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Blog

Since starting our blog in 2013, we have authored hundreds of articles to promote knowledge-sharing within the industry. Within these posts, you will find topical overviews, technical deep-dives, op-ed pieces, and more.

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Efficiency and Health: Prioritizing Occupant Health and Wellbeing in High-Performance Buildings

We like to say that a building is not sustainable if it does not sustain the health and wellbeing of all its occupants. This includes considering how the materials, technologies, and building systems affect indoor air quality, comfort, and the…

Indoor AirPlus Version 2: What Changes Are Coming? [Updated]

EPA is adding a second level to its Indoor airPLUS specification for homes and residential buildings: Indoor airPLUS version 2. What changes should we expect?

To Your Health: What to Know About Cooking and Indoor Air Quality

Cooking inside your home or apartment produces contaminants, and without an exhaust strategy, pollutants remain inside and diminish indoor air quality.

Sustainable Buildings Are Healthy Buildings: How to Design and Maintain a Healthy Built Environment

Healthy buildings require a holistic approach that accounts for how every building material, system, and technology affects the wellbeing of occupants.

What Would a Passive House New York City Look Like?

What if the city’s pathway to decarbonization had a single plan of action – to make New York City a Passive House City?

Image depicting radiant temperature in the human body

Image depicting radiant temperature in the human body

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like …. Cold Season

Comfort and health can be vague topics with many different definitions. Physically, there are four main factors that contribute to thermal comfort inside a residence, all of which also tie into health.

Finding Your Way: Third-Party Assurances for Your Properties

Experts in sustainable design have developed guidelines, protocols, and toolkits to adapt existing buildings to the ‘new normal’ caused by COVID-19.

Chicago Green Roof

Chicago Green Roof

Leveraging LEED for New Construction Post-COVID Part 2

The intent of each LEED credit category takes on a particular meaning, both locally and globally, in response to the emergence of such factors as global climate change and its associated consequences—including pandemics. In the post-COVID context, these intents will…

USGBC plaque

USGBC plaque

Leveraging LEED for New Construction Post-COVID Part 1

In the post-COVID world, there needs to be a greater awareness that the built environment can protect and promote human and environmental health

Image of seniors at a living facility

Image of seniors at a living facility

The Great Indoors: Creating a Healthier and Safer Built Environment

The buildings we live, work and play in impact our health. With certain building and design considerations, we can make these impacts beneficial.

Figure 2. Ventilated air mixing from centralized ventilation design.

Figure 2. Ventilated air mixing from centralized ventilation design.

Establishing Moisture Control in Multifamily Buildings

Domestic moisture generation—moisture from human activity—is a major factor driving the humidity levels in our residential buildings, especially in super air-tight, Passive House construction.

ERV + AHU?

Everyone pretty much gets that continuous (or very frequent) ventilation is necessary in high-performance homes. And – at least in theory – most people get why balanced, heat recovery ventilation is better (than unbalanced and/or without heat recovery). But the…