BuildingGreen.com News

Making Your Own Electricity: Onsite Photovoltaic Systems

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Although photovoltaic systems have a long payback period, generous incentives and tax credits can make the systems attractive for building owners interested in reducing their carbon footprint.

EPA Seeks Stronger Regulation of Chemicals

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson outlined a broad set of principles that will guide Administration efforts to reform the 30-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act.

States Adopt BIM for Energy, Cost Savings

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

BIM allows state governments to streamline design and construction of state buildings and track their performance over time.

Wind Turbine Certification Forthcoming

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new performance standard for small wind turbines being developed by the American Wind Energy Association will be used by the newly formed Small Wind Certification Council to certify wind turbine durability and performance based on standardized wind conditions.

ASHRAE Requires Mechanical Ventilation in Naturally Ventilated Commercial Buildings

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

An addendum to ASHRAE's natural ventilation standard requires mechanical backup systems for naturally ventilated commercial buildings.

CBRE Experiments With One-Day Energy Reductions

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New York Greening Buildings One Super at a Time

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

ASHRAE Certifying Energy Modelers

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

ORNL Testing Energy Efficiency in Model Homes

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

STARS Rating System for Campuses Open for Registration

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Granite Study Reveals Radiation Risks for Workers

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Germany Wins Solar Decathlon for Second Time

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Trane Completes Transition to Ozone-Safe R-410A

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

EPA Releases Draft WaterSense Standard for Showerheads

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Building a Better Building Block—Pozzotive Plus

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Kingston Block & Masonry Supply has introduced a line of CMUs and concrete facing brick made with a post-consumer-recycled-glass pozzolan substituting for 30% of the portland cement as well as about 50% post-consumer recycled aggregate.

Silva Cell Facilitates Urban Tree Growth

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Silva Cell provides a framework that supports streetscapes and paved surfaces and encloses uncompacted subsurface soil so it can be used for tree-root growth or stormwater mitigation.

Programmable Thermostats

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Programmable thermostats can save a lot of energy, but to do so, the have to be operated correctly.

Drinking the Heat Pump Kool-Aid

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Reader Thomas McGrath questions the choice of heat pumps over other forms of space heating.

Building for People: Integrating Social Justice into Green Design

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Social justice is already a part of green building. Making it a conscious part of the decision-making process, however, requires a new paradigm.

Polystyrene's Track Record

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Steve Russell, of the American Chemistry Council, suggests that the hazards associated with polystyrene are being overblown.

Watch for Other Toxics

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Two architects argue that some of the alternatives to polystyrene, such as polyurethane, come with their own hazards.

USGBC Revising Forest Certification Benchmark for LEED

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Green Building Council has opened recent revisions to the LEED certified wood credit to public comment.

Bob Berkebile Receives Heinz Award

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Habitat and Home Depot Bring More Green to Affordable Housing

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Underwriting Standards for Green Mortgage-Backed Securities

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Allowing for Growth, Going for Green: T.C. Williams High School

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new school in Virginia practices what it teaches—and earned LEED Gold because of it.

Green Seal Certification Standard Established for Restaurants

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New USGBC Initiative Targets Building Performance

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Heat-Pump Water Heaters Ready for Prime Time

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Heat-pump water heaters offer significantly greater water heating efficiency than conventional electric water heaters. EBN takes a look at three new products, along with two existing products and one that is expected out soon.

Mineral Wool Residential and Commercial Insulation

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Mineral wool insulation offers a good alternative to foam-based insulation, with fewer hazardous chemicals.

Upgrade to LEED 2009?

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Projects currently registered under LEED-NC 2.2 can transfer to LEED 2009 before certifying. Should your project switch?

HBCD Isn't the Only Problem

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Tom Lent argues that we should be looking beyond HBCD when thinking about toxic chemicals.

Polystyrene Chemicals Widespread

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Polystyrene chemicals may be more widespread than most people think.

