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Reducing Heat Flow Through Windows

Bringing daylight into a building through windows usually means a loss of heat; low-emissivity coatings, multiple panes, and gas fills can make windows more energy-efficient.
Environmental Building News—November 1, 2008

Foam-in-Place Polyurethane Insulation

Sprayed polyurethane foam offers several advantages over other forms of insulation, including R-value and airtightness. Installation, R-value, and ozone safety vary with the type of foam used.
Environmental Building News—October 1, 2008

Vapor Retarders and Air Barriers: Managing Moisture in Building Envelopes

Air barriers, which prevent air leakage, and vapor retarders, which control moisture diffusion, are both important for controlling moisture in a building envelope.
Environmental Building News—September 1, 2008

All About Formaldehyde

A naturally occurring organic compound used in binders for composite wood products, among other things, formaldehyde can create serious health problems in those exposed to high concentrations.
Environmental Building News—August 1, 2008

Comparing Fuel Costs

One would think comparing the costs of different heating fuels would be simple, but figuring out the amount heat available in a given quantity of fuel—and the associated cost—can be tricky.
Environmental Building News—July 1, 2008

CO2 and Other Greenhouse Gases

The family of greenhouse gases extends beyond CO2, with each gas contributing to global warming to some degree.
BuildingGreen.com—June 17, 2008

Life-Cycle Assessment: Tracing a Product's Impacts

Life-cycle assessment—accounting for all of the environmental impacts of a product from its manufacture to its disposal—is a simple concept, but using it to compare products in practice can be difficult.
Environmental Building News—June 1, 2008

Evaporative Coolers

As water evaporates, it absorbs heat. Direct and indirect evaporative coolers use this property to cool homes efficiently.
Environmental Building News—May 1, 2008

How the Sun's Path Can Inform Design

Designing a building with the sun in mind can help reduce both heating and cooling loads.
Environmental Building News—April 1, 2008

Shedding Light on Light Quality

Two terms commonly used to refer to light sources—color temperature and color rendering index—tell us about the quality of light, but can at times be counter-intuitive. Lights with a low color temperature, for example, actually feel "warmer" on the color spectrum.
Environmental Building News—March 1, 2008
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Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters

Dave Mountin says, “Hi Brent, That is too bad! Looks like my next 45 tankless water heaters will be bought from a manufacturer that...” More...

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Sustainable Design Leaders Explore Their Profession

William Brown says, “How might a sustainability director tap into this network? Is there another session planned?...” More...

Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters

Dave Mountin says, “I just completed installing 45 Rinnai (R50LSi and R75LSi) tankless water heaters. The installation went fine and they are working...” More...

Water Policies: Encouraging Conservation

Nathan Brown says, “Although the article aptly describes many approaches that can be critical for reducing water use, it fails to address fundamental...” More...

Alternative Water Sources: Supply-Side Solutions for Green Buildings

Tristan Korthals Altes says, “Thanks for the question. We are making some improvements to the condensate calculator and plan to post a new version...” More...

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