Green Building Library

Project Showcase

Cambridge City Hall Annex

Audubon Center at Debs Park

Telus: Revitalization of an Office Building

Bellevue Community College "R" Building

Training Center LEEDS the Way for Naval Green Design

Model Building Project Breaks Ground in Portland

Oberlin College Pushes Green Building Envelope

University of Michigan Walks the Talk

Design Group Plans for Affordable Efficiency

Finding the No Extra Cost Energy-Efficient Home

Earth Smart Urban Living

Habitat for Humanity Sees Affordability in Energy-Efficient Homes

Southface Carries the Torch in Atlanta

Canadian Home Tests the Limits of Efficiency

Panel House Demonstrates Building Innovations

Natural Habitat

Environmentally Responsible House Requires Thoughtful Choices

Simplicity Slashes Cost

Balloon Framing Key to this Advanced Energy Package

Story-and-a-Half Satisfies Design and Energy Goals

Story-and-a-Half Plans Offer Opportunities and Challenges

Building Materials

Why Use Fly Ash?

Working with Lime - how to make renders and plasters

Siding and Sheathing Options for Wood Reduction

Building with Papercrete and Paper Adobe

Indoor Air Quality, Healthy Buildings, and Breathing Walls

Embodied Energy and Recycled Content

To Save Trees, Cut Wood

ACC Blocks Cut Labor Costs and Save Energy

Green Power

Keeping Solar Simple
Choosing Green Power

Solar Sizer Photovoltaic System Design Software

Turn to Solar for Lower Heating Costs

Collector Breathes Life into Active Solar Heating
Basic Ideas in Passive Solar Buildings
Some Basics on Renewable Electrical Energy Technologies
Step by Step Process for Renewable Energy System Evaluation and Design

Lighting

Safe, Efficient Compact Fluorescent Torchieres

Lighting Patterns Prove to be Efficient, Affordable and Popular

Lighting: More is Not Always Better

EPACT Promotes Energy-Efficient Lighting Substitutes

Kitchens Bustle with Efficient Opportunities

2D Lamp Puts a New Twist on Compact Fluorescent Possibilities

Substitute Screw-in Fluorescent Lamps for Incandescent Lamps

Accent Lighting Adds Drama

How to Make Skylights Glow at Night
Important Things To Remember About Compact Fluorescent Lamps
What to Look For When Purchasing Compact Fluorescents (CFL)
Lighting Controls and Compact Fluorescent Lamps
Shedding light on the new tubular fluorescents

 

Daylighting

Courtyards - rough guidelines for courtyard proportions
Installing Skylights and Light Pipes
Rules of thumb for an atrium
Squeeze More Light From Windows

Ventilation

Range Hoods Affect Air Quality

Ceiling Fans May Increase Energy Use

The Cost of Exhaust-Only Ventilation

A Simple Test Can Spot Carbon Monoxide Danger

Duct Doctors Write Prescription for Efficiency

Home Ventilation Options for Builders

Installation Methods Reduce Fan Noise

Research Exposes Attic Ventilation Myth
Install that Bath Fan the Right Way
Heat Recovery Ventilators
Maintaining Household Moisture Balance

 

Insulation

Insulating Framed Walls With Fiberglass Batts
Insulating the Rim Joist

Perimeter Slab Insulation

Study Says Polyisocyanurate Cost-effective

Foundation Vision Strip is an Energy Loser

Whole-Wall R-value Rating

Innovative Foundation

Steel Framing Offers Thermal Challenges

New Steel Stud Design

Foundation Innovation

Truth-in-Insulating

Spray Foam Producers Solve Ozone Problem

Kraft-Faced Batts: Not in the Shower

Shallow, Insulated Foundations Lower Construction Costs

Foam Sheathing Essential to Steel-Framed Walls

Filling a Floor with Batt Insulation

Builders Find Niche with Insulated Concrete Forms

ASHRAE Sets Thermal Correction Factors for Metal Framing

Engineered Wall Displays Strength and High R-value

Oregon Study Estimates Costs of Energy Code

What's in a Wall

Installing Insulated Concrete Forms

Insulation Values Uncovered
Insulated Headers and Corners
Advanced Wall Framing
Recessed Lights Require Extra Attention
Take the Pinch Out of Attic Insulation

