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The article offers information on a sustainable design made by the company Siegel & Strain Architects for constructing the Yosemite Environmental Education Center at the Yosemite Institute in Yosemite National Park, California, in order to avoid the use of foam insulation. It reports that flame retardants make buildings less flammable to fire. It reports that Seigels encourages people to use foam insulation materials in building construction without making the use of flame-retardant chemicals.

The article focuses on cork and its various advantages. It informs that cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree which has various properties including sequestering carbon, absorbs sound and its durability. Information regarding the discovery of cork, its performance and its cost and dimensional availability is also provided.

The article discusses the effectiveness of passive solar heating system in building's design. It states that passive solar buildings integrate solar energy collection, storage, and distribution into the building design. It highlights the three approaches to passive solar heating system such as direct gain or south-facing windows, indirect gain or thermal storage walls, and isolated gain or sunspaces.

The article offers the author's insights on sustainable buildings that became clear to him during his bicycle trip to his home in Vermont. He notes that climate change adaptation will need resilience in communities and buildings. He says that the U.S. is not only vulnerable to climate change, but also to political turmoil. He adds that real resilience means being ready for longer-term disruptions from the aftermath of natural disasters including floods, wildfires, and winds.

The article discusses the considerations in selecting windows. It says that in choosing window frame materials, which could be polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass, or wood, one should reflect on structural characteristics, durability, and maintenance requirements. It explores the various glazing technologies including double-glazing, increased air space thickness, and low-conductivity gas fill. It also presents a chart recommendations for window design, orientation, and finishes.

The article presents the policies, trends and wish list of green building in the U.S. for 2011. These include residential energy codes and incentives based on total energy consumption, assurance of house performance and durability and integration of science into green design through research and design-based evidence. Furthermore, several products are also presented which include inorganic insulated concrete form (ICF), high performance building-envelope system and low emissivity storm windows.

The article focuses on the priorities that builders should consider in the construction of green buildings. It states that in over 15 years, global climate change becomes a major concern, which led to the launching of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System by the U.S. Green Building Council. It mentions several priorities that can aid in the building's construction which includes questioning assumptions, using integrated design processes and pushing for more.

The article evaluates several pumping machines including Magna VFD from Grundfos Pumps Corp., residential Stratos ECO 16F and 16FX from Wilo Salmson Pumps Ltd.

The article focuses on environmental aspects of buildings with glazed façades. It says that glass buildings such as the One Bryant Park and New York Times Tower in New York City have increased energy consumption. It mentions benefits of glass façades including daylight which improves productivity, connection to outdoors, and durability. It presents suggestions on how to make glass buildings work such as lowering the solar heat gain coefficient and triple glazing.

The article focuses on the considerations in using foam insulations such as standard closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) and Dow Styrofoam of Owens Corning Foamular, to reduce the impact of global warming. It mentions that Global Warming Potential (GWP) can be calculated by the information from the insulation performance of embodied energy. It adds that the insulation material's GWP is the main consideration on lessening the contribution of buildings to global warming.

The article focuses on Passive House, an energy standard for buildings based on quantitative performance. It states that Passive House, which is certified using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software, features passive solar gain and air leakage not greater than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascals of pressure. It features Passive House projects in North America including a senior housing facility. It adds that Passive House allows the development of true net-zero-energy buildings.

Information about the products exhibited at the U.S. Greenbuild held in Phoenix, Arizona, in November 2009 is presented. It notes that there are 1,100 exhibitors that participated in the event conducted in two exhibit halls at the Phoenix Convention Center. Moreover, it provides an overview of the products exhibited by several companies including the Proximity Sensing Technology faucet of Delta Faucet Co. and Power-Pipe drainwater heat recovery system from RenewABILITY Energy Inc.

The article focuses on the science of global climate change and adaptation in the U.S. It states that adaptation is vital during these climatic changes because climate change policies of the government are slow in mitigating its effects. It highlights the effects of the climate change and provides corresponding strategies in adapting including power interruptions, wildfires and water shortages. It offers ways of adaptation through the use of sustainable buildings and equipments. INSET: Can We Engineer Our Way Out of a Crisis?.

