Championing the
Changemakers
BuildingGreen champions the changemakers in sustainable design and building, with trusted insight, unparalleled education, and communities that are transforming the industry.
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News 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
News Brief
At first glance,
An Environmental Handbook for Florida Contractors looks like it deals only with the environmental regulations that Florida contractors must contend with. And, indeed, the Handbook describes in detail the requirements for complying with regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. But the book goes much further,... 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
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
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
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
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
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
Forum topic
I suspect that some of you have already seen this or already signed it, but just in case, for your consideration:
Add your voice to the powerful chorus for climate policy and sign the LEAD statement.
More than 500 sustainability professionals have now signed, and the number is growing!
To learn more about this: please read... 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:
Forum topic
So I was testing assigning a BIT Expert to a Best Practice and I am having trouble getting the profile image to appear.
When I upload a profile picture, it appears on the standard profile page from "My Account" but when I navigate to the BIT Best Practice 01, the image does not show and it takes me to another profile page that does... Read more
Forum topic
Moseley Architects is currently looking to hire a Director of Energy Analytics and Informed Design. This is a fast paced and exciting position at an A/E firm with offices in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The ideal candidate will have a passion for data, innovation, and problem-solving, along with experience providing... Read more
Basic page
For questions, please email Jerelyn Wilson directly
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
So nice when nice happens to nice people. And smart ones too! Congrats to Sarah Gudeman, Blake Stanton, Stanton Stafford, Kathy Wardle, and everyone else in this year's class.
https://www.gbci.org/green-business-certification-inc-celebrates-2021-cl...
Forum topic
At our SAL call today, folks were talking about how there was just too much to read about DEI. This is the best short summary I have read about the problems of incorporating it into the organizations where we work. It's much easier to talk the talk than to walk the walk because it takes time and accountability.
Forum topic
Hi all,
My office is looking at some certification options for our upcoming renovation. One thing the management team asked me that I don't have a solid answer for is, do WELL certified spaces typically go through with recertification and everything it entails, or are they doing the upfront work to get certified and then letting it lapse... Read more

