Sustainable Materials
Parent
Sustainable Materials
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Getting the EPD Credit in LEED v4: Atlanta Stadium
Feature Short
Innovations go far deeper than a stunning, biomimetic roof. The Atlanta Falcons’ new stadium aims to bring green building to the masses.
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Apples to Pineapples: Four Reasons You Can’t Compare EPDs
Feature Short
We’d love to use transparency tools to compare products “apples-to-apples.” But we’ve got a long way to go.
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The DNA of EPDs: The Making of Product Category Rules
Feature Short
PCRs are the instruction manuals behind EPDs. They’re supposed to provide foolproof rules for conducting LCAs, but they can also be the system’s fatal flaw.
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Getting the EPD Credit in LEED v4: Canada Green Building Council Fit-Out
Feature Short
How to earn the LEED v4 credit for EPDs, from a Canadian practitioner helping design CaGBC’s new office
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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What These Forestry Labels Really Mean
Infographic
You’ve seen FSC and SFI labels on wood products. Most often, you’ve seen no label at all. Here’s a green guide to each one.
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Retrofit or Build New? How Product Teams are Choosing
Infographic
Reasons to retrofit, reasons to tear down and build new, and how to decide.
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EPD Quick-Start Guide: 5 Easy Steps
Infographic
Use these tips to get what you need from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), fast.
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Drywall Options: Paper-Faced, Monolithic, or Fiberglass-Faced?
Explainer
Drywall types differ in cost, recyclability, and response to moisture and mold.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Blanket and Batt Insulation
Product Guide
Batts and aerogel blankets with high recycled content, reduced air-quality concerns, or superior performance
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Blown Insulation
Product Guide
Blown-in products with high recycled content, superior energy performance, and low-toxicity ingredients
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Board Insulation
Product Guide
These insulation products and thermal breaks provide superior thermal performance and avoid common chemical hazards.
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Wallboard
Product Guide
Wallboard with high recycled content and Greenguard Gold certification
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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California Targets Formaldehyde in Panel Products
News Analysis
Proposed regulation from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) would drastically reduce the allowable levels of urea-formaldehyde (UF) emissions from composite wood products that are sold, supplied, used, or manufactured in California.
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Looking for the "Teflon Chemical" in Building Materials
News Analysis
PFOA, sometimes called the "Teflon chemical," is under investigation as a health hazard. The chemical is used to produce many building materials.
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U.K. Homes Rating System Recognizes FSC, SFI
News Analysis
The Building Research Establishment's (BRE) EcoHomes environmental rating system for homes in Great Britain recently gave equal recognition in its guidelines to wood certified by FSC and SFI, two rival programs.
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Strict New Lead Legislation Passes in California
News Analysis
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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HBCD Isn't the Only Problem
Op-Ed
Tom Lent argues that we should be looking beyond HBCD when thinking about toxic chemicals.
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Polystyrene Chemicals Widespread
Op-Ed
Polystyrene chemicals may be more widespread than most people think.
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Fixing the Perception Problem with Cradle to Cradle Certification
Op-Ed
Products carrying Basic and Silver Cradle to Cradle labels are on a path toward sustainability, but calling them "certified" is misleading.
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Chemicals Are Safe
Op-Ed
The American Chemistry Council responds to our feature article on chemicals in green building products.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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The Contractor’s Commitment: Lessons from the First Year
Webcast
The new “Contractor’s Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices" calls on firms to practice green building on the jobsite and beyond.
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We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Feature
Curbing carbon emissions requires that we address our vast stock of existing buildings. Here’s how to make the case and get it done.
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Using Low-Carbon Concrete in Your Next Project
Spotlight Report
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The Missing Embodied Carbon Link: Construction
Spotlight Report
Just For Fun
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