The article reviews the architectural design of One Bryant Park in New York City, designed by Fox Architects.

The article examines the advantages and disadvantages of the building-integrated wind turbine technology. The building-integrated wind turbine technology increases the facade of a large building and helps building owners in meeting their commitment to the environment. However, the integration of the technology into buildings also transmits stresses in the building structure which creates substantial problems.

The article focuses on the motivation to integrate agriculture to urban and suburban built environments for food production in the U.S. It states that it is important that vegetables are grown closer to homes for it provides more nutrients and prevents the outbreak of Salmonella and contamination problems. It also builds individual awareness and appreciation for food production. Moreover, built environment integration of food production also reduces the magnitude of energy of the food system. Dan Bravin and Martin Barrett, owners of City Garden Farms in Portland, Oregon promote the implementation of "Spin Farming" (SPIN for Small Plot Intensive) which enables farmers to grow farm products in standardized beds in urban areas. Additionally, it discusses several urban farming methods.

The article focuses on the water policies for water conservation that have been implemented due to rampant water shortages in the U.S. Authorities in Cambria, California instituted a moratorium on water permits that prevent new construction. It provides information on the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 for effective water conservation. Building codes and plumbing codes are also used to regulate how products must be installed. It also discusses the Water Sense program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the LEED Rating System of the Green Building Council. It notes that tiered or volumetric pricing, product gifts, rebates, ordinances, water-demand offsets, retrofit-on-resale ordinances, and submetering and metering requirements could aid in water conservation. INSET: Reversing Bad Policies.

The article examines the spectrum unconventional water sources that can be used in green buildings in the U.S. It states the importance of looking an alternative water supply which helps achieve passive survivability of the buildings, such as maintaining liable conditions when electricity, heating fuel, and municipal water are lost. Solutions include the provision of separate plumbing for potable and nonpotable water, scale of delivery of reclaimed water or treated wastewater, desalination of water from municipalities and graywater collection by filtering to remove large particles and storing them to be used for landscape particles.

The article discusses the strategies in reducing water use in and around residential and commercial buildings in the U.S. The country's Geology Survey has revealed that the country uses about 400 billion gallons of water a day, in which 48% is used for thermoelectric power generation, 34% fro irrigation on farms, and 12% for buildings from both public water supplies and well water. It presents a summary of products and technologies which provides information on developments and possible trends that include plumbing fixtures, appliances, and process equipment.

The article reports that the first LEED Platinum building in the world, the Philip Merrill Environmental Center of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has many green building features. It employs rainwater harvesting, photovoltaic panels, bamboo flooring and composting toilets, among others. However, the additional energy that must be expended by many employees, who now mush drive when they were previously able to walk to work, surpasses the energy savings from the green building. This additional energy expense is not so obvious and may tend to be neglected by green building designers.

The article focuses on the proposal of the author of creating an Environmental Service Corps in the U.S. He explains that the Environmental Service Corps would ask men and women to invest two years in the service of the country by carrying out a wide range of projects to help the nation reduce the catastrophic climate change and adapt the changes brought by global warming. Some of the activities of the Environmental Service Corps should include home rebuilding, ecosystem restoration particularly in coastal regions, and reforestation.

The article describes the relationship between district geothermal energy systems and green building initiatives in the U.S. District energy systems make use of waste heat from electric power production and cogeneration of electric power and heat, as well as renewable energy sources. There is potential for supplying single-family dwellings and commercial buildings with district energy. Steam, hot water, and chilled water are centrally produced and then distributed to multiple buildings through insulated pipes.

The article examines the range of exit signs as safety component in public buildings and provides recommendations for each technology based on electric consumption. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exit signs in commercial buildings amounted to an annual cost of $2-3 billion per year. The six exit signs categories on the market include incandescent, compact fluorescent, radioluminescent (tritium), Light Emitting Diode (LED), electroluminescent and photoluminescent. Fast payback can be achieved in switching from existing incandescent or fluorescent exit signs.

