Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Buildings Technology Center is a "research facility devoted to the development of technologies that improve the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of residential and commercial buildings." The state-of-the-art research and development facility houses about 50 staff and 10-20 guest researchers. The website describes the center's facilities, research...

There are a number of thinktanks and policy groups dedicated to exploring the built environment, and the Center for the Built Environment (CBE) is perhaps one of the most intriguing of the entire group. Created in 1997 by a group of industry and government leaders, the CBE at the University of Berkeley is supported by a major grant from the National Science Foundation and several other...

This site from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) High Performance Building Research division showcases recent improvements in energy efficiency of high-use structures in southern Utah's National Parks. The Zion National Park Visitor Center, one of the Park Service's most efficient complexes, is furnished with Trombe walls for passive solar heating, a passive downdraft cooltower,...

The Rocky Mountain Institute offers an informational Web site entitled Home Resource Efficiency. Visitors can learn several tips and tricks on how to keep their home as energy efficient as possible with link titles such as Energy Efficiency: First Things First; Appliances and Lighting; Home Cooling; Household Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Savings Measures; Household Water Efficiency;...

In October 2002, teams of students from universities around the US competed in the Solar Decathlon, an eleven-day event that challenges the participants "to design, build, and operate the most effective and efficient solar-powered house." The Solar Decathlon homepage features information about the contest, the different designs, and the experiences of each team. Contestants also share their...