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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Are Cool Roofs Green? The Answer’s Not Black and White
Feature Article
Roofing choices are complicated by heating tradeoffs, climate effects, and condensation, but proponents say reflective roofs still make sense in most climates.
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Can Concrete Save Us? Locking Up Carbon in Building Materials
Feature Article
Concrete is responsible for a huge proportion of global carbon dioxide emissions. A few companies want to reverse this cycle by sequestering carbon in building materials.
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The PVC Debate: A Fresh Look
Feature Article
PVC is banned by some green building programs and simply reviled by some groups. How did we get here, and has anything changed since vinyl became the enemy?
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Innovative Products and Technology from the Greenbuild Expo
Feature Article
Our product editors pick some winners from the expo floor at Greenbuild 2013 while raising questions about some materials.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Forest Products Certification: How It Works
Explainer
Many wood and paper products now come with an eco-label. But what happens behind the scenes before a product gets the seal of approval?
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Embodied Carbon: Measuring How Building Materials Affect Climate
Explainer
Just as operating buildings emits greenhouse gases, buying and installing building materials, product, and appliances causes emissions as well.
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Chromium-6: Health and Life-Cycle Hazards
Explainer
Chrome-plated and stainless-steel products may not expose us directly to the hazards of hexavalent chromium, but their life cycle releases it into the environment.
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The Precautionary Principle
Explainer
The precautionary principle employs "guilty until proven innocent" methodology, and suggests that we should avoid using questionable chemicals and materials until we know they're safe.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Energy Storage without Lithium
Product Review
Salient Energy is developing a zinc-ion battery that avoids some of the safety and supply chain concerns of current lithium-ion systems.
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Rapidly Renewable Hemp Flooring and Lumber
Product Review
Hemp is a sustainable, low-embodied-carbon building material, but few products are actually made from it. HempWood is out to change that with its flooring and non-structural lumber made from hemp fibers.
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Offsetting the Impacts of Cushioned Carpet Tile
Product Review
Mohawk uses high recycled content and carbon offsets to reduce the embodied carbon of its EcoFlex One cushioned carpet tile.
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Acoustic Panels: Cutting through the Product Noise
Product Review
Choosing interior acoustic products that contain fewer potentially hazardous materials will improve the overall interior environmental quality without compromising designs.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Feds Introduce Decarbonization Specs for Government Projects
News Brief
A new concrete rule from GSA and energy code adoption from DOE continue U.S. efforts to curb both embodied and operational carbon.
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Embodied Carbon Limits: New Language for Codes and Specs
News Analysis
Now there are standardized ways to write embodied carbon limits into both building codes and architectural specifications.
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The Rise of Mass Timber in a Volatile Market
News Analysis
Demand for mass timber is going up, but there’s still lots of room to grow. Can that happen—sustainably—in today’s market?
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A Platform for Sharing Product Circularity Data
News Brief
The Product Circularity Data Sheet is a new way to track product ingredients and other circular design features, and is now available through Toxnot.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Choosing Windows: New Report Addresses Cost, Performance
Op-Ed
A new report from BuildingGreen helps you choose windows for a project, find the right balance among seven key decision drivers, including cost, performance, aesthetics, and more.
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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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Adhesives and Sealants: Performance First, but Materials Matter
Blog Post
Exterior adhesives and sealants are formulated for performance, but some contain chemicals that pose risks to unprotected workers or the environment.
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Sealing Without Stickum: Gaskets Make a Place for Themselves
Blog Post
Compressible gaskets keep air and water barriers continuous without liquid sealants or adhesive tapes. But they don’t all last equally well.
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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