 24th, focused on Designing for People. We’re rounding out our speaker lineup and I thought I’d reach out to you all for ideas. If you had an all-star list of people speaking on Health and Wellness in the Built Environment who would be on that list? Send me 3 names... Read more
Forum topic
Hey there, Tally users. I'm looking for some answers to a few basic questions about using Tally:
When do you typically run a WBLCA? As soon as you have a Revit model? Later, maybe end of DD, when the Revit model is more fully developed? At the end of CDs? Are you mostly using Tally for targeted studies or WBLCA for the purpose of... Read moreQuiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Choosing Insulation: High-Performance Foundation & Basement Assemblies – Unit 2.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Explain the insulating performance and durability of different insulation materials.
2. Provide examples of... Read more


