Championing the
Changemakers

investable green property indices could open the floodgates to new sources of capital for millions of square feet of building stock, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which partnered with investment analyst FTSE and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts to lay the groundwork. The new indices will allow... Read more

“Closing the Power Plant Carbon Pollution Loophole”... Read more

The Guide to Safer Chemicals.

Viewing the path to safer material chemistry as a journey that begins at a “trailhead” and ends at a “summit,” the guide provides four principles for safer chemicals—know and disclose product chemistry; assess and avoid hazards; commit to continuous improvement; and support public policies and industry... Read more

The new guidance document offers specific performance requirements for recertification, building on original certification requirements. Projects won’t have to re-document static environmental features, but they will need to recertify under the most current version of the LEED-EBOM rating system (and USGBC is offering staff time to project... Read more

In a survey of thousands of shoppers leaving supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, and bars, researchers for the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium asked customers about their spending per trip and trips per month, concluding that for all but supermarkets, cyclists spent the same amount or less per visit compared... Read more

EBN Dec. 2011); new research suggests a correlation between traffic pollution and autism.

A California study published in

Archives of... Read more

By Brent EhrlichThe last decade has seen an explosion in the variety of products available to monitor our energy use and provide complex “smart” controls. There’s still plenty of room for new ideas, however, as shown by SafePlug outlets, made by 2D2C, Inc. Originally designed to protect occupants against electric shock and fire, SafePlug is... Read more

While the obesity epidemic in the U.S. and other developed countries is often blamed on sedentary lifestyles and super-sized food portions, new research is pointing a finger at a class of chemicals dubbed obesogens—endocrine disruptors that influence fat storage, metabolism, or appetite and are being found in a range of common... Read more

Hard water, common in many locations, can lead to scale buildup and reduce the energy efficiency of plumbing and HVAC equipment. Template-assisted crystallization (TAC) is a relatively new technology that offers scale prevention without requiring electricity, chemically altering the water, or wasting water during backwash cycles. It’s also not... Read more

In 2009, when Siegel & Strain Architects began working on the design of the new Yosemite Environmental Education Center campus for the Yosemite Institute (now NatureBridge) in Yosemite National Park, principal Larry Strain, AIA, had an epiphany. Given the setting—one of America’s greatest environmental treasures—and the firm’s... Read more

We live in a world of gadgets and stuff. When it comes to saving energy, we look to high-efficiency light bulbs or dishwashers. Or we use the... Read more

I’m not a big shopper. I don’t even particularly like getting presents. Our society is just too much about consumption. Nonetheless, as I’ve done on occasion in the past, I’m providing below some Christmas shopping ideas.... Read more

Last week I wrote about an innovative foundation insulation material, Foamglas, that we used in our new house in... Read more

Greenbuild is always a great time to find new products and reconnect with friends and colleagues.... Read more

In my role with Environmental Building News and our GreenSpec Product Database, I get plenty of opportunity... Read more