BuildingGreen Report
News Brief
EPA shares its plan for a low-embodied carbon labeling program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Federally funded projects are responsible for as much as a third of all U.S. construction emissions, estimates the General Services Administration (GSA) Green Building Advisory Committee.
As one piece of a comprehensive strategy to reduce this impact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is creating a labeling program to drive... Read more
Webcast
In simpler times, our buildings were made primarily from local, natural substances like stone, wood, straw, and clay.
But lifestyles have changed dramatically since these were the dominant materials used. Now, although many communities are still following the “old ways,” in the richest parts of the globe, ultra-processed materials make... Read more
Product Guide
First and foremost, it is best to use native landscaping or xeriscaping that is drought-resistant and reduces or eliminates water, energy, and chemical use.
When irrigation is required, preference should be given to products labeled by EPA’s WaterSense program. WaterSense-labeled products undergo rigorous testing to ensure they are at... Read more
Spotlight Report
Our buildings used to be made from local, natural materials. With no petrochemicals, these natural materials had minimal carbon footprint and were healthier for people and the environment. The climate and environment are now in crisis, brought on partially by the building materials that have ushered in our era of skyscrapers and... Read more
Product Guide
Batt insulation is inexpensive and readily available. Most brands contain formaldehyde-free resins, so they provide decent insulation with minimal indoor air quality concerns.
Batt insulation R-values vary between 3.5 for typical mineral batt insulations to about 4 for high-density products.
Cautions Batt insulation requires... Read moreFeature Article
There is a lot of hype over carbon storage and other benefits of natural materials, but their potential is real. Here are some that are ready for prime time—and the ones we hope will take off next.
Before petrochemicals, our buildings were made primarily from local, natural materials, making the most of the resources at hand. We had a circular economy—using and reusing high-value goods until they fell apart completely and became valuable fertilizer for future high-value goods—by necessity. The embodied carbon of these natural materials... Read more
Product Review
Shaw claims its EcoWorx Resilient flooring performs better than vinyl and that the material can—and will—be recycled.
There are few commercial-grade drop-in alternatives to luxury vinyl tile (LVT)—a state of affairs that flooring manufacturer Shaw Industries is hoping to change. Shaw has introduced a new PVC-free, polyolefin-based flooring collection called EcoWorx Resilient. The company claims the collection, whose name leverages the well-known brand of its... Read more
Explainer
“Circularity” is about more than just recycling. It means building and buying things only when necessary—and without wasting anything.
Ever since the invention of plastics, the global economy has become more and more linear, meaning that building products, and even whole buildings, follow a one-way trajectory: resource extraction, then use, then disposal.
This model boosts short-term profits, but it relies on fast and cheap manufacturing to do so, which can directly... Read more
Explainer
Here are the terms and metrics you’ll need to know as you cut greenhouse gas emissions from building materials and operations.
The stakes are high, the mission clear: we must eliminate the carbon emissions associated with our buildings. Taking these three steps will get us most of the way there:
First, improve the energy performance of buildings to reduce the fuel and electricity required to operate them. Next, electrify buildings and optimize their energy... Read moreExplainer
Designing a building or reporting on performance for the AIA 2030 Commitment? The building industry has standard—and sometimes confusing—ways of measuring energy. Here are the key terms you’ll need to get the job done.
Building performance metrics used to be the exclusive purview of engineers and energy modelers. But as the need to decarbonize our built environment gets increasingly urgent, project teams must collaborate across disciplines to take the biggest step forward in that work—using less energy.
Here are a few of the energy metrics you’ll need... Read more
Op-Ed
Technology that separates us from our surroundings can have far-reaching consequences for our fellow humans.
In my early adult years, noise-canceling headphones were a luxury I didn’t feel I could afford. Then the price came down, the quality went up, I had a bit more disposable income … and I splurged. I love how they help me feel more relaxed when I’m on an airplane or a subway—but that pleasure comes with a distinct awareness of my... Read more
News Brief
A new white paper will help building teams interpret their continuous air monitor data—and take action
Collecting data on indoor air quality (IAQ) is the first step toward ensuring it’s safe and healthy. The second step is to do something with it.
“So, You Have Some IAQ Monitors. Now What?” is a free white paper by the Air Quality Working Group, a subset of the BuildingGreen Peer Networks, that delves into how practitioners can interpret... Read more
Webcast
Should housing be affordable? Or should it be sustainably designed, built, and operated?
When you put it like that, the question sounds absurd.
But the idea—usually unspoken—that sustainability wastes precious time and resources is painfully common in the affordable housing world.
It’s time to bust that myth. In this... Read more
Spotlight Report
Experts agree: it is possible to build both sustainably and affordably.
But to do so, we must shift our business-as-usual approach by applying systems thinking and centering equity in sustainable design. After all, a building is only “green” if its entire supply chain is too.
So what does this... Read more
Feature Article
Sustainability doesn’t have to cost more—and no one knows that better than affordable housing experts. But every project type can benefit from these 12 cost-reducing ideas that support people and the planet.
This is Part Two of a two-part series related to affordable housing. It supports project teams across disciplines and building typologies with 12 specific ideas for building green on a budget. Part One emphasizes the critical importance of sustainability in affordable housing and details six steps building professionals can take to help that... Read more
Product Guide
Air-to-air heat pumps transfer heat energy from the air into and out of a building. These systems have an outdoor unit with a compressor and condenser, and either indoor units or a central... Read more
Spotlight Report
As we work to provide affordable shelter to tens of millions of households in the U.S., we have a choice: we can reinforce the exploitive systems that created our housing crisis, or we can support health, life, and resilience.
But the perceived first cost of sustainable and regenerative design solutions is one of the... Read more
Feature Article
The U.S. is grappling with a housing crisis, climate change, and a legacy of racism and segregation. But we can address these problems all at once by centering community.
This is Part One of a two-part series related to affordable housing. It emphasizes the critical importance of sustainability in affordable housing and details six steps building professionals can take to help that happen. Part Two supports project teams across disciplines and building typologies with 12 specific ideas for building green on a... Read more
Product Guide
Note: This guide does not include information on boilers or air-to-water heat pumps used in larger commercial applications, though some HPWH systems are modular and can sometimes meet those demands.
Heat-pump... Read more
Product Review
Intellihot electrifies commercial water heating using heat pumps, CO2 refrigerant, thermal batteries, and no need for water storage.
The commercial water-heating systems used in hotels, restaurants, and large multifamily buildings have a few problems. As we move toward all-electric buildings, we need an alternative to gas, but heat-pump water heaters face a couple of challenges:
First, they do not heat water very quickly. For this reason, they require storage tanks... Read more