BEES 2.0
BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) software measures the environmental performance of building products by using the environmental life-cycle assessment approach specified in ISO 14000 standards. All stages in the life of a product are analyzed, including raw material acquisition, manufacture, transportation, installation, use, and recycling and waste management. This site has free downloads of the BEES software as well as other LCA and Economic Analysis tools.
Building Energy Software Tools Directory
Described here are 247 energy-related software tools for buildings, with an emphasis on using renewable energy and achieving energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings. It is searchable by platform or function and the descriptions include the tools' weaknesses and strengths. Many are available for free or online.
Building Operating Management
This is a mainstream publication intended for facility managers and owners of commercial and institutional buildings. It frequently covers aspects of energy efficiency and green energy usage and targets executives coordinating renovation, new construction, and facility management projects.
Environmental Design and Construction Management
This is a trade magazine with useful and well-illustrated articles on all aspects of environmentally responsible design and construction. It includes product reviews and listings as well as case studies, recent articles, and other references. Full content is largely available online.
Environmental Energy Technologies Division
Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD) is a leading research organization based at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. This large site emphasizes research and available technical information on building energy analysis, building technologies (windows, glass, etc.), and the indoor environment. The resources available include energy simulation software, an interactive Home Energy Saver tool, archives of the EETD newsletters, and many technical reports.
Green Architect
This small sub-section of the Architectural Record features news, articles, and an index of green building products.
Green Buildings
Comprehensive site from the EPA providing links and information on energy, water, materials, waste and indoor environment. Also available for download is the I-BEAM software. I-BEAM is computer software for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings. I-BEAM updates and expands EPA's Building Air Quality and is designed to be comprehensive state-of-the-art guidance for managing IAQ in commercial buildings. I-BEAM contains text, animation/visual, and interactive/calculation components that can be used to perform several tasks including: conducting an indoor air quality (IAQ) building audit; diagnosing and resolving IAQ related health problems; establishing an IAQ management and maintenance program to reduce IAQ risks; planning IAQ compatible energy projects; protecting occupants from exposures to construction/renovation contaminants; and calculating the cost, revenue, and productivity impacts of planned IAQ activities. It is available as a free download at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/ibeam_page.htm.
greendesign.net
This site contains links to the publications Green Clips, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Center for Building Science, Rocky Mountain Institute-Home Energy Briefs, and Understory. The site also hosts a large searchable database for online resources and printed materials. The topics include pre-design, site design, building design, construction, operations, whole systems, and more.
Healthy Communities Environmental Mapping
Healthy Communities Environmental Mapping HUD E-MAPS is a free Internet service that combines information on HUD's community development and housing programs with EPA's environmental data. HUD E-MAPS provides location, type, and performance of HUD-funded activities in every neighborhood across the country, as well as select EPA information on brownfields, hazardous wastes, air pollution and wastewater discharges.
High Performance Buildings Database
The High Performance Buildings Database describes projects from around the world, ranging from homes and commercial interiors to large buildings and even whole campuses and neighborhoods. These may be certified green projects, or simply projects that have one or more notable environmental features. Each case is very detailed and runs through a menu of attributes: the overview, process, finance, landuse, site/water, energy, material, indoor environment, images, ratings and awards, and lessons. There is also a link to enter a building into the database.
HOMER: The Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables
HOMER is a computer model that helps design standalone electric power systems. Provided information about electrical loads, renewable resources, and component costs, HOMER designs the optimal power system to serve those loads. HOMER can model any combination of wind turbines, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, run-of-river hydro, small modular biomass, conventional generators (diesel, propane, gasoline), and battery storage. Comparisons can also be made between the optimal stand-alone system and grid extension.
Lighting Research Center
Excellent resource of technical information relating to the design and specification of energy-efficient lighting. Many downloadable publications available.
Renewable Energy Analytic Studies Network
The Renewable Energy Analytic Studies Network (REASN) is a resource for reports, tools, and data related to financial and policy analysis of renewable energy technologies.
WasteSpec: Model Specifications for Construction Waste Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling
This manual provides architects and engineers with model specifications and background information addressing waste reduction, reuse, and recycling before and during construction and demolition. The manual includes model specifications tailored to all sixteen divisions of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) system of specifications. Each provision includes a cost implication symbol.
WaterWiser: the Water Efficiency Clearinghouse
This online database houses over 5000 publications and studies related to all aspects of water conservation. There is also a directory of books, products, and services.
Whole Building Design Guide
This Web site is an effort by the US government, the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC), and the National Institute of Building Science (NIBS) to consolidate design guidelines in one easily updateable reference. Particularly useful sections include the sustainability material under the link 'Design Objectives' and the sections on energy.
Yahoo!Groups: Indoor Air Quality
e-mail discussion group on indoor air quality that is fairly technical and active. Message archives are available to subscribers only.
