The iGreenBuild.com Blog

HOLOPHANE GRANVILLER LED LUMINAIRES SAVE ENERGY, EXTEND COMPONENT LIFE

2009-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

GRANVILLE, Ohio (6/24/2009) – New GranVille® LED luminaires from Holophane reduce energy consumption, extend component life and promote sustainability. The fixtures feature a new housing design with dedicated thermal management system to maximize light output and ensure reliability.

GranVille LED luminaires include precision optics with tight tolerances to direct light where it is needed to maximize energy savings and ensure design effectiveness. The GranVille LED housing and system mount to industry standard poles and are fully compatible with installed Granville glass globes.

“Technicians simply replace the existing luminaire housing with the new GranVille LED housing, which can be accomplished on-site in about 15 minutes,” said Ben Prichard, Holophane Outdoor Senior Product Manager. “This capability reduces purchase and installation costs and promotes sustainability.”

GranVille LED fixtures are offered with classic or premier optics and a variety of trim, luminaire shapes and uplight options. Asymmetric and symmetric distributions provide added flexibility for applications such as parks, city streets, residential areas, campuses, walkways and parking lots.

Holophane GranVille LED luminaires door assembly allows simple access to the electronic driver for ease of maintenance. The fixtures' borosilicate glass optics are permanent and never turn yellow or cloudy with age.

“GranVille LED luminaires are designed for areas that require a long system operating life combined with an aesthetically pleasing appearance that complements the environment,” Prichard said.

For more information about Holophane GranVille LED luminaires or any of the company’s decorative outdoor lighting fixtures, visit www.holophane.com/LED/GVL_LED-default.asp.

About Holophane

Headquartered in Granville, Holophane has been the leader in lighting solutions for 110 years. An Acuity Brands Company, Holophane provides energy efficient lighting systems for a range of commercial, industrial and outdoor applications.

For more information, please contact:

Vance Kniffin
Communications Manager
Holophane
740-349-4130
vkniffin@holophane.com

3825 Columbus Road SW
Granville, Ohio 43023
740 345 9631
http://www.holophane.com/

Water everywhere and not a drop to drink

2009-06-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

Builders know that managing water is complex, challenging, essential to the success of their projects, essential to our well-being. But as a society, are we still in La La land, just beginning to realize that there could be a time when in spite of all our technical wizardry the well might run dry? Maybe there isn’t a magic tap in the sky waiting at our beck and call, ready to gush. Anthony Sblendorio, a landscape architect specializing in regenerative design, and lead site designer for the ecology-centered, award-winning Willow School in Bedminster, N.J. - knows that water is precious – not to be wasted, not to be mistreated, and not to be used up. In this spirit, Back to Nature incorporates stewardship into its plans. We don’t own the resources we are given, they believe, we borrow them. In the case of water, Mr. Sblendorio, a US Green Building Council – New Jersey (USGBC-NJ) board member, says he demands that his projects return water in better condition than it was in when they received it.

But stewardship is a concept which hasn’t meshed well with profit-making in the past, our attitude being ‘possession is nine tenths of the law’. Only now when our generation is facing a rocks are hard, water is wet situation, no pun intended, is it possible that we may be forced to react to the signs that things need to change. No water, no profit.

A recent New York Times review of Elizabeth Royte’s book, “Bottlemania, How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It”, quotes the author as saying, “The coming scarcity will hurt the growth of jobs, housing and businesses. Water experts predict shortages will pit communities and states against each other, states’ rights against national interests, the NJ Chapter Newsletter- End of Summer 2008

1) Rich against the poor, cities against villages, corporations against individuals, and humans against other creatures that compete with us for water.”

Forced to pay attention by periodic draughts, by the ever more present discussion of global warming and climatic change, and by the inherent problems and rising costs of traditional water treatment technologies, our leaders are starting to think about the implications of continuing as we are – many kicking and screaming along the way…but thinking about it nonetheless. The problem is that stewardship not only requires us to change the way we think, but to reconfigure our infrastructures towards sustainable design as well … a tall order.

