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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Behind the Logos: Understanding Green Product Certifications
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The number of environmental product standards and certifications is growing rapidly, putting numerous different "green" logos on products. This article reviews the key programs and evaluates their rigor, and offers guidance in using them to accomplish project goals.
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The Urgency of Embodied Carbon and What You Can Do about It
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Building materials emit massive amounts of carbon long before the lights go on. Here’s how thoughtful design can reduce global warming impact.
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Waste Not, Want Not: Case Studies of Building Material Reuse
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Reclamation and reuse of building materials can be a tough sell and hard to design for, but many project teams have learned to make it work. Here’s how.
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Constructing Change: The Contractor’s Commitment
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The Contractor’s Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices calls on construction firms to practice green building. Here’s why the whole industry needs to get behind it.
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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Bella-Dura Contract Fabric Touts Its Green Credentials
Product Review
Bella-Dura indoor/outdoor fabric offers contract-quality performance in a competitively priced product. The company claims that Bella-Dura solution-dyed polypropylene fibers are colorfast and require less energy and water to produce than nylon or polyester.
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Innovations in Water Conservation Products
Product Review
The first annual WaterSmart Innovations Conference featured dozens of new water-conservation products. We review a handful of the most exciting.
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No-Compromise Green Fabrics from O Ecotextiles
Product Review
O Ecotextiles offers luxury textiles made from rapidly renewable fibers. The company continues to work toward eliminating toxic chemicals, unfair labor practices, and water pollution at each step in the textile production process.
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ThermaRock Brings Advanced Insulation to Wallboard
Product Review
Aerogel gives ThermaRock wallboard a high insulation value of R-2.5 to R-4.1, but the product comes with a hefty pricetag.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Vinyl Group Launches Reporting Label for Toxic Chemicals
News Analysis
Flooring manufacturers and their Product Transparency Declaration (PTD) will compete with the Health Product Declaration (HPD) format for industry acceptance.
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Waiting for Take-Back Programs for Building Materials
News Analysis
LEED now gives credit for products with extended producer responsibility, or EPR programs, but so far these rarely extend beyond batteries and carpet.
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New EHS Transparency Tool Based on Cradle to Cradle Program
News Analysis
A new way to report product ingredients, the Environmental and Health Statement, puts yet another spin on transparency.
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Report Warns of Asthma-Causing Chemicals in Building Products
News Analysis
The Healthy Building Network (HBN) is urging building product design and selection to account for asthmagens, but some question whether its precautionary approach is premature.
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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