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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Different Tools for Different Jobs: How HPDs Fit In
Feature Short
Why do we need Health Product Declarations when we have safety data sheets, Cradle to Cradle, Declare, and other frameworks?
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How Google Uses HPDs to Choose Building Products
Feature Short
The Portico program turns chemical disclosure into a powerful decision-making tool.
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Five Ways Project Teams Are Using HPDs
Feature Short
An architect, a specifier, and a building owner walk into a bar. Then they talk about how ingredient transparency informs their work.
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In Search of High-Quality Hazard Data: HPDs Have Promise, but Most Aren’t Helpful Yet
Feature Short
HPD version 1.0’s promise of greater material transparency didn’t always deliver, but version 2.0 should provide accurate reporting.
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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Future-Proofing HVAC with Low-Temperature Hydronic Systems
Product Review
Low-temperature hydronic distribution with air-to-water heat pumps could provide “future-proof” heating systems for residential and light commercial buildings.
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New PVC-Free Resilient Flooring Options
Product Review
Shaw is now offering biobased and recycled PET resilient flooring options for commercial and healthcare applications.
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Innovative LED Lighting from LightFair 2018
Product Review
The LightFair innovation award winners showcase LED lighting’s evolving technology and how its sustainability image has changed.
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Polystyrene Insulations Are Now HBCD-Free
Product Review
Dow, Owens Corning, and Kingspan have joined the EPS industry in eliminating the hazardous halogenated flame retardant HBCD from their XPS insulations.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Canada’s Zero Carbon Standard Requires Embodied Carbon Offsets
News Brief
Measuring embodied carbon is no longer enough: certified projects now must purchase offsets for embodied carbon and refrigerant leaks.
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Old Insulation and HVAC Systems Are Still Depleting Ozone
News Brief
Older buildings are “CFC banks” because of phased-out refrigerants and blowing agents, according to MIT scientists.
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Transportation a Key Factor in CLT Sustainability
News Brief
A life-cycle assessment of Katerra cross-laminated timber reveals opportunities for lower carbon impact. -
Builders Push “Drawdown Buildings” to Cut Embodied Carbon
News Brief
Touting the benefits of biobased materials and electrification, a recent study shows how low-rise buildings can become a climate solution.
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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