Green Guides, Energy Star, Certification Issues and Public Policy

Watching What We Call Green

The Federal Trade Commission has been busily working to update the Green Guides—the rules by which marketers can claim environmentally conscious features in their products. See where the Feds are drawing the line between green and greenwash.   Read more

Independence Day

Last December, the government mandated a new energy policy that ups the ante on requirements for federal buildings. Now the design and construction communities are working together to determine what compliance means.   Read more

Material Witness

MM discusses with ENERGY STAR’s national director Sam Rashkin the new blower door test exemption for SIP homes, its ramifications for the building industry, and other exemptions that may be considered by EPA in the future.   Read more

Pushing the Energy Envelope With ICFs

Although insulating concrete forms (ICFs) were developed as below-grade foundation walls, their energy-saving possibilities quickly moved them above the surface.   Read more

SBIC as an Energy Resource

The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) began as an energy organization—the Passive Solar Industries Council. Despite the name change, low-energy use remains one of their focuses for achieving a high performance building.   Read more

Life Cycle Thinking

Only by looking at all the data, from cradle to grave, can one determine a building material’s impact over time. Life cycle inventory (LCI) data being supplied by the American Plastics Council (APC) will help make this possible.   Read more

Plastics And The 2005 Energy Policy Act

Many types of plastics insulation products are energy-efficient in both manufacture and performance. As such, they can potentially help achieve tax incentives and deductions under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct).   Read more

Plastic Polyurethane Foam

Air leakage can lead to increased energy costs, envelope damage, and indoor air quality issues. Aerosol expanding polyurethane can be used as an effective sealant, along with myriad other advantages.   Read more

Change Coming Down the Pipeline

Various types of plastics piping are quite beneficial... but a jurisdiction must allow their use. This article examines the process of evolving construction regulations.   Read more

Flammability Requirements for Plastic Materials

When one understands the building codes and general fire safety standards, choosing the correct plastic for the right application can be easy.   Read more

Product Life Cycles, And Sustainability

Unprecedented life cycle information about many plastic products will soon be available in a publically accessible database. What does this mean for designers?   Read more

The Future of Life Cycle Assessment

The American Plastics Council (APC) is doing its part for sustainable design, conducting a life cycle inventory (LCI) for many polymers and polyurethane precursors.   Read more

Stocking your Green Building Toolkit

Sustainable design tools can sometimes seem to be as complex as the design decisions they are supposed to solve. Fortunately, by using a simple classification system, it becomes clear how they interrelate and fit into the overall green building process   Read more

Other Sustainable Features

Design professionals educated in the energy-efficiency characteristics of various plastics can ensure the products they specify fit within the framework of rating systems such as LEED.   Read more

Does Vinyl Follow LEED?

A report on how polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is viewed by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED®) program has been made public— and the results are largely encouraging for those who believe in the material’s myriad advantages and applications.   Read more

Don't Put All Your Green Eggs in One Basket

Recognizing the pitfalls of leaving definitions open to individual interpretation, several organizations have set out to develop programs, specifications, or standards aimed at helping define the requirements for properly referring to any given building as environmentally friendly.  Read more

Insulation is Sexy, and Obama Agrees!

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At a press conference in Alexandria, VA, President Obama discussed the economic impacts of energy saving home retrofits at Home Depot.

Stimulus Funding

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A top Washington, D.C. law firm video explains how the Federal Stimulus funding for builders, owners, and architects will flow, how to find it and where to start.

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)

Learn more about how EPS reduces global warming.

Sustainability Hits a Wall

How does a typical wall perform?

GBS asked the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to build several walls, use ASTM standards to measure performance and report the results at ASHRAE ‘s NY Conference.

Home Builder Tips from Bill McCauley

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