Air Sealing

Advanced Air Sealing - dozens of construction details and organizing tips
Sealing Cantilever Floors
Sealing Side Attics
Air Sealing Options for Rim Joists
Air Sealing Stairs the Easy Way
Seal the Bathtub Drain
Trial by Fire
Detail: Air Sealing on the Outside
Reduce Basement Air Leaks by Sealing Attic Bypasses
Sources of Air Leakage
Manufactured Home Tests Reveal Ducts' Top Problems
Soffit Sealing
Build Tight Ventilate Right

Windows and Glazing

Energy Features of Glazing

How Windows Affect Heating and Cooling Costs

Light Pipes: Seeing is Believing

NFRC Simplifies Window Ratings

NFRC Certifies Heat Loss Ratings for Entry Doors

Choose Your Glazing by the Numbers

How Windows Affect Heating and Cooling Costs

Waste Reduction and Recycling

Recycling and the Roofing Industry

Composting Toilet Systems

Residential Construction Waste Management: A Builder's Field Guide  

Construction Site Waste: A New Profit Center?

Greywater: Gravity Drum

Greywater: Split Drain to Mulch Basins or Mini-leachfields

Marketing Green Homes

Marketing the Energy-Efficient Home

Energy Star Sells Benefits not Features

Energy Source Home Labels

One Stop Information Center for Energy Efficient Mortgages

Island Development Dedicated to Environmental Preservation

States Promote Rating Systems

Ratings Systems Get a Boost

More House for the Money

Space Heating and Cooling

Solar Air Collectors

Cost-saving rules of thumb for HVAC systems

Passive Cooling

Hydronic Cooling

Line-voltage Thermostats

Manual J Exaggerates Cooling Load

Multi-Load Hydronics

Sizing Air Conditioners

Electric Radiant Heat: Making the Right Choice

Efficient, Clean-Burning Fireplaces

HVAC: What Homeowners Want

Success with Hydronics

Radiant Heat Demands Careful Planning

Underfloor Installation Offers a Retrofit Solution

Energy Star Certifies HVAC Products

Forced-Air Systems Need Pressure Relief

Radiant Floors Create More Comfort, Use Less Energy

Study Finds Wood Burners Prone to Spillage

The Evolution of Fire Takes Another Step

Research Supports Benefits of Radiant Ceiling Panels

Shading: First Step Toward Natural Cooling
Landscaping

Boiler Testing

Applying Duct Mastic
Ducts Increase Air Leakage and Energy Use

Fireplaces are Fit for a Castle, Not for a House
Energy Efficient Home Cooling Checklist
Evaporative Coolers: An energy-saving way to beat the heat
Portable Electric Space Heaters
Fuel Cost Comparisons for Home Heating Systems
Cutting Demand and Energy Costs for Cooling Homes
Bioheat Furnace Fuel

Water Heating

Gas Water Heaters and Backdraft Interactions
New Device Recovers Waste Energy from Drain Water
Residential Water Use
Study Shows Exhaust Air Heat Pumps are Reliable and Efficient
Solar Water Heaters Also Shine in Northern Climates
Solar Water Heating
Water Heaters & Energy Efficiency

Building Design

 

 

 

Environmental Strategies for Schematic Design
Why Tiny Homes?

Whole Building Design - introduction to system integration

Checklist for Good Design - nine points for energy efficient consturuction

Courtyards - calculate the correct aspect ratio for your courtyard

18 Design Principles to Make Square Feet Work Harder - don't let your space slack off

Siting a Natural Buiding - selecting a building site

Adobe Houses - traditional and modern designs with solar features

MECcheck Computer Software

Vatsu Vedic Architecture - designs based in the spiritual history of India

Silence, Song and Shadows - feng shui for today

Small, Efficient and Beautiful

Lessons from the Retrofit Front

Alliance Issues State Energy Code Report Card

Program Helps Designers Scheme on Energy

Innovative Design Eliminates Cooling Equipment

Compact Building Form Cuts Heat Loss
Net Energy Home
Solar Site Design

Green Building Community

Green Discussion in Cyberspace

Appliances

Efficiency Comes to the Laundry
Home Power Quality

 

Water

Assessing A Site's Water Resources
Water Storage: How to Make a Ferrocement Water Storage Tank

Links to Related Web Sites

Check out these Web sites for more information about energy efficiency and sustainable construction.