Building Science

The first ever report on the state of the world’s fungi has today revealed that if the natural properties of fungus can be harnessed and developed, plastic could be broken down naturally in weeks rather than years.

Recently, two seven-story, mid-rise residential buildings located in the heart of Manhattan were in need of some TLC (and spray foam) to keep the spaces energy-efficient, impermeable, and comfortable to live in.

From a trend perspective, each finish dominated a specific decade, in terms of houses completed in that finish. Brick dominated the 70s, wood dominated the 80s, vinyl, which only became available in the 90s, dominated that decade, and stucco and fiber cement dominated the 2000s.

In partnership with AIA, IES, and USGBC and with support from the DOE, ASHRAE is developing a new series of Advanced Energy Design Guides focusing on achieving zero energy performance.