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.
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Are Cool Roofs Green? The Answer’s Not Black and White
Feature Article
Roofing choices are complicated by heating tradeoffs, climate effects, and condensation, but proponents say reflective roofs still make sense in most climates.
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Growing Food Locally: Integrating Agriculture Into the Built Environment
Feature Article
With a little ingenuity, the flat roofs and vacant lots of urban centers can be used effectively for food production. Numerous models can bring building-integrated food production to your project, while making our food supply chain more sustainable.
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Alternative Water Sources: Supply-Side Solutions for Green Buildings
Feature Article
Water efficiency should be a top priority for our buildings. At the same time, finding alternative sources of water is also important for sustainability and passive survivability. Several sources of water can be harvested at the building level as well as through municipal-scale wastewater treatment and desalination.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Porous Paving
Primer
Pavement that allows infiltration of stormwater comes in a variety of types, and offers many environmental and even cost benefits.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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BuildingGreen Announces Top-10 Products for 2015
Product Review
Transformative products eliminate toxic chemicals and fossil fuels, and improve building and site performance.
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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?
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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.
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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.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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“Smart Surfaces” Could Save Cities Billions
News Brief
Heat islands, stormwater, and energy bills can all be curbed by smart surfaces.
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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.
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Analyze a Neighborhood with the Touch of a Button
News Brief
Opportunity360 scores neighborhoods on health, affordability, transportation, and more.
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To Save Cities, Save Trees
News Brief
Urban forests do $500 million worth of heavy lifting each year for the world’s largest cities—and there’s plenty of room to plant more.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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