Changing Practices

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A reader reports on changing his building practices with inspiration from Environmental Building News.

LEED-ND Approved by New Urbanists

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system has been approved by the Congress for New Urbanism.

USC Offers Ph.D. in Architectural Technology

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

President Orders Federal Agencies to Save Energy

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

An executive order sets aggressive energy-use and carbon-reduction goals for federal agencies.

Older Buildings May Harbor PCBs, EPA Warns

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

California Utilities to Pump Billions into Energy-Efficiency

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

AstroTurf Ordered to Curtail Lead Use

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

LEED Certification Now with Guarantee

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

People Get Sicker in Overcooled and Overheated Buildings

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Design for Adaptation: Living in a Climate-Changing World

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow, rising global temperatures would still bring major changes to the climate system and our way of life. This article offers solutions for designing buildings that not only mitigate our impact on the global climate, but also adapt to the changes that are coming—and those that are already here.

LEED AP Credential Maintenance Program Launched

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Green Building Certification Institute has released credential maintenance requirements for LEED APs, including education and fees.

BAC Acquires Harvard Landscape Program

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Renewables Surge as Percentage of U.S. Electricity

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Massachusetts Stretches the Energy Code

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Michelle Moore Joins the Obama Administration

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Invelope: A Breakthrough in Exterior Commercial Wall Assemblies?

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Invelope is a steel and foam panel that serves as a moisture and vapor barrier, drainage plane, and insulation while also providing a mounting system for brick veneer or terra-cotta cladding.

Tankless Water Heaters

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Tankless water heaters have some downsides, but mostly offer advantages over conventional storage water heaters.

New Lease Model Shares Green Building Costs, Benefits

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Urine Separation: The Next Wave of Ecological Wastewater Treatment

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Urine-separating toilets offer better treatment options for both urine and feces, and they're coming to the U.S.

Polystyrene Insulation: Does It Belong in a Green Building?

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Polystyrene is widely used as a rigid insulation in North America, offering high insulation values, moisture resistance, strength, and affordability. But a flame retardant in the material, as well as its life-cycle impacts, raise questions about whether it should be used at all.

Rethinking Polystyrene Insulation

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

We should avoid using polystyrene made with the flame retardant HBCD in our buildings, using rigid mineral wool, polyurethane, cellulose, or other alternatives instead.

R-etro Leaves Some Gaps Unfilled

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Reader Paul Eldrenkamp argues that although the R-etro foam insulation system makes installation easy, it doesn't make tricky detailing any easier.

Cap-and-Trade Bill Includes Federal Energy Code

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The cap-and-trade bill recently passed by the House contains ground-breaking green building provisions, but faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

ICC Announces Plan for Green Construction Code

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The International Code Council is tackling green building through the International Green Construction Code initiative.

Austin Requires Energy Audits and Labels

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new ordinance in Austin, Texas, requires energy audits for all buildings.

Obama Announces Stronger Lighting Efficiency Standards

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Maine Fluorescent Lamp Bill Puts Manufacturers in Recycling Hot Seat

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

USGBC Appoints New Research Director

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Capturing Concrete Washout Pollutants

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Atlantic Concrete Washout uses portable, sealed containers and specially designed trucks to collect and dispose of waste products left over after washing down concrete equipment at construction sites.

LED SkyCeilings Introduced

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Armstrong to Produce FSC-Certified Flooring

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Constructed wetlands, when used to treat wastewater, can keep nitrogen and phosphorous from the water supply and cut costs by controlling the size of needed drainfields.

EPA's Portfolio Manager Slated for Improvements

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

EPA will update its Portfolio Manager tool for managing building energy performance, including new ratings for a variety of building types and new fields for renewable energy generation.

The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

This new guide from Bill Reed and 7group seeks to "redesign the design process."

AIG Insuring for Green Building Risks

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

AIG introduces two new classes of insurance coverage for green building.

