Building Enclosure

LEED v5 and the Cost Impacts of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

By hitching their wagon to the horse of Standard 90.1, LEED-related hard costs are rising and becoming increasingly misaligned with low-margin project cost models based largely on minimum energy standards within the project’s regulatory context.

Why Fuel Source Data is Crucial for Operational Carbon Emissions Reporting

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Energy efficiency benchmarking alone is no longer sufficient and we recommend evolving the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) primary climate action program to track total carbon intensity by incorporating fuel source reporting, electrification metrics, expanded embodied carbon tracking, and updated baselines.

The Difference Between Baselines and Benchmarks

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Baselines and benchmarks are both valuable. A project's performance narrative should use both deliberately. The baseline grounds the conversation in the specifics of the project. The benchmark situates the project in the larger context.

How Much of the U.S. Building Stock is Green Building Certified?

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The recently published Metropolis + Interface U.S. Sustainable Design Report 2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the U.S. building design and construction industry. The report primarily focuses on decarbonization, material transparency, and circularity.

The Matter of Energy Density with Building Fuel Sources

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Only time will tell if nascent technologies can close the gap on these challenges to realize economically viable solutions that will usher a breakthrough in the market and catalyze efforts to decarbonize the building sector.

When Will LEED v4 / v4.1 and LEED v5 Expire?

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The latest version of the LEED rating system, LEED v5, is open for business. Registration is open, the Credit Library the Reference Guides are published, and a new version of Arc has replaced the old LEED Online platform.

Getting to Know the Common Materials Framework

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

While collecting "disclosure" documents proved easy enough for project teams, it turned out that LEED v4 was a bit ahead of the curve on the "optimization" side. Frankly, the industry lacked a common framework to facilitate rigorous, standardized, and streamlined workflows to achieve optimization. Simply put, the industry was not quite ready. It is ready now.

Key Highlights of Greenbuild 2025

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The 2025 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo convened at the Los Angeles Convention Center from November 4-7. Five major themes emerged that encapsulate the current discourse in "green building" and where the AEC is heading with regard to sustainability.

Is Building Envelope Commissioning Required in LEED v5?

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Under the LEED v5 BD+C prerequisite EAp3 Fundamental Commissioning, there are five specific requirements regarding building envelop commissioning.

ECHO is Changing Embodied Carbon Reporting For the Better

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Representatives from across the industry gathered regularly starting in March 2023 to form a strategic partnership to pursue greater alignment regarding the collection and reporting of embodied carbon data by certification programs and initiatives across the industry. The result: ECHO.

Basics of Building Air Leakage Rates and Pressure Differentials

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A closer look at infiltration in building enclosure performance. Infiltration can have a major impact on building energy use and indoor air quality (IAQ) by allowing unconditioned and unfiltered air to penetrate a thermal enclosure.

The Relationship Between Operational Carbon and Fuel Sources

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Understanding these coefficients is crucial for assessing the climate impact attributable to the various fuel sources utilized in a building.

The New ZEB: Revising our Definition of "Net Zero"

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Rather than Zero Energy Buildings, we should pursue Zero Emissions Buildings. In addition to energy efficiency, we need buildings that eliminate the need for on-site fossil fuel use and only use zero emissions electricity.

Using eGRID Data to Approximate Operational Carbon

Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The recent ratification of LEED v5 underscores the emerging priority of decarbonization by sustainable design leaders as it one of the new version's three impact areas along with quality of life and ecological conservation and restoration.

Please Take Your Embodied Carbon Conversation Outside

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A site hardscape's contribution to a project's total embodied carbon can drastically impact the overall project’s embodied carbon footprint.

How AIA 2030 + SE 2050 + MEP 2040 Help Decarbonize the Building Sector

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A brief chronicle of the efforts underway by leading building design professionals to support and galvanize action toward decarbonizing the built environment.

The Cost of Building Enclosure Heat Loss

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

So, what is the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature? Once your building is designed and constructed, this becomes the key question. You want to design for the design summer and winter conditions.

LEED Recertification is Easier Than You Think

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This article addresses ten common questions specific to LEED recertification, which may not be so clearly or pointedly addressed in the officially published material.

Adapting Building Envelopes for Water-Based Communities

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Constructing on top of the water instead of retreating from it lets cities expand without fighting for available inland space or worrying about rising tides. However, it’s not an easy process. Building envelopes will need to adapt to support these towns of the future.

Understanding U-Values and Thermal Bridging

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

What efficiency changes can designers implement based on a U-value? Many options are available that can make a huge difference in this metric.

The Influence of Elevation on a Location's Climate

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Elevation can play a crucial role in shaping a location's climate. Our blogger goes through various influences.

How Extreme Weather Conditions Require Changes in Building Enclosures in 2025

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Conventional building envelope setups will work less effectively in 2025, and commercial construction companies must adopt new strategies to stay successful.

Innovations in Thermal Analysis

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

With the latest developments in thermal analysis, carbon emission reductions are possible. Other innovative techniques are also essential for developing sustainable roofs and improving the building envelope efficiency against the worst thermal flux and bridging.

Five Observations After a Deep Dive into LEED v5

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

LEED v5 maintains the same familiar structure of prerequisites and credits, cataloged into broad-based categories. The four certification levels remain. However, one major structural change in LEED v5 is that every prerequisite and credit has been harmonized around three impact categories: decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration.

What Can Acoustic Design Teach Us About Energy Harvesting in Building Envelopes?

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As you design open, collaborative spaces that require privacy and concentration, you can leverage materials that absorb sound and create smart facades that optimize acoustics.

Key Highlights of Greenbuild 2024

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

While a conference of this size and magnitude offers a vast range of content and exhibits, Greenbuild 2024 harmonized around several key themes—a few of which are highlighted in this blog post.

LEED Professional Credentials by the Numbers

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

A perspective regarding the market's uptake of green building accreditations - particularly, LEED professional credentials. Enjoy this summary, which may serve to motivate readers to pursue green building credentials.

Will Hypostruction Revolutionize Building Enclosures?

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Commercial property specialists must stay abreast of current trends that could shape their future work. One is “hypostruction” — a method pioneered by design firm Caplow Manzano. Although that group currently applies it to residential projects, there are benefits of interest to those involved with other buildings, too.

Solutions to Improve IAQ and Reduce Energy Leakage

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Indoor air quality and energy efficiency are critical considerations in building design as more people become aware of their impact on health and productivity. They’re also intricately linked — a well-sealed structure with effective ventilation maintains fresh air and minimizes electricity waste.

The Value of Benchmarking Buildings with Water Use Intensity

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Through public resources such at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Portfolio manager, property owners have the ability to benchmark the performance of their building assets against other buildings of the same property type and region.