More Changes at EBN

This issue has a heavy focus on products, inspired by a rather grueling three-day traverse of the NAHB Builder’s Show this past January in Dallas. Some of the products reviewed are items that caught our attention at this massive show—some 1¹⁄₂ acres of exhibit space. Others, such as the Waterless Urinal^® (see Big Savings from Waterless Urinal), are products we’ve come across elsewhere.

Building products and materials are a key component of green building—as evidenced by the considerable coverage we provide in each issue of

EBN. It should be emphasized, however, that despite what a lot of people think,

green materials do not the green building make. Environmentally responsible building is about a lot more than which products and materials are used in construction. It is about using those products in the most effective way, where we put buildings and the resultant transportation impacts, how buildings relate to the land on which they are situated, how safe they are to live in, and how much energy they consume—energy consumption and the pollution from it remains the largest and most significant environmental impact from most buildings. Green design is about the

integration of these, and many other, considerations.

More Changes at

EBN

It has been a time of transition here at

Environmental Building News. Marianne Büttner left the company at the end of 1997, with Joy Wallens-Penford taking her place as Business Manager (Joy continues to handle production and layout of

EBN). Also, by the time you receive this, Charlotte Snyder will have replaced Deb Forrett as Circulation Manager. Deb is leaving to devote full-time to mothering for a while (she is expecting in April). So you may hear a few new voices when you call the office. With editorial ideas or feedback on articles, you can continue to contact either Nadav or me.

–Alex Wilson