Site Assessment & Design
Whether or not a design team has a say in siting a project, carefully assessing the site should be on every project’s to-do list. A site assessment early in design can reduce costs, allay potential risks, support the health and well-being of occupants and native habitat, and promote other unique site features.
And site design goes hand in hand with building design, as the building interacts with the site when it comes to daylight, rainwater management, views and biophilia, and other building features.
Site Assessment & Design
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
Work Globally, Design Locally
Feature Article
In today’s global economy, American architects work on six continents—but that doesn’t mean they should all have identical glass towers.
-
Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Feature Article
Removal of invasive plants and support of native plantings are critically important for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
-
Resilient, Sustainable Water Management: A Holistic Approach
Feature Article
Water is our planet’s lifeblood. But climate change has redefined how we view water, with drought amplifying water scarcity and changing our relationship with the landscape and the built environment.
-
Build Green on a Budget: Lessons from Affordable Housing
Feature Article
Sustainability doesn’t have to cost more—and no one knows that better than affordable housing experts. But every project type can benefit from these 12 cost-reducing ideas that support people and the planet.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
-
How Environmental Site Assessments Work
Explainer
Existing buildings and previously developed sites are great, but they often need environmental cleanup. An ESA is the first step.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
Cost-Competitive LED Outdoor Area Lighting Is Here
Product Review
Cree’s high-performing LED technology plus an improved manufacturing process create the low-cost OSQ Area LED for parking, roads, and other uses.
-
Stormwater Biofiltration That’s Also Smaller and Cheaper
Product Review
Maximizing principles of low-impact development, FocalPoint offers biological stormwater treatment for streetscapes, parking lots, and other tight spaces.
-
For a Low-Maintenance Green Roof, Give Plants Better Soil
Product Review
Inventors of the WaterGrip growing medium say it supports near-miraculous growth—but do their claims hold as much water as their soil?
-
BuildingGreen Announces Top-10 Products for 2015
Product Review
Transformative products eliminate toxic chemicals and fossil fuels, and improve building and site performance.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
Green Roof Study Finds Big Variation in Stormwater Retention
News Analysis
Researchers in Austin found that, while several common green roof designs all moderated temperature effectively, they varied in their ability to retain stormwater.
-
SITES v2 for Sustainable Landscapes Aligns with LEED
News Analysis
Now publicly available, the updated rating system features new credits and benchmarks based on expert input.
-
Study Shows Homes Save More Energy from Location Than Efficiency
News Analysis
The EPA has concluded that your home's location is more important than how efficient it is. What should we do about it?
-
Denver Votes Green Thumbs Up for Green Roofs
News Analysis
A city suffering from ozone pollution and the heat-island effect approves a ballot measure requiring green roofs.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