In the case of water, a shape shifting substance which comes and goes in the alternating forms of liquid, steam, vapor, and ice, stewardship also requires that attention be paid to the land which holds the water, to the air through which it travels, to the plants and animals and to ourselves, who drink it, bathe in it and use it in thousands of other ways – and particularly to our prideful assumption that water is and will always be there for our use and pleasure. According to Ms. Royte, Arizona is already importing everything it drinks. Well, maybe not in the mountains I was told during another conversation. But their situation gives one pause.

Back to Nature regards education as key, Mr. Sblendorio says. The company has an environmental as well as an aesthetic focus for both its stewardshipand its newer venture, Ecological Development - www.ecologicaldevelopment.com/ - which works to create ecological residential, commercial, and municipal property design.

“We use the regenerative approach to assess every piece of land we work with,” he said. “This allows us to see opportunities where others see challenges. When we encounter a wetland, instead of viewing it as a liability, we view it as an asset that can be both beautiful and functional by increasing the ground water recharge2, wildlife habitat, and character of a site. When a property we’re developing is bisected by a river unable to support aquatic life, we repair the land that borders the river and the systems that feed into it so that the river may once again provide a home to fish and other wildlife.

However, to reach the masses of builders and homebuyers who are happy with a “chop down the trees, plunk down the houses, dump the leftovers” approach - a broader acceptance of regenerative, sustainable methods must be developed. Adults and especially children need to be reconnected with nature and natural systems. This is different than preaching green building, he said, noting that on a practical basis, when people understand relationships with the natural world they are better clients. (They are also more likely to support leaders who promote change in the direction of sustainability.) But, to get there, said Mr. Sblendorio, they have to be led to understand the value in creating a pond, habitat, and local food. People need to understand that apples come from trees and not the super market.

The New York Times book review “Distilled From Water; Designer or Tap: High Anxiety”, Pg. E33, July 18, 2008. Bottlemania, How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, by Elizabeth Royte
A hydrologic process where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. -Wikipedia NJ Chapter Newsletter- End of Summer 2008

2) These are laudable goals and they make a lot of sense. But the numbers of specifics that need to be modified with green oriented technology and / or addressed with education, are mind-boggling.
John Zoubek holds two engineering degrees and an MBA and has served as President of two major national construction equipment and supply trade associations. After selling Zoubek Associates, Inc., a leading 40-year-old distributor of construction equipment and supplies in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, Mr. Zoubek joined Newark-based Clearwater Technology where he recently became a Principal. Clearwater offers niche specific compliance solutions for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 1999 Phase II Stormwater Regulations. Many of these highly focused systems involve the use of what he calls ‘microbes’ - naturally occurring microorganisms such as yeast, fungi, or bacteria, and include bioremediation for vehicle washing and control of hydrocarbons in wastewater streams.

Clearwater also works with marinas on the Jersey Shore and along the Delaware River, which are no longer allowed to discharge oily, dirty water after washing their boats. Essentially, he explained, the microbes eat the fats, oils and greases or hydrocarbons (e.g. benzene, naphtha solvents, motor oil, greases, brake cleaners etc.) removed by water during washing. The byproducts are carbon dioxide and water. “We get rid of the hydrocarbons,” Mr. Zoubek said. “We’re not moving them somewhere else, we’re consuming them. And we’re not leaving our clients with filters contaminated with hydrocarbons that have to be disposed of. The filters have no oil on them, so they can be reused for a long time.”

The details of remediation go on and on as in the case of another area of the Phase II regulations that Clearwater addresses -- the floatables and solids which leave construction sites, landfills, quarries, etc. as rainwater runoff- or which are driven out as “trackout” on the wheels of trucks. Any site over an acre or an impervious surface over 1/4 of an acre falls under the Phase II Storm Water Regs.

