GreenSpec Insights
More Cool Products from the AIA Convention
Posted by Alex Wilson on 05/29/2012
Innovative energy-savings products from the AIA National Convention this month.
Last week, I wrote about a number of innovative window and glazing products I came across at the AIA Convention in Washington, DC earlier this month. Here are a few other products I came across with energy-saving features.
Haiku fans from Big Ass Fans
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Cool Window and Glazing Products from the AIA Convention
Posted by Alex Wilson on 05/23/2012
Glazing and window manufacturers showed off some highly innovative products at the 2012 AIA Convention in Washington, DC
I just spent three days at the American Institute of Architects annual convention in Washington, DC, including a fair amount of time at the massive trade show there. I didn’t make it all the way through the acres of exhibits over the eight hours or so I walked the...
UL and Perkins+Will Launch “Transparency Briefs”
Posted by Nadav Malin on 05/19/2012
New EPD summaries give a snapshot view of LCA data, but are limited by their document-centric paradigm.
Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are, in theory, the answer to our product information prayers. To the extent enabled by the appropriate Product Category Rule (PCR), a product’s EPD discloses environmental...
Crucial State Incentives for Small Wind Turbines Still Need Work
Posted by Martin Solomon on 05/16/2012
As the small wind turbine market feels the pain of temporary holds on state incentive programs, turbine certification could bring the stability and improve the market’s reputation.
The reputation of the small wind turbine industry has tended to fluctuate as much as the output of some of its turbines. Consumers seeing the benefits of wind as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels have at times been burned by mechanical failures and less-than-expected power production.
And on...
Breaking the Bonds of Bad Sealant Jobs
Posted by Peter Yost on 05/09/2012
Seals at window openings and other penetrations need to be done right the first time. Are your seals failing because of the most common application error—forgetting the bond break?
NOTE: Read this whole series here.
Continuous air and water barriers are essential to healthy and high-performing buildings, but making...
Biobased PVC? Take Vinyl Industry Claims with a Grain of Salt
Posted by Jennifer Atlee on 05/02/2012
Making plastic from corn, soy, or sugarcane has some advantages--but fixing the petroleum problem barely touches what's wrong with PVC.
What if all of the common plastics in use today were made from renewable materials rather than from fossil fuels? Would they start looking better in the eyes of environmentalists?
This is no idle question. The plastics industry is exploring a wide range of approaches to sourcing today's typical plastics from...
Rate Your Windows! (And Share Your Lessons Learned)
Posted by Tristan Roberts on 04/24/2012
Windows are a big investment, and while they may look great on paper, how well do they hold up once installed? Do they meet your performance specifications? How responsive was the company to answering your questions and responding to complaints?
The GreenSpec team has already combed the world of windows available in the U.S. and Canada for manufacturers that can meet our tough performance specifications.
Now we need your...
Rate Your Windows! (And Share Your Lessons Learned)
Posted by Web Master on 04/24/2012
Windows are a big investment, and while they may look great on paper, how well do they hold up once installed? Do they meet your performance specifications? How responsive was the company to answering your questions and responding to complaints?
The GreenSpec team has already combed the world of windows available in the U.S. and Canada for manufacturers that can meet our tough performance specifications.
Now we need your...
The Toxic Chemicals that Lurk in Unfinished Wood Floors
Posted by Jim Vallette on 04/18/2012
One might think that an unfinished wood floor is devoid of synthetic chemicals. It sure looks that way--but toxic preservatives may lie in plain sight.
Moist lumber is susceptible to fungal staining. This staining does not cause physical decay, but it looks bad. Commonly called "blue stain," the offending fungi may be yellow, orange, purple, gray, or red in addition to shades of blue. The stain penetrates into the sapwood and cannot be removed by resurfacing.
Lumber mills...
Minimizing Exposure to Chemicals in Clear Wood Finishes
Posted by Brent Ehrlich on 04/18/2012
High-VOC content is still the norm in clear wood finishes, but depending on the application you can minimize exposure and maximize durability.
Clear finishes can help protect woodwork against aging, scratches, moisture, and the chemicals found in common cleaners. There are natural, low-toxicity options for residential furniture, and factory-applied chemical finishes for commercial architectural woodwork, but there is no environmentally perfect finish.
Here at GreenSpec, when...
About the Authors
Alex Wilson is founder and executive editor of BuildingGreen, Inc., and coeditor of GreenSpec. For more than 30 years, Alex has been the most trusted voice on energy efficiency and environmentally responsible design and construction. Since launching Environmental Building News (EBN) in 1992, he’s built a reputation, resources, and staff to serve the companies for whom sustainable design is a core value.
Brent Ehrlich is BuildingGreen’s products editor, conducts research and writes product and category insights for the company’s GreenSpec product directory. He also contributes product reviews and feature articles for Environmental Building News, and is a contributing editor to McGraw-Hill’s GreenSource magazine.
Jennifer Atlee is research director at BuildingGreen, responsible for guiding the in-depth independent research that is the hallmark of all BuildingGreen resources. With her broad knowledge in sustainability, analytical acumen, and passion for improving the standards used to assess the sustainability of products, processes, and organizations, Jennifer brings strong direction to the research process behind GreenSpec’s product-screening decisions, and technical rigor to BuildingGreen’s custom research projects.
Tristan Roberts is Editorial Director at BuildingGreen, Inc., a position that requires broad knowledge about sustainable design, deep understanding of products, and mastery of all things LEED. Tristan Roberts brings that to Environmental Building News, GreenSpec, and LEEDuser, a plug-in tool supported by the U.S. Green Building Council to provide credit-by-credit advice for LEED projects.
Peter Yost brings more than 25 years' experience in building, researching, teaching, writing, and consulting on high-performance homes to his role as director of residential services for BuildingGreen. He has been called upon to provide his building-science expertise to the nation’s leading homebuilding programs, including NAHB’s Green Building Standard, USGBC's LEED for Homes, EPA’s WaterSense, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America.
Paula Melton, BuildingGreen’s managing editor, brings a dynamic style, critical mind, and sharp wit to the many feature articles, blog posts, and product reviews she writes for GreenSpec, BuildingGreen.com, Environmental Building News, and other BuildingGreen-supported websites.
Nadav Malin is president of BuildingGreen, where he oversees the company’s industry-leading information and community-building resources and consulting services. He also convenes and facilitates gatherings of industry leaders, and lends his technical expertise and vision to GreenSource magazine. Nadav was the founding chair of the Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group for LEED.
Recent Discussions
The article suggests that from the air barrier location, the wall dries to interior within, and to exterior without. That's only the case when...
Tanya,
In regards to open-cell spray foam insulation it is a great choice epsecially in your application. With the right type of spray...
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Charles,
In our case I think the air barrier (Huber's Zip sheathing) is vapor-impermeable to a significant extent. It is a coated...