Championing the
Changemakers

It was a tough year for underfloor air distribution (UFAD) specialists. Touted for nearly a decade—including in EBN—as a radical breakthrough that would use far less energy and make occupants happier than conventional HVAC systems ever could, UFAD (which is closely associated with access or raised flooring systems) was suddenly banned by the U.... Read more

Casagrande will reportedly begin... Read more

Keeping size in check, incorporating passive solar techniques, and building a tight, well-insulated envelope are listed as high-priority design strategies for net-zero-energy homes, according to a new report from the... Read more

Experts perceive “major systemic economic failure” and “failure of climate change adaptation” as two of the most systematically critical global risks for the next ten years, says the World Economic Forum... Read more

It’s well established that very high levels of daylight exposure can improve health and well-being, but few studies have explored the health effects of routine indoor exposure through windows or skylights. That was the focus of findings by Ivy Cheung and an international team of collaborators published in the journal Sleep, “Impact of... Read more

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced a $19.5 billion Climate Resiliency Plan to better prepare New York City for increasingly frequent severe weather events and rising sea levels.

The report calls not only for engineered protections to shield the city from another storm like Sandy but also for... Read more

A focus on “accessibility” often results in separate facilities for people who rely on wheelchairs, walkers, or canes. Universal design encourages spaces that can be easily navigated by everyone, regardless of age, height, sightedness, dexterity, or mobility.

The practice is championed by supporters of aging in placeas well as by groups... Read more

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that two subspecies of butterfly native to South Florida, the rockland grass skipper and the Zestos skipper, are likely extinct.

Though loved for their delicate appearance, butterflies have a reputation... Read more

Wood seems poised for a resurgence in structural applications, but is its popularity a flash in the pan or a whole new way of building?

Where available, wood was the primary building material for most residential and commercial structures in North America prior to the 1900s. It was cost-effective to transport on rivers and rail... Read more

We’ve just completed the installation of a relatively new and (at least in New England) little-known insulation material called Spider. As a reminder, the house we are renovating (really re-building) in Dummerston, Vermont has provided an opportunity to try out dozens of innovative products and materials that I’ve long... Read more

There’s an age-old question of how much insulation to install in our homes. In the... Read more

Researchers developed a new predictive model to estimate vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per person in six U.S. regions, validating their model against actual VMT in the same neighborhoods, as catalogued in the National... Read more

A new study from the University of Washington Integrated Design Lab, called Targeting 100!, finds that new hospitals could lead the way in reaching the goals of the 2030 Challenge, which seeks to achieve carbon neutrality in the building... Read more

The leaders agreed to amend the... Read more

A 30% increase in existing building efficiency by 2030 could provide returns of $65 billion annually, according to a study commissioned by United Technologies Corporation, parent company of HVAC manufacturer... Read more

The group says it will promote cost-effective sustainable... Read more

LBNL’s findings, which were published in the journal Indoor Air, also suggest that indoor pollutants may be at the heart of the elevated absences. Although other scientists have shown that... Read more