The challenge for remediation is getting to that level of specificity where the rubber hits the road, so to speak… to the runoff, the trucks, and boats and to those guilty of “trackout”. To do so, Mr. Zoubek targets municipality public works operations, construction equipment dealers and contractors, highway departments, auto and truck dealers, recycling centers, landfills, solid waste haulers, airports, military bases, golf courses, and colleges and universities. It’s an arduous process. Not only because each potential client has to be targeted individually, but because we are in an era of ever-tightening budgets. Hopefully things will be made easier by a shifting of priorities as the general public begins to understand the ramifications of pollution. Because according to Mr. Zoubeck, most of the pollution that gets into the rivers, lakes and ocean comes from NJ Chapter Newsletter- End of Summer 2008

3) Storm water runoff. According to Anthony Sblendorio, we have been learning to pay attention. In the late 60’s early 70’s, for example, environmentalists saw that wetlands act as the kidneys of our planet, and today we have protective legislation in place. But we have to fight every inch of the way to maintain it, he said. “The policies that govern land use are set up to prevent continued damage to the environment which is extremely important,” he noted. “The challenge is that there’s not a path to look at a regenerative solution. If we continue to say that nature is on one side of the fence…and we’re on the other, we won’t change the ways we go about things. If we don’t change our habits we haven’t done much – solely protecting natural resources isn’t enough. We need a process that stimulates creativity so we can not only preserve the natural resources we have left but contribute to creating new ones.

And so Mr. Sblendorio works to influence leadership at the municipal level – Mr. Zoubek works at the more granular public works, individual business level – both are leaders in creating environmentally and economically viable solutions. Relentlessly going in – making presentations – demonstrating how to manage and create different designs – trying to help them green up their own operations. Hoping that if municipalities and public works departments and all those others move forward, land owners and builders will follow suit.

Jacqueline Herships is a journalist, publicist and communications strategist working to build public understanding of Sustainability, Green Building, Smart Growth, Community Redevelopment and the Environment. NJ Chapter Newsletter- End of Summer 2008.

New Energy Tax Credit (ETC) Glass Packages Introduced by Simonton Windows

2009-03-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

PARKERSBURG, W. VA. – To assist homeowners, builders, remodelers and window dealers in quickly and easily identifying windows that qualify for the government's new tax credit, Simonton Windows^® has introduced Energy Tax Credit (ETC) glass packages. All Simonton products ordered with the ETC glass packages are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to meet a U-factor rating of 0.30 or less, and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30 or less. These are the energy ratings stated by the U.S. government that are required for homeowners to take advantage of the $1,500 energy tax credit.

Three competitively priced ETC glass package options are available on select Simonton products and styles, each providing optimal thermal performance and energy efficiency. The ETC Starter 366 glass package includes a ¾-inch IGU, Intercept^® Spacer System, Argon gas fill and LoĒ³-366^® glass. The ETC Super Solar glass package includes a 7/8-inch IGU, Super Spacer^® System, Argon gas fill and ProSolar^™ Soft Coat Low E glass. The ETC Super 366 glass package includes a 7/8-inch IGU, Super Spacer System, Argon gas fill and LoĒ³-366 glass.

"We are committed to providing a wide variety of top quality products that will allow homeowners to take advantage of the new energy tax credit established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009," says Mark Savan, president of Simonton Windows. "We have already created the www.simonton.com/taxcredit informational site. This next step, in which we guarantee that certain glass packages on select products and styles qualify for the tax credit, makes it easier for homeowners and building industry professionals to choose Simonton when seeking energy-efficient products that comply with this legislation."

A listing of energy-efficient Simonton replacement products that qualify for the energy tax credit is available at www.simonton.com/taxcredit.

According to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, homeowners can gain a tax credit of up to 30 percent of the cost of qualifying energy efficient upgrades to a maximum of $1,500 per household for 2009 and 2010. The new regulations provide five times more tax credit to homeowners than was previously available under a similar bill, which allowed up to only $200 tax credit on energy efficient window purchases. Additionally, the new law has some very specific restrictions, including:

1. Windows purchased must be equal to, or below, a U Factor of 0.30 and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30.

2. The purchase of the qualified windows must be made during the taxable year for which the credit is being claimed.

3. The credit is only allowed on the price of the qualified windows themselves, not on installation costs, onsite preparation, assembly or sales tax.