The author reflects on the concept of biophilia and how it can inform building design. According to Stephen Kellert, a professor from Yale University, biophilia, being applicable to all buildings where people live, work, or learn, is the missing link in sustainable design. The author believes that biophilia is important because it is well-demonstrated that biophilic elements have real, measurable benefits in relation to human performance metrics as productivity, and biophilic foster an appreciation of nature. He also comments on the positive, measurable results of biophilic features on human health and healing. INSET: Simulating Nature with Luminous SkyCeilings.

The article discusses the concept of passive survivability as a standard design criterion for buildings and some specific strategies that can be employed in adopting the criterion. The concept of passive survivability is explained as the ability of the building to maintain critical life-support conditions if power, heating fuel, or water services are lost, and suggests that the concept should become a standard design criterion for houses, apartment buildings, schools, and other building types. Some strategies for passive survivability include the creation of storm-resilient buildings, limitation of building height, provision for natural ventilation and photovoltaic power among others, which are strategies that are quite obviously matched with the general list of green building strategies.

The article discusses the most common methods for treating or purifying tap water entering residential and commercial buildings in the U.S. Water softeners replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium. Sodium eliminates hard water problems. The ion-exchange water softener is the most common type of water softener. Distillation is another option for treating water. It involves boiling the water, capturing the steam and condensing it back into water. In reverse osmosis, the water is forced through a semipermeable membrane that blocks contaminants. Ultraviolet radiation treatment eliminates biological contaminants. Filtration is one water treatment option gaining fast market share.

The article examines the new systematic way of grinding and polishing a concrete slab floor to a high sheen process. The author stressed that polished-concrete floors attract more attention compared to other flooring options in which it provides a significantly better alternative to film and wax coatings. Among the advantages of employing polished, densified concrete floors include the property of being durable, low level of maintenance cost involved, noncombustibility, no volatile organic compounds used and improved reflectivity.

This article takes a look at design for cleanability in commercial and institutional buildings. It addresses strategies for designing buildings to minimize the need for cleaning and reduce the costs and impacts of the cleaning that is required. Actual cleaning methods and materials are not covered to a significant extent. Both energy and cleaning costs vary tremendously according to building type and location, but everywhere they are significant. The bottom line is that cleaning buildings is expensive and that strategies to reduce the amount of cleaning or the intensity of cleaning operations can be economically attractive. Disposal of cleaning compounds is also a concern. Unused portions of concentrated chemical compounds may have to be treated as hazardous waste, requiring special measures for disposal. Many cleaning practices result in washing significant amounts of potentially hazardous chemicals down the drain, where they either have to be dealt with by sewage treatment plants or they contribute to groundwater contamination.

Looks at porous pavement, a type of pavement that allows rainwater or snowmelt to percolate through, in the U.S. Examination of various products for porous paving; Strategies for making the products work; Environmental, safety, aesthetic, and economic benefits.

Focuses on the call for the ban of polybrominated diphenyl esters due to its significant risks to the health and environment. Recommendation for the comprehensive testing of all flame retardants relative to health and environmental safety; Proposal for a voluntary transition to flame retardants less likely to be hazardous or materials that do not require flame retardants; Suggestion for the revision of the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1974.

The article discusses flame retardants. Applications of flame retardants; Examination of the environmental and health conditions surrounding flame retardants; Regulatory actions regarding flame retardants.

Focuses on the environmental issues in the wire and cable industry. Definition of terms; Common uses of insulated wire and cables in buildings; Concern about the polyvinyl chloride sheating used on many wires; Typical insulation of copper and aluminum wires; Most common insulation resins in the U.S. wire and cable market including polyethylene and fluoropolymers.

Focuses on the importance of air filtration in buildings in the U.S. Health concerns after the destruction of World Trade Center and anthrax attacks; Components of construction indoor air quality management; Components of building design, construction and operation. INSETS: Air Filtration and LEED.;Other Air-Cleaning Products and Strategies..

