Making Construction a Little Greener

A quick guide to green building certification programs Sustainable construction – It’s a growing industry that is slated to have a direct contribution to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that will reach $303.5 billion from 2015-2018. (Source: USGBC) While construction is … Continue reading

Pine Hall Brick and TOTO Forge Sustainable Materials Partnership

Long recognized as a world leader in sustainable manufacturing and green building innovation, TOTO looks forward to expanding its best-in-class sustainability initiatives through this partnership. TOTO recently announced its partnership with Pine Hall Brick Company to “upcycle” its high-grade clay … Continue reading

Green Climate Control Options for New Homes

Although summer traditionally begins on June 21st, most Americans begin to feel the heat long before then. But ever-increasing energy costs and concerns over environmental pollution have left some reluctant to crank up the A/C, leaving their homes stifling and … Continue reading

Fannie Mae Embraces LEED for Multifamily Through Lower Interest Rates

On February 6, the United States Green Building Council announced that Fannie Mae will reward green-built multifamily projects with a lower interest rate. The USGBC’s LEED rating system is one of several recognized certifications, with ENERGY STAR® and Enterprise’s Green … Continue reading

WELL takes the LEED in Building Standards

In only 14 years, LEED has become the worldwide gold standard for eco-friendly, energy-efficient construction, but it hasn’t made the same strides in human health-consciousness.  Delos Corporation aims to change that with its release of the latest version of the … Continue reading

Free Tutorial Primer on LEEDv4

As we here at HBW have blogged about before, the LEEDv4 standards are significantly more complex than the current LEED 2009 standards. The complexities are so significant that the USGBC extended its deadline for the standards changeover until 2016. One … Continue reading

Why We Need Transparency in Green Building Certifications

As sustainability becomes a major selling point for real estate buyers, the prevalence of LEED, the Green Globes, and other certification seals is skyrocketing. Because they issue seals of quality for sustainable architecture, non-governmental organization green building councils (GBCs) hold … Continue reading

Glass and Fenestration Affected by Latest Green Standards

The 2014 version of the green building standard was released by the U.S. green Building Council and the Illuminating Engineering Society recently, and according to Nick St. Denis, there are significant changes afoot for windows in green buildings. The latest … Continue reading

Green Trends in New Homes

New homeowners want to live in healthier, greener, homes. According to Tara Campbell, founder and blogger for Power House Growers, “homeowners are starting to place health high on the priority list when looking at real estate investments. Families are looking … Continue reading