green building

Borrowed from Barns and Churches

27 May, 2009 | Sheryl Boyle

If we were to cut off electricity to the lighting and ventilation mechanisms in a contemporary industrial or office building, work would be nearly impossible. This was not always the case. Some early industrial buildings included effective low-tech strategies that took advantage of natural light and ventilation. ...

Published in: Measuring Progress and Building Heritage 33.2-3
Tags: sustainability, green building, energy

Buy this issue

Greening on a Shoestring

27 May, 2009 | Sue Carter Flinn

Eco-renovating your house on a budget is like one of those kids’ Choose Your Own Adventure books: Each decision delivers a unique set of challenges and consequences. Since most of us have limited funds, building an environmentally sound dream home means every choice must be weighed carefully for its expense and impact.

Published in: Measuring Progress and Building Heritage 33.2-3
Tags: urbanization, green building, ecology

Buy this issue

Rehab It

27 May, 2009 | Rodney Wilts

When people envision green buildings, they typically think of state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, shiny, new buildings. Existing building stock is written off as inefficient, only good for demolition or recycling, and best left to heritage planners and architectural conservationists. Things are starting to change though. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System recognizes the tremendous amount of energy embodied in existing building stock. It awards credits to those who reuse existing building structures.

Published in: Measuring Progress and Building Heritage 33.2-3
Tags: waste, urbanization, reuse, green building

Buy this issue

Reusing Cities

27 May, 2009 | Marc Denhez

Most discussions of urban sustainability don’t mention buildings. This is like trying to discuss forests without talking about trees. If we have policies to reuse or recycle items as small as pop bottles and tin cans, shouldn’t we have strategies to reuse items as large as buildings, neighbourhoods and cities, instead of carting them away in dumpsters? ...