This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We […]
This infographic from DirectBuy provides great DIY information for all of us who love cooking in an outdoor kitchen. Source: DirectBuy
Shipping containers can offer a multitude of uses. One of these uses is a shipping container clinic – a type of architecture that makes use of the containers as medical clinics that can be set up and shipped off to remote regions of the world. Shipping containers are strong, durable, relatively low cost and widely […]
This presentation pertaining to a CO2 sponge is one of some 12,000 at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). If any part of this comes to a greater reality in mitigating climate change, this one particularly piques our interest. Read this press announcement from AAAS EurekAlert. A sponge-like plastic […]
The critical connection between a healthy building environment and patient health is often missed by the one group of professionals who may matter most – physicians, according to a new SmartMarket report by McGraw Hill Construction, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects and United Technologies. The survey results were announced last week at the opening […]
Humans spend almost 90% of our time indoors. Green building certification programs address the health of our indoor environments by eliminating chemicals in products installed indoors and increasing ventilation and filtration requirements. A new standard looks to take this one step further, directly addressing the impact of building interiors on human health. The WELL Building […]
According to experts at the International Window Film Association (IWFA), the answer is yes, if your windows aren’t properly tinted. Untinted windows allow dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays to pass through to occupants in cars and buildings. “If you’re sitting next to a window with sunlight streaming in, you’re at risk for UV damage to your […]
We don’t write that much about CO2 and its impact on the planet but this news report is absolutely alarming. Sadly this is a global problem — yes, problem — that will not correct itself without some well-considered and far-reaching action steps. Each person, each business, each government must make a commitment to seek balance […]
Health product declarations (HPDs) provide a full disclosure of the potential chemicals of concern in products by comparing product ingredients to a wide variety of “hazard” lists published by government authorities and scientific associations. The goal of an HPD is to inform consumers about the types of chemicals that are in the products they install in […]
This inspiring TED presentation by Ron Finley about planting a food forest in front of his house in South-Central LA — home to many food deserts — has been around for some time. With planting season here, this video is still very much worth seeing and sharing with anybody interested in green building. Ron Finley: […]
Water purification plants around the globe typically are built near a power plant and population centers because of high energy needs for reverse osmosis filtration and associated pumping to residents and businesses. Desalination projects are even more…
Those who have built retaining walls or raised garden beds over the past few years may have used pressure-treated 4 ‘ to 8″ wood immersed with CCA, or copper chromium arsenate. A growing number of people have charged that this product, containing inorganic arsenic, can be toxic to people, pets, and even food grown in […]
Hong Kong is a city, like many others, that is facing huge population and industrial growth but does not have housing enough to meet all those needs. There are more than 280,000 individuals living in Hong Kong that are without permanent forms of housing and they resort to building and residing in illegal temporary structures […]
There was a silly movie called Bubble Boy that was released in 2001. It was about a boy who did not have an immune system so he lived his life in a bubble. Can places adapt this same bubble-like existence to create a safe, sterile environment? What does this have to do with today’s world? […]
Congratulations to Rohit Karnik and his MIT research team for addressing one of the major issues for much of the world’s population: the availability of bacteria-safe drinking water with a low-cost and low-tech solution. Group shows xylem tissue in sapwood can filter bacteria from contaminated water If you’ve run out of drinking water during a […]