Examines the physics of moisture control in buildings. Common sources of moisture in buildings; Principal forces affecting moisture flow; Risks of moisture in buildings. INSET: Checklist: Design Strategies for Moisture Control.

Describes the design of lighting controls and the use of electronic ballasts in commercial buildings in the U.S. Electricity consumption of lighting; Use of cost-effective lighting control strategies; Basics of green building and integrated lighting design; Selection of devices to reduce light levels; Lighting costs and requirements.

Discusses the history and trend of forest certification in North America. History in the 1970s and 1980s; Comparison of the three leading North American forest certification systems; Certification programs following the Smartwood certification program; Trends toward convergence; Standards of the Forest Stewardship Council. INSET: Checklist for Specifying Certified Wood..

Discusses the traffing calming initiative suggested by the transportation engineers and municipal planning officials to the Seattle Department of Transportation, Washington. Improvement in the flow of traffic; Environmental impact of traffic calming; Increase in pedestrian safety. INSET: A Portfolio of Traffic Calming Measures..

Provides information about biodiesel fuels in the U.S. Environmental advantage of biodiesel; Uses of biodiesel; Components of biodiesel.

Features the U.S. Green Building Council's conference and exhibition slated in November 2002 in Austin, Texas. Themes of several sessions and workshops during the conference; Emphasis on lighting, underfloor air distribution; Certification for buildings.

Examines the significance of water heating in the U.S. Strategies for reducing hot water demand; Measures for boosting overall hot water system efficiency; Troubling issues of recirculation systems; Water heating fuel and system options. INSET: Strategies for Improving Water Heating Performance or....

Provides background, advancements and direction of electric lighting technologies in the U.S. Historical perspective of lighting; Primary considerations relating to the selection of lighting technologies and equipment; Benefits of daylighting and the impact of some lighting equipment on daylight utilization; Developments that have occurred with fluorescent lighting relative to the environment. INSET: Glossary of Lighting Terms..

Focuses on strategies for construction indoor air quality (IAQ) management. Control of water intrusion into buildings; Assurance of adequate insulation and air sealing to prevent condensation; Continuous real-time monitoring of IAQ; Development of standards for IAQ management by the Sheet Meta; and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association.

Examines the link between human health and land-use planning. Need to design communities in consideration of human health; Air pollution generation by automobiles; Connection between land-use panning and safety in automobiles; Pedestrian risk in metropolitan areas in the U.S.; Impact of sedentary lifestyle on health.

Focuses on the pollutants that show up in storm water and strategies for removing them. Relevance of storm water management strategies to commercial and residential buildings; Variability of the quantities of pollutants found in storm water. INSET: Pros and Cons of Porous Asphalt..

Provides an overview of radiant-floor heating in environmental design and construction. Comfort and energy savings; Potential for solar energy use; Improvement of indoor air quality; Heating performance with micro-loads.

Discusses the use of plastics in the building/construction industry in the U.S. Performance of the plastics industry; Sales for plastic building materials; Environmental impact of plastics; History of plastics; Types of plastics used in the construction industry.

Discusses photovoltaic (PV) modules and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Principle of power generation through PV; PV History; Composition of PV cells; Efforts by PV manufactures to reduce cost and increase efficiency of the cells; Application of BIPV with the grid-connected utility system for buildings; Advantages & drawbacks of PV array in buildings. INSET: Environmental Impacts of PV Panels..

The article evaluates several products including ENRGY 3.E polyisocyanurate roofing board insulation from Johns Manville and the Strive line of chairs from KI made from petroleum-free polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) plastic called AirCarboand; and presents a correction to the USAI line of luminaires.

The article evaluates the ComfortBoard, the DrainBoard and the MonoBoard for mineral wool insulation from Roxul sub-slab applications.

The article offers brief information on the ENERGY 3.E, a polyisocyanurate roofing insulation that is free of toxic halogenated flame retardants, from Johns Manville (JM).