Significantly reducing energy use in commercial buildings is a challenge. Doing so in cold climates even more so. Getting to Net Zero Energy use in these climates, now that’s what we call a tough... Full Description

High-R or super-insulated walls are a common component of high performance housing.

For many teams, it is an almost impossible challenge to simultaneously deliver high performance and cost efficient buildings while maintaining high customer satisfaction and profitability.

 Why do we need to pay attention to behavior in buildings?

Why do we need to ventilate homes? How much air do we need to do it? Once we’ve figured that out, what systems should we install?

You think trombe walls are a relic of the 70s, right? Using extensive data from multiple case studies throughout Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts, including a high school, a fire station... Full Description

Resiliency has become about how many inches or feet of sea rise we will experience before 2100. It's currently a data driven goal, but it should not be. What about past 2100?

The role of a building's structure, and of the structural engineer, in achieving sustainability goals is frequently marginalized.

With net metering and clean energy policy being challenged across the country, the solar community needs to develop more sustainable solutions that reflect the real cost and benefit impacts that... Full Description

As architects, engineers, and municipal planners, how can we rethink the built environment to install more urban food production and distribution in the city?

At BuildingGreen, I spend about one-fifth of my time doing building investigations, mostly residential. In this session, I will present the building assessment information for a series of... Full Description

Do you understand moisture dynamics? Do you have a comprehensive plan to control moisture in your buildings?

Cities across the country have enacted benchmarking laws, organized carbon challenges, and engaged in ambitions planning. We will discuss how these efforts are faring.

As a follow-up to "Dematerializing Buildings" at BE14, this session will explore how the dematerialization and lightweighting of buildings is being put into practice.

While glass buildings continue to rise throughout our cities, the question of their sustainability remains.

This session will look at the basic shapes of aluminum and fiberglass products used for frames, and identify the basic principles to be used to develop functional details for both new and retrofit... Full Description

This session is in two parts.Water is scarcer. Systems for both fresh and waste water are vulnerable. Water standards are increasingly stringent to protect ecosystems and public health.

Advances in building envelopes and HVAC equipment enable widespread use of air source heat pumps by many in the "Net Zero Energy" and "Passive House" movements.

Energy efficiency financing is a complex topic, with numerous options for borrowers, and challenges in risk assessment. We will unravel this topic and consider how data-driven tools might improve... Full Description

It is said that homebuilding can look back at 300 years of history unimpeded by progress. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the energy-sucking, defect prone truth is unacceptable.

Central ventilation systems in multifamily buildings are a vital building system that often compromises overall building performance (ie they don’t perform to code almost 100% of the time).

This session provides an overview of the interactions between the building façade and HVAC systems. By distilling this subject into macro and micro level themes, we hope to broaden the... Full Description

Session two will dig deeper into two solutions – both fresher paths forward than the expensive model of centralized-systems solutions.

“Is Foam Evil?”—that’s how this session was originally titled. Saner heads prevailed: foam is so highly insulating, so airtight, so slick on the jobsite, how could we ask such a question? Wait—it’... Full Description