Sustainable Materials
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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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Biobased Materials: Not Always Greener
Feature Article
We tend to think of biobased materials as inherently greener-but even "natural" and "rapidly renewable" materials can carry big environmental impacts.
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What Makes a Product Green Today?
Feature Article
Lots of manufacturers call their products "green," but are they? Here's our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
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The Product Transparency Movement: Peeking Behind the Corporate Veil
Feature Article
Manufacturers are offering more product information than ever, but how can we know what to trust?
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LEDs: The Future Is Here
Feature Article
LEDs have finally become an economically viable lighting option, but choosing the best LED products still takes knowledge and skill.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Innovative Moisture-Resistant Textile with No PFAS
Product Review
Supreen is a woven textile that incorporates silicone into its fibers along with a polyurethane backing to provide a moisture-barrier material without the need for PFAS treatments.
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High-Efficiency Commercial Window Inserts
Product Review
Alpen’s WinSert commercial window inserts significantly improve the thermal performance of aging window systems, without the cost or aesthetic concerns of full replacements.
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The Future of Home Energy Connectivity
Product Review
Schneider’s Square D Energy Center can connect photovoltaics, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and “smart” meters and appliances.
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Blue Planet: Cost-Effective Carbon Sequestration
Product Review
Blue Planet turns industrial CO2 into aggregate, cost-effectively sequestering carbon while producing a viable commodity.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Green Seal’s LEED-Compliant GS-11 Paint Standard is Back
News Brief
Green Seal’s GS-11 Paint certification has been updated and can now be used to earn points in LEED v4.1.
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Historic HFC Climate Rule Will Slash U.S. Emissions
News Brief
With EPA's new HFC rule, the Biden administration just finalized one of the most important greenhouse-gas-reduction initiatives in U.S. history.
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An Embodied Carbon Toolkit for Interior Designers
News Brief
For interior designers, Metropolis has put together a slew of resources to limit the embodied carbon from continual interior design changes. -
Experts Say Stop Counting Trunks and Look to the Canopy
News Brief
Half of urban trees don’t live past 10 years; we need them to reach at least 50.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Chemicals Are Safe
Op-Ed
The American Chemistry Council responds to our feature article on chemicals in green building products.
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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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Polystyrene's Track Record
Op-Ed
Steve Russell, of the American Chemistry Council, suggests that the hazards associated with polystyrene are being overblown.
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Watch for Other Toxics
Op-Ed
Two architects argue that some of the alternatives to polystyrene, such as polyurethane, come with their own hazards.
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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