Buildings on Ice: Making the Case for Thermal Energy Storage

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Thermal energy storage uses ice to shift daytime cooling loads to nighttime, when electricity costs are lower. You may be able to reduce the size of chillers as a result, saving money and energy and lowering the environmental footprint of a building

BuildingGreen Launches LEEDuser

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

LEEDuser, BuildingGreen's new online resource, provides tips, strategies, and a documentation toolkit for project teams pursuing LEED certification.

Standard 189 Close to Complete

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After a few bumps in the road, Standard 189 is close to complete, having surpassed its original goal as a minimum, code-enforceable standard.

The Level on BIFMA's Furniture Certification

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

BIFMA's multi-attribute standard offers a high bar for certifying furniture, but its success depends on its transparency moving forward.

Green Schools May Get a Boost in 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A bill making its way through Congress may make energy-efficient and green school retrofits easier to fund.

Restrictions on Widely Used Chemicals Sought

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Seven chemicals, including the flame retardant HBCD that is used in polystyrene insulation, are being recommended for inclusion in the EU's REACH "Authorization List."

USGBC and CCI Partner to Promote Green Urban Development

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council have partnered to support carbon-neutral and environmentally friendly urban development.

EPA Moving Forward With Endocrine Disruptor Screening

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

SolFocus CPV Modules First to Meet Key Industry Standard

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

ASHRAE Releases Standard for Moisture-Control Design Analysis

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

FSC-Certified Bamboo Eligible for Certified Wood LEED Credit

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Fall in 2008

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Enterprise Gets More Funding for Affordable Green Housing

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Green Roofs Continue to Proliferate

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Convia's Energy-Management Platform

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Convia and Wiremold have partnered to provide a modular, highly adjustable energy distribution infrastructure and reporting tool.

Thermal Bridging

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Thermal bridging, when one material conducts heat much better than materials around it, can reduce the effectiveness of insulation to a surprising extent.

UNH Launches Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new landfill gas-to-energy project makes the University of New Hampshire the first campus in the nation powered primarily by landfill gas.

Zerofootprint Launches Retrofit Competition

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new competition hopes to raise the profile of deep energy retrofits—and make them financially rewarding.

ASHRAE Unveils Building Energy Label

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

All LEED Projects to Provide Actual Performance Data

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new energy- and water-reporting mandate adds new teeth to LEED certification, engendering both kudos and fears.

Funding Cut for Toxics Reduction

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New Standard 55: 'Cool People, Not Buildings'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Changes to ASHRAE Standard 55 will allow building operators to turn up fans, instead of air-conditioning, to keep people cool in warm conditions.

Drywall Problems Escalate

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

BuildingGreen Offers LEED-AP Practice Exam

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

BuildingGreen is making its unofficial LEED for New Construction Accredited Professional (LEED AP) practice exam available to BuildingGreen Suite members hoping to take the exam before it changes on June 30, 2009.

The Living Building Challenge: Can It Really Change the World?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Living Building Challenge, with its stringent, all-or-nothing requirements, is out to change the way we build. But is it actually achievable?

Defining the Goal

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A series of deceptively simple challenges have attempted to clarify what "green" building is, but have failed to set truly measurable goals.

Dirty-Dozen List of POPs Expanded

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Nine chemicals have been added to the "dirty dozen" list of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), including the pent and octa forms of PBDE flame retardant and the fluoropolymer PFOS.

Cities Move to Improve Energy Efficiency

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Three cities have released plans that would require energy-efficient retrofits of existing buildings.

Green Standard Registers First Environmental Product Declaration

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Nonprofit organization The Green Standard is registering ISO-compliant environmental product declarations, starting with InterflacFLOR's Convert carpet products.

Invista Will Pay $500 Million to Clean Up Former DuPont Facilities

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Florida Developer Plans All-Solar City

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Chicago's FBI Building Earns First Platinum LEED-EBOM Certification

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A strong partnership between owner and tenant helped the FBI's Chicago Regional Office earn the first Platinum LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance certification.