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
EBN Advisory Board member Mike Nicklas led an international delegation of renewable energy experts in promoting sustainable energy at the Earth Summit last month. He and others were negotiating for inclusion of renewable energy and energy conservation measures into agreements being worked out for the United Nations... Read more
Explainer
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
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
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 moreOp-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
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
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
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
Forum topic
The AIA conference is coming up soon as well. It is scheduled for June 19-23 in NYC. I have heard about a lot of great sessions and I am thinking it would be helpful if we could collect info here. Please respond to this message with info about your session and I will compile all of this into a handy reference document. I will start with my... Read more
Forum topic
Has anyone vetted through all the Epoxy and Resin-based flooring systems to see which flooring application is "healthier"?
Below is a preapproved list from our local health department:
• Tera Lite • Stonhard Stonclad, Stonclad Ut, Stonshield Hri • Sunbelt 110 • Everlast • Westcoat Epoxy Mortar, Slurry, Or Double Broadcast • Dex-O-... Read more
Forum topic
Green Gurus,
First of all, it was great to see so many of you joining our last month BSA COTE webinar! I hope you enjoyed it.
Coming up next Wednesday at 2pm EDT (11am PDT, 12pm MDT, 1pm CDT), we'll have the inspiring Ashley Rao from Leers Weinzapfel leading the presentation titled INTEGRATED SUSTAINABILITY AT THE JOHN W. OLVER... Read more
Author
Peter Yost (at https://building-wright.com/ ) is available to provide building science expertise, trainings, public speaking, building investigations, and more. Learn more
Forum topic
Hello everyone,
I wanted to let you all know that I'm no longer at Bergmeyer and have moved on to a new position at Sustainable Brands as of this week. As a non-architect/non-designer, it's always meant so much to me how readily I was accepted into this group and how much of your knowledge and expertise you willingly shared. As is the... Read more
Forum topic
SAVE THE DATE: ALL Peer Networks Show & Tell
Tuesday, November 19 | 8pm - 10pm
The Kendeda Building, Georgia Tech | Atlanta, GA
Start your time at Greenbuild on a high note!
Join your Peer Networks Colleagues from SDL, SCL, MEP, SDLS, and SAL for a high energy evening full of lightning round previews of the best... Read more
Product Guide
Food waste is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills due to methane released during anaerobic decomposition.
BuildingGreen-Approved Composters
BuildingGreen approves in-vessel commercial composters, which require the smallest footprint and are most likely to be suitable for a densely populated area.
Why... Read more