4. The tax credit is allowable only for qualified window units placed in service in 2009 and 2010.

Simonton Windows produces ENERGY STAR® qualified replacement and new construction windows and doors, including a line of impact-resistant products. Simonton ranked "Highest in Builder and Remodeler Satisfaction among Residential Window and Patio Door Manufacturers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction Study^SM. The company was ranked #1 in quality in the 2007 Brand Use Study sponsored by Builder magazine and has won three Best In Class Awards from Market Research Associates.

Founded in 1946, Simonton's hallmark has been to deliver its made-to-order products in five days or less. Part of the home and hardware division of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), Simonton delivers nationwide to key markets throughout the 48 continental United States.

Simonton is a founding sponsor of The Weather Museum and a corporate partner of Homes for Our Troops. For information, call (800) SIMONTON or visit www.simonton.com. ENERGY STAR is a trademark owned by The Nelrod Corporation.

Green Taxis

2009-03-17T11:05:00.001-07:00

LEOLA, PA – Most people expect a taxi to be yellow. But that’s not the case at Metro Taxi in Denver. This company has earned the nickname of “Greenest Taxi Company in the Nation” by going green with hybrid vehicles and eco-friendly operating systems.

“Our goal is to reduce the impact of the carbon footprint we produce both on the road and at our company headquarters,” says Brian Horvath, fleet manager of Metro Taxi. “We’re steadily replacing our older taxis with Toyota Prius Hybrid cars and plan to continue with this until we have a complete fleet of hybrid vehicles, which should be in about three years. By our estimates, we’ll be able to save 2.6 million gallons of gas annually once our fleet of almost 500 vehicles is completely converted.”

Behind the scenes at Metro Taxi the green efforts are just as visible and intense. The company uses two Clean Burn used-oil furnaces in their maintenance facility to recycle used-oil on site from oil changes to the taxis.

“We transform an average of 500 gallons of used-oil monthly into free heat for our shop using the Clean Burn furnaces,” says Horvath. “We’re also recycling the used- oil during the other months of the year, so this keeps us from sending used-oil to a disposal center. We eliminate the transportation charges and risks, along with potential environmental risks, by recycling the used-oil on site. This allows us to heat our facility without using traditional energy sources.”

Metro Taxi purchased their Clean Burn furnaces from local distributor Interstate Energy, Inc. in Brighton. “When the general public thinks about Colorado they envision a healthy, outdoor setting with pristine mountain ranges and fresh air,” says Gary Osadchuk with Interstate Energy. “The Clean Burn units operating in our state help keep the environment safe and clean. Metro Taxi represents the best of what a company should be --- a partner with the environment and an innovator in environmental stewardship.”

In addition to recycling the used-oil from their taxis, Metro Taxi also has a company-wide recycling program, uses wind energy and is exploring the use of solar power. For more information on Metro Taxi’s environmental efforts, visit www.metrotaxidenver.com.

There are 80,000 Clean Burn functional furnaces and boilers located throughout the world that burn approximately 120 million gallons of used-oil each year on-site, at the point of generation. This volume of used-oil would otherwise be transported on highway systems and pose a considerable risk to spills and/or contamination to the environment.

Clean Burn is an ENERGY STAR® partner. The company holds numerous industry certifications and works with the U.S. government, the Environmental Protection Agency and various associations to help coordinate the establishment of standards and regulations related to heat recovery and recycling efforts involving used motor oils. For more information on Clean Burn, visit www.cleanburn.com or call 1-800-331-0183.

The Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council

2009-02-10T11:06:00.001-08:00

Collaboration to include new program development that will rethink and radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new building developments

Washington, DC – (February 9, 2009) The Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council today expanded their partnership to radically reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment on a global scale, with an initial focus on accelerating efforts to drive efficiency in existing buildings. Homes, schools, offices and other buildings account for 38% of CO2 emissions globally, according to the U.N. Environment Program. In the U.S. alone, the “low hanging fruit” in building efficiency could save the economy more than $160 billion by 2030, according to McKinsey & Company. Looking ahead, new program development is underway to rethink and redefine new building developments.

