Building Science
Parent
Building Science
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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2030 Culture: Six Selfish Reasons to Commit
Feature Short
2030 Commitment signatories are making progress on climate goals. Along the way, they’re also finding new ways to save time and money.
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The Secret Math Behind RMI’s New Headquarters
Feature Short
Designing for net-zero energy and carbon in the nation’s coldest climate is not just a physics problem. There’s also the chemistry.
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Owners, This RFP Hack Enables Lasting Building Performance
Feature Short
A request for proposals is not just about selecting the right team; it’s the first chance to create buy-in for your new building’s goals.
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Verifying Project Outcomes: Which Metrics Work?
Feature Short
Project success is increasingly tied to performance metrics, especially EUI. But that doesn’t always capture what owners are really looking for.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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The 12 Product Rules
Infographic
These 12 product rules provide a simple approach to selecting better, healthier, and more environmentally responsible building products and materials.
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Air-to-Balcony-to-Water "Bridging" Heat Exchanger
Infographic
Heat and cool totally go where the arrows point. Always. But before you rely on this detail, check the date we published it.
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Insulated Concrete Forms
Explainer
Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are permanent forms for poured-concrete walls.
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Light-Emitting Diodes: Chasing White Light
Explainer
LED lighting is becoming more energy-efficient and cost-effective, but it has not yet realized its potential for efficacy, and for wider applicability.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Blanket and Batt Insulation
Product Guide
Batts and aerogel blankets with high recycled content, reduced air-quality concerns, or superior performance
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Blown Insulation
Product Guide
Blown-in products with high recycled content, superior energy performance, and low-toxicity ingredients
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Board Insulation
Product Guide
These insulation products and thermal breaks provide superior thermal performance and avoid common chemical hazards.
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Composting Toilet Systems
Product Guide
Composting toilets are not for every project, but they do warrant consideration.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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A Quieter XLerator
News Analysis
Excel Dryer now offers a modified nozzle for its XLerator hand dryer that makes the drying process nine or ten decibels quieter.
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AIA, BuildingGreen Ink Deal
News Analysis
A new agreement will bring BuildingGreen's resources to AIA's 77,000 members through AIA publications and member discounts on BuildingGreen Suite subscriptions.
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California Builders Pay for Degrading Air Quality
News Analysis
California's Central Valley, contender for the nation's worst air quality, will require builders to reduce the smog and particulate matter their projects cause, or pay into offsite air-quality improvement programs.
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News on the Toilet Testing Front
News Analysis
Veritec Consulting has redesigned its toilet-performance testing protocol to save soybean paste, and a new system helps consumers identify toilets that save water and flush well.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Bravo!
Op-Ed
Pat Huelman, associate professor at the University of Minnesota, applauds EBN's coverage of durability.
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Improved Searching in BuildingGreen Suite
Op-Ed
With new hardware and software from Google, BuildingGreen offers an improved search capability on its website.
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Special BuildingGreen Suite Rate for Interior Designers
Op-Ed
Members of either of the two major associations of interior designers can now receive a special subscription rate to BuildingGreen Suite through an arrangement with BuildingGreen.
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CFLs Aren't Perfect
Op-Ed
The lifespan of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is shortened by frequent switching on and off, but in most applications they're worth using anyway.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Feature Article
Removal of invasive plants and support of native plantings are critically important for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
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Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Spotlight Report
It may take hundreds or thousands of years to return to pre-industrial-age levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, but the loss of animal and plant species that is occurring today is, practically speaking, irreversible.
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The BuildingGreen Guide to Thermal Insulation
Special Report
The BuildingGreen Guide to Thermal Insulation, Fourth Edition, provides detailed guidance on insulation products and practices, including environmental and health comparisons, and recommendations on what insulation to use and what to avoid.
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Is Using Smart Glass Smart?
Feature Article
Electrochromic glazing holds the promise of less glare and better energy efficiency with fewer attachments. The reality is much more complicated.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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Judge Robs Yost of Gold Medal in WUFI Modeling
April Fools
Despite a perfect 10 for Yost from two of the judges, this year’s WUFIlympics gold medal goes to Terry Brennan.
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Trump Presidential Library to Feature Golf, Gambling
April Fools
The Trump Presidential Library will break with staid traditions and offer some unusual amenities.
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Capitol Insurrectionists Claim Sustainability Motives
April Fools
“They were conducting an energy audit,” say attorneys representing dozens of alleged U.S. Capitol insurrectionists.
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Public Demonstrations Challenge Company’s Decarbonization Efforts
April Fools
Decarbonization is the new buzzword in sustainability, but efforts to lower one product’s embodied carbon are being challenged by an increasingly agitated public.
