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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The Hidden Science of High-Performance Building Assemblies
Feature
Any four walls and a roof make an enclosure, but for efficiency, comfort, and durability, those elements have to be meticulously designed and installed.
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Getting Flame Retardants Out of Foam Insulation
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In an effort to eliminate the use of halogenated flame retardants, building code changes are being proposed by a group of fire experts, architects, chemists, and environmentalists.
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Stone, The Original Green Building Material
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Stone is natural and durable, emits no VOCs, requires almost no maintenance, and provides a connection to the earth and our history.
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Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building
Feature
Why we will never understand the true impact of our buildings—and how we should try to anyway
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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From Ozone Depletion to Global Warming: The Kigali Amendment
Explainer
The amendment builds on the Montreal Protocol’s legacy, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
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Neutralizing the Downsides of Concrete
Explainer
Concrete is a durable and necessary building material, but its carbon footprint is huge. Here’s a rundown of concrete’s tradeoffs and some solutions.
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Understanding Emission Scopes in the GHG Protocol
Explainer
The GHG Protocol’s three emission scopes acknowledge the complexities of supply and demand while also encouraging sector-wide alignment, consistent transparency, and support for science-based decarbonization targets.
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Building Decarbonization: How LCA and EPDs Fit in
Explainer
Life-cycle assessment and environmental product declarations reveal embodied carbon and other impacts, but it’s important to know their limits.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Cardinal Introduces New LoE3 Glass
Product Review
The nation's largest manufacturer of low-emissivity glass for residential windows has introduced an improved triple-coated glass, now being used by several window makers.
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LightLouver Offers Low-Profile Alternative to Light Shelves
Product Review
A self-contained unit designed for installation inside windows above the vision plane, the LightLouver Daylighting System effectively redirects sunlight deeper into building interiors.
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Recycled-EPS Interior Molding
Product Review
Recyled polystyrene molding from Timbron International is waterproof, mold-resistant, paintable, and workable.
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New Treated Wood Uses Nonmetallic Biocides
Product Review
A new treated wood product in Arch Treatment Technologies' Wolmanized line uses a trio of organic biocides to protect the wood for outdoor, aboveground use.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Underwriters Laboratories to Validate Environmental Claims
News Analysis
UL, one of the most trusted brands in product safety testing and labeling, will begin third-party certification to green product standards as well as validation of environmental claims.
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Federal Eco-Labeling Law Taking Shape
News Analysis
A federally sanctioned eco-label for green products would result from legislation now being crafted in Congress.
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Micronized Copper Wood Preservatives Becoming Industry Standard
News Analysis
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PEX Tubing Passes California Environmental Review
News Analysis
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Hidden Seam Failures? We Put Flashing Tapes to the Test
Blog Post
Flashing and air barrier seam tapes get buried deep in our walls where we rely on long-term performance without monitoring them. Are they doing their jobs?
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4 Insider Tips for Choosing Flashing Tapes, from a Real-Life Engineer
Blog Post
A research engineer at Pella Windows finally offers some adult supervision for our benchtop tape tests.
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Finding the Building Products You Need to Do WELL
Blog Post
The WELL Building Standard has stringent transparency and health criteria for products and materials. Here’s how to find what you’ll need for certification.
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Combining Sheathing With a WRB and Air Barrier
Blog Post
How well do Zip and ForceField sheathing integrate a structural panel with bulk water and air management?
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
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