“Retrofitting buildings represents an immediate and measurable opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve our economy; they are a priority for my Climate Initiative which is encouraging retrofit projects around the world”, said former President Bill Clinton. “I'm proud to strengthen my Foundation's collaboration with the USGBC to accelerate this important work.”

“Two years ago, the Clinton Climate Initiative helped put the urgency of reducing CO2 emissions by improving the performance of our existing building stock squarely on the national agenda,” commented USGBC CEO, President and Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi. “USGBC is proud to partner with CCI to accelerate and expand the effort at this critical moment. Green building creates green jobs that save energy and money – and green building will help save our climate.”

To date, the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program has helped partners to initiate more than 250 retrofit projects encompassing over 500 million square feet of real estate in more than 30 cities around the world. These include retrofit projects across the municipal, private, commercial, education, and housing sectors. USGBC’s LEED for Existing Buildings/Operations and Maintenance (LEED EB/OM) certification system has resulted in energy performance improvements ranging from 30 – 60% in certified buildings. More than 2300 projects in 12 countries have been registered or certified through LEED EB/OM.

About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501c3 nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 18,000 member organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building certification systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 78 chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About the Clinton Climate Initiative
President Clinton launched the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) in August 2006 to make a difference in the fight against climate change in practical, measurable and significant ways. In its first phase, CCI is serving as the exclusive implementing partner of the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, an association of large cities around the world that have pledged to accelerate their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2007, CCI launched its Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program which brings together many of the world’s largest cities, real estate firms, energy service companies and financial institutions in a landmark effort to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings across the public and private sectors. Expanding upon its work with the C40, CCI has extended the benefits of its building retrofit program to additional cities, building owners and institutions.

For more information about the Clinton Foundation and CCI, please visit www.clintonfoundation.org.

SchenkelShultz Architecture receives prestigious 2008 Tilt-Up Achievement Award for outstanding design of School District of Palm Beach County's $28 million, 202,500-square-foot Palm Springs Community Middle School in West Palm Beach, FL

2009-01-29T10:55:00.001-08:00

ORLANDO, FL – SchenkelShultz Architecture received a prestigious 2008 Tilt-Up Achievement Award for its outstanding design of the School District of Palm Beach County’s $28 million, 202,500-square-foot Palm Springs Community Middle School in West Palm Beach, FL. The Tilt-Up Achievement Awards are presented annually by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association, Mt. Vernon, IA. The project also received the 2007 Florida Educational Facilities Planners’ Association First Place award, as well as the 2007 Educational Design Project of Distinction award from School Planning and Management magazine. The 1,526-student facility contains: self-contained separate student learning centers for each grade level with three science labs; a fine arts building including an art gallery, four music suites, two art classrooms, home economics and a drama classroom with a portable stage; a 458-seat dining/multi-purpose space; a 1,000-seat gymnasium, soccer and softball fields, basketball and tennis courts; a secure courtyard with an outdoor amphitheater; and an administrative suite with a separate adult administration complex.

SchenkelShultz has designed more than 28 million-square-feet of K-12 projects in 28 Florida school districts. In addition, the firm has designed numerous higher education projects including the award-winning six-story Stetson University Lynn Business Center, the first LEED®-certified building in the state of Florida, and the LEED®-Gold certified Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University.

Celebrating 50 years of design excellence and consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top design firms, SchenkelShultz is a full-service architectural firm specializing in education, justice, aviation and commercial facilities design. With eleven offices nationally (seven in Florida) and over 50 LEED® Accredited Professionals, SchenkelShultz is a recognized leader in green design which has long been committed to designing sustainable concepts into every project. Further evidencing its leadership, the firm designs all K-12 schools in accordance with green design principles at no additional cost to school boards. As a result, schools designed by SchenkelShultz are achieving the benefits of sustainable design including reduced operating costs and improved environmental/educational quality.

Also commemorating 25 years in Florida under the leadership of J. Thomas Chandler, AIA, President and COO, the firm established its Orlando office in 1983 and subsequently expanded with six additional offices in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Naples, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach. “At SchenkelShultz,” said Chandler, “our focus is on architecture but our passion transcends excellent design. Our firm,” he added, “is continuously evolving to anticipate and adapt to ever-changing market trends, and is dedicated to building positive, successful relationships with our valued clients, employees and communities.”

SchenkelShultz Architecture, Orlando, is located at 200 East Robinson Street, Suite 300, Orlando, FL, phone 407-872-3322. For more information, visit www.schenkelshultz.com.

CO's 1st LEED-Gold private school relies on Wausau's windows

2009-01-12T22:05:00.001-08:00

Colorado's first LEED-Gold private school relies on Wausau's windows

Wausau, Wis. -- Striving to pursue excellence in sustainable design and construction, Valor Christian High School became the first private school in Colorado to earn Gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® Green Building Rating System™. Helping contribute to this achievement, Wausau Window and Wall Systems provided high-performance windows manufactured with recycled aluminum for the campus' Academic Building.

The $55 million, 35-acre campus in Highlands Ranch, Colo., includes an academic building, athletic complex, and football and track stadium. At full capacity, the 9-12 grade school supports 1,200 students with a 20:1 student to teacher ratio.

Opened for the 2007-08 school year, the three-story Academic Building was the first of four buildings to emerge -- constructed in just 11 months. It contains 43 classrooms, eight science laboratories, administrative offices, and a 5,300-square-foot research and teaching media center with direct views of the Rocky Mountains. Sustainable design components for the 130,000-square-foot Academic Building include thermal displacement ventilation, low-flow/automatic restroom fixtures, and an advanced lighting/daylighting control system.

Valor's school leaders sought to "include ample amounts of natural light, which will provide a superior learning environment by helping students maintain alertness and interest." In addition, all buildings are designed to offer air quality and energy efficiency surpassing typical schools and creating a healthier facility. Eight months after opening, estimates indicated the school would use about half the amount of energy as a standard public school, saving an estimated $65,000 per year.

Enhancing the Academic Buildings' energy-efficient, daylighting features, outdoor light sensors limit the occupants' use of florescent bulbs when natural light is available. "Valor's large windows are engineered to maximize daylighting, while maintaining a comfortable interior climate. As an industry pioneer in energy-efficient, high-performance, thermal barrier products, Wausau's 3250 Series Heritage windows' were tuned to Colorado's climate and solar exposure," says Kevin Robbins, Wausau's regional sales manager.

Wausau's window frames were painted by Linetec in a durable, bronze finish and fabricated with recycled aluminum. Twenty percent of the facilities' materials are comprised of recycled content and 77% of the construction materials were diverted from landfills and to recycling programs. Regional suppliers and locally sourced materials were selected whenever possible. Colorado Window Systems of Denver installed Wausau's insulated window units to meet the school's quick-turn timeline, as well as its performance and sustainable design goals. Today, the windows allow students to enjoy outside views and a continued connection with the environment.

"The windows are energy efficient and provide proper lighting, yet remain aesthetically appealing. As the first private high school in Colorado to receive a LEED-Gold certification, we are very pleased to have partnered with a quality window manufacturer in Wausau," said Shannon L. Dreyfuss, executive vice president and CFO of Valor Christian High School.

Guided by the mission, "influence through excellence," Valor Christian High School formed its school board in 2005. The board purchased the future site of its campus in January 2006, and almost immediately selected SlaterPaull Architects Inc. of Denver to design the educational complex in collaborations with The Lund Partnership of Lakewood, Colo., and Anderson & Hastings of Denver. RMH Group provided additional, sustainable design and engineering recommendations. Saunders Construction Inc. of Englewood, Colo., served as general contractor and began construction on the Academic Building in September 2006.

Saunders' senior project manager, Dennis Disney, told the Associated General Contractors of Colorado, "A project of this scale typically requires an 18-month timeline, not including the four weeks we lost to inclement weather and snow removal." After the Academic Building's successful opening in August 2007, Saunders completed the athletic facility and chapel in October 2007 and the stadium in May 2008. Construction of the Arts and Aquatics facilities are planned for the near future.

Nationally recognized for its innovative expertise, Wausau Window and Wall Systems is an industry leader in engