News
Green Building & Eco Friendly News
We are excited to share green building industry developments, news about our Member Companies, and of course current Rate It Green information. Please feel welcome to submit interesting news you have found. Note that Rate It Green does include news announcements as a part of some sponsorship offerings.
You can also learn more by following Rate It Green on social media. We greatly appreciate your likes, follows, and general votes of support.
All Electric Summer: Opportunities to "amp up" your electrification expertise
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
It’s a great time to learn about electrification! Whether you are just learning about today’s energy efficient electric equipment and appliances, or you’re already somewhat expert, there’s really something for everyone to learn or contribute this summer, as several leading green building organizations are hosting some terrific educational offerings. And most are free! Check out Rate It Green's open green building calendar for these and more green bu… Show more
All About Heat Pumps
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
If you feel that recent news has been all about heat pumps, I agree! It seems there's a growing push to educate consumers and increase demand, as part of support for wider electrification and decarbonization efforts. Why are heat pumps so exciting? As you may already know, heat pumps are 300-400% efficient, as they move energy instead of generating it, and without onsite fossil fuel combustion. The numbers seem almost unreal. Heat pumps a… Show more
What Happens In Vegas... (Will We See You There?) Let's Create Some Great Green Building Content!
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
I know, the leading image for this email shows some serious wattage and doesn't really make me think first about green building. And yet, suddenly it seems like everyone I know is heading to Vegas next week for the International Builders' Show. That includes Green Builder and Rate It Green Content Partner Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc.! I encourage you to connect with Matt to say hello, or to share your expertise or to introduce your company and what y… Show more
Looking Forward - Engaging Together as a Green Building Community
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Thank you for being a part of our green building community, and welcome to our first newsletter of 2024! With this email, we bring you so much positive energy and a reaffirmation of the spirit of what we do. As Green Builder and Rate It Green Content Partner Matt Hoots said the other day, "The only way we are going to keep progressing toward solutions is to continue the conversation and share.” I wholeheartedly agree!
I am excited to report that I am&n… Show more
Happy New Year, 2024!! Looking back at Top 2023 News, and Some Sneak Previews for 2024!
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Happy New Year! Thanks for all you do, and here's to an AMAZING 2024!
We expect great things from this new year! Whether you celebrate recent COP28 Results or feel anxious about insufficient progress, perhaps we can agree that 2023 was a year of foundation building and stage setting. We can then think of 2024 then as a year of great framing, where the structure and promising opportunities really come together more rapidly, where we can see tangible gains… Show more
Reframing Perspective: What Can "Positive" (Nature Positive) Look Like?
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
There are so many pressing crises, it can be overwhelming to decide what to do first or next. At a time when we need to take immediate and drastic action to mitigate the worst climate change consequences, some of which have already arrived, how is it possible that there are ongoing and disastrous wars and famine, extreme weather crises, raging fires, disease, and areas that are literally becoming uninhabitable for human life, among other global challenges which are hard to fully i… Show more
Making Smart Window Choices for Meeting Comfort, Health, Energy & Sustainability Goals
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Do you have window questions? We've got some information and answers! Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. has been busy answering Rate It Green Member questions and also interviewing manufacturers to learn about their energy efficient window and doors as well as the latest technological advances.
Matt recently recorded a series of conversations to answer key window questions, including:
How do you decide when and whether to replace windows? &n… Show more
Understanding The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - Introduction and Update
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Hello to everyone gathering at Greenbuild this week! I had hoped to attend in person but had some schedule complications. As much as I think we absolutely need to connect and share information online when we can’t be together, I of course believe it’s meaningful and impactful to gather and build community in person. I’ll be attending as I can online, and I’ll hope to ”see you” there!
I have spent a good deal of time in the past weeks &ldq… Show more
Strategies for Staying Cool: Air Sealing and Insulation
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
It’s quite an understatement to say it’s been hot this summer. Playfully, and yet deadly seriously, Vox declared that this scorching summer might just "be one the coolest summers of the rest of your life." Scientists at the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service estimate current summer temperatures as not only the hottest since modern record keeping began, but possibly in the last 120,000 years. And summer&rsqu… Show more
The Perfect Wall - Explained
It feels a bit funny to describe a product or practice as "Perfect," but that's our task as we explore "The Perfect Wall." In a recent video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. explains this important concept and also shows how he and his team are applying theory to practice at the #1920sMakeoverATL deep energy retrofit project in Ansley Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
As Matt explains, along with fellow Rate It Green Membe… Show more
WalMart and Claims of Inaccurate "Made In the USA" labeling- What's the Real Situation?
What is the situation with Walmart and Made In the USA Claims? And why does this matter?
I am a big believer in Made in the USA and in local manufacturing generally. Why? As much as I believe in many cases in the power of efficiencies and the global economy, it’s also the case that there are great benefits to smaller economic circles and cycles.
First, local manufacturing just feels right ethically. It’s fair for communities to benefit with jobs and resources from the materials and &ldq… Show more
A G7 Promise to "Decarbonize" the Global Economy
This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the the G7 has promised to phase out fossil fuels and to end extreme poverty and hunger by the end of the century. As reported by TheGuardian, leaders also agreed to target a limit of 2C increase in global temperatures over pre-industrial levels. In a document titled "Think Ahead, Act Together," the leaders agreed to back the IPCC UN Climate Change Panel to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions from 40%-70%, using 2010 as a base.
While some consider this… Show more
What's Your Health Worth? (Formaldehyde)
There has been an ongoing battle in Washington DC over how to regulate formaldehyde, a common chemical used in foam insulation and adhesives, often in flooring and furniture. Formaldehyde became more widely known as a health risk when many people living in temporary trailers after Hurricane Katrina became ill with sore throats and irritated eyes and noses. According to the EPA’s web site, the EPA considers formaldehyde a “probable human carcinogen.”
So you might think the US government woul… Show more
Who cares about #Bees anyway? (Hint: You should)
It may seem like just another one of "those environmental efforts," all this buzz and noise about bees lately. But everyone should be paying attention to this issue. Any species seemingly and abruptly dying off should be reason for concern as we hear more about climate change and the disastrous potential effects. But bees in particular are essential to our economy and possibly to the future survival of the human population. Did you know that honeybees add $15 billion dollars annually to the US economy and over … Show more
Green Building Standards and Certification Collaborations - A Promising Industry Development in Recent Years
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently announced a decision to recognize energy and water requirements from the Living Building Challenge green building system within the LEED green building program. The collaboration and recognition is an exciting development, as the change is part of a growing movement of cooperation among green building organizations. Other major cooperative efforts in recent years included a $3 million grant by google which led to the creation of a major collaborative effort called … Show more
Just a Name Change or Much More? GBCI becomes "Green Business Certification, Inc."
In what may be a pretty clever and seemingly subtle name change, GBCI, formerly known as the "Green Buiding Certification Institute announced on April 16, 2015 a name change to The Green Business Certification Inc. The intials won't change, but the clientele might. GBCI was created in 2008, as a spinoff of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to administer the USGBC's LEED building project and professional credentials. In recent years, GBCI has expanded to include the PEER Power and building standard, … Show more
The Original Rainwater Pillow Selected to Green Builder Magazine's Hot 50 2015
Congratulations to The Original Rainwater Pillow for being selected as one of Green Builder Magazine's top 50 Green Building Products for 2015!
To read more: http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/hot502015-products/rainwater-collection-solutions-the-original-rainwater-pillow Show more
What's up with Florida? We all need to be on the same "Climate" Team.
John Kerry had it right when he recently said that "‘We literally do not have the time to waste debating whether we can say 'Climate Change.'" Indeed some news coming out of Florida seems hard to believe.
First, it appears that Governor Rick Scott and his administration banned government employees from using the words “Climate Change and “Global Warming” in communications. Whether you approve of these now widely accepted terms or not and whet… Show more
State of the Union: Will this be "a Breakthrough Year for America” and for the Planet?
The President was right in his State if the Union address: As a nation, we are united by the notion that you can get a head if you work hard and take responsibility. And right now, too many people are working hard but are not getting ahead and seeing the results of The American Dream. So, what to do about it? Let’s put our innovation, talents and energy to work building and transitioning to a greener, more efficient, and more profitable economy.
I heard some things in the State of the Union that gave me… Show more
LEED v4 Requirement Extended to Oct 31, 2016
LEED users will be able to regster projects under the existing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) 2009 ratings system until October 31, 2016, an extension from the original planned date of June 15, 2015.
There are some vocal complaints that this means LEED 2009 will now be 7 years old when officially retired and therefore not so cutting edge, but it appears also that a significant percentage of the green building market simply did not feel able to comply with LEED v4's requirements on time. In particualr, … Show more
All Electric Summer: Opportunities to "amp up" your electrification expertise
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
It’s a great time to learn about electrification! Whether you are just learning about today’s energy efficient electric equipment and appliances, or you’re already somewhat expert, there’s really something for everyone to learn or contribute this summer, as several leading green building organizations are hosting some terrific educational offerings. And most are free! Check out Rate It Green's open green building calendar for these and more green bu… Show more
All About Heat Pumps
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
If you feel that recent news has been all about heat pumps, I agree! It seems there's a growing push to educate consumers and increase demand, as part of support for wider electrification and decarbonization efforts. Why are heat pumps so exciting? As you may already know, heat pumps are 300-400% efficient, as they move energy instead of generating it, and without onsite fossil fuel combustion. The numbers seem almost unreal. Heat pumps a… Show more
What Happens In Vegas... (Will We See You There?) Let's Create Some Great Green Building Content!
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
I know, the leading image for this email shows some serious wattage and doesn't really make me think first about green building. And yet, suddenly it seems like everyone I know is heading to Vegas next week for the International Builders' Show. That includes Green Builder and Rate It Green Content Partner Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc.! I encourage you to connect with Matt to say hello, or to share your expertise or to introduce your company and what y… Show more
Looking Forward - Engaging Together as a Green Building Community
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Thank you for being a part of our green building community, and welcome to our first newsletter of 2024! With this email, we bring you so much positive energy and a reaffirmation of the spirit of what we do. As Green Builder and Rate It Green Content Partner Matt Hoots said the other day, "The only way we are going to keep progressing toward solutions is to continue the conversation and share.” I wholeheartedly agree!
I am excited to report that I am&n… Show more
Happy New Year, 2024!! Looking back at Top 2023 News, and Some Sneak Previews for 2024!
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Happy New Year! Thanks for all you do, and here's to an AMAZING 2024!
We expect great things from this new year! Whether you celebrate recent COP28 Results or feel anxious about insufficient progress, perhaps we can agree that 2023 was a year of foundation building and stage setting. We can then think of 2024 then as a year of great framing, where the structure and promising opportunities really come together more rapidly, where we can see tangible gains… Show more
Reframing Perspective: What Can "Positive" (Nature Positive) Look Like?
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
There are so many pressing crises, it can be overwhelming to decide what to do first or next. At a time when we need to take immediate and drastic action to mitigate the worst climate change consequences, some of which have already arrived, how is it possible that there are ongoing and disastrous wars and famine, extreme weather crises, raging fires, disease, and areas that are literally becoming uninhabitable for human life, among other global challenges which are hard to fully i… Show more
Making Smart Window Choices for Meeting Comfort, Health, Energy & Sustainability Goals
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Do you have window questions? We've got some information and answers! Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. has been busy answering Rate It Green Member questions and also interviewing manufacturers to learn about their energy efficient window and doors as well as the latest technological advances.
Matt recently recorded a series of conversations to answer key window questions, including:
How do you decide when and whether to replace windows? &n… Show more
Understanding The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - Introduction and Update
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
Hello to everyone gathering at Greenbuild this week! I had hoped to attend in person but had some schedule complications. As much as I think we absolutely need to connect and share information online when we can’t be together, I of course believe it’s meaningful and impactful to gather and build community in person. I’ll be attending as I can online, and I’ll hope to ”see you” there!
I have spent a good deal of time in the past weeks &ldq… Show more
Strategies for Staying Cool: Air Sealing and Insulation
Rate It Green Members and Friends -
It’s quite an understatement to say it’s been hot this summer. Playfully, and yet deadly seriously, Vox declared that this scorching summer might just "be one the coolest summers of the rest of your life." Scientists at the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service estimate current summer temperatures as not only the hottest since modern record keeping began, but possibly in the last 120,000 years. And summer&rsqu… Show more
The Perfect Wall - Explained
It feels a bit funny to describe a product or practice as "Perfect," but that's our task as we explore "The Perfect Wall." In a recent video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. explains this important concept and also shows how he and his team are applying theory to practice at the #1920sMakeoverATL deep energy retrofit project in Ansley Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
As Matt explains, along with fellow Rate It Green Membe… Show more