GreenSpec Insights
The End of Greenwashing? Five Myths about Product Transparency
Posted by Paula Melton on 01/27/2012
Will environmental product declarations end greenwashing for good? Not so fast.
This is Part 3 in our series on transparency.
Part 1: Why We Care About Product Transparency
Part 2: Why We Need "Nutrition Labels" for Building Products...
Green Walls for Greener Cities
Posted by Brent Ehrlich on 01/25/2012
Contact with nature is not just an amenity: it's important for well-being. Green walls liven up urban spaces while improving building performance.
I live in Vermont, where agriculture is an integral part of our culture. I drive past the farms as the seasons change and see when the corn is high or when too much rain has made plowing impossible. And the family sees the results at the local farmer's market. Whenever I visit urban areas, I inevitably end up at the local park or...
Choosing the Best Housewrap: A New Standard for Weather Barriers
Posted by Peter Yost on 01/19/2012
There are more than 20 different standardized tests manufacturers can invoke to "qualify" as a code-accepted weather-resistive barrier (WRB); with our GreenSpec section on WRBs, we've picked just one that we think does the job.
It's not easy being a weather-resistive barrier (WRB): it has to stop liquid water, be tough and not tear, but also be flexible to wrap around building...
Building-Integrated PV: New Opportunities for a Bright Future
Posted by Brent Ehrlich on 01/12/2012
BIPV has yet to reach its full potential in the U.S., but a couple companies are giving it a shot.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)--photovoltaic (PV) modules integrated into functional building...
Why We Care About Product Transparency
Posted by Jennifer Atlee on 01/04/2012
What's in it? Where was it made? Is the manufacturer socially responsible? These questions about green building products are getting easier to answer.
This is Part 1 in our series on transparency.
Part 2: Why We Need "Nutrition Labels" for Building Products
...
Why We Need "Nutrition Labels" for Building Products (Video)
Posted by Paula Melton on 01/04/2012
Nutrition labels allow shoppers to compare two bags of chips. The transparency movement seeks that level of transparency for building materials.
This is Part 2 in our series on transparency.
Part 1: Why We Care About Product Transparency
...
The 10 Biggest Green Building Stories of 2011
Posted by Paula Melton on 12/29/2011
Windows, carpet chemicals, spray-foam, and LEED lawsuits: these are a few of your favorite things.
It's been a big year for green building. People are tightening up their buildings even as they tighten their belts. The retrofit market and multifamily housing have taken off in a big way in this new financial landscape.
The most-read Environmental Building News articles of 2011 reflect these new realities. Please check them out below and tell us in comments what you'd...
A Sneak Peek at Nine Products Under GreenSpec Review (And a Chance to Rate Them)
Posted by Tristan Roberts on 12/20/2011For some fun around the holidays, GreenSpec is holding a virtual "open house"--giving you a sneak peek at some cool new products we're reviewing, and our first impressions. We'd like to hear what you think, so please read our first impressions below and then take the quick survey. Happy holidays! Update: Thank you for your feedback. We have closed the survey and are using it to inform our ongoing research agenda.
Holiday Cheer: Ozone-Depleting Products No Longer a Big Issue
Posted by Paula Melton on 12/15/2011
We're making our GreenSpec list and checking it twice. Crossing ozone depletion off of it feels mighty nice!
By Jennifer Atlee
With the holiday season upon us (yet no snow on the ground here in Vermont since the freak October storm that knocked out power across the Northeast) and the Durban climate deal still largely symbolic, I thought some...
Smarter Batteries for a Smart Grid
Posted by Brent Ehrlich on 12/14/2011
Grid-tied solar could have a siginificant role in the smart grid--if we can get the lithium ion battery technology right.
People living off the grid using photovoltaics (PV) or other renewable energy to generate power typically depend on maintaining banks of lead-acid batteries and carefully managing the amount of energy they store and use as well as maintaining those batteries for long-term durability.
As the move toward renewable energy gains traction, especially in Europe...
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.
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I am a little (a lot) late to this conversation, but I think the only wood-burning appliances should be direct vent masonry ovens which burn at...
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Tanya,
In regards to open-cell spray foam insulation it is a great choice epsecially in your application. With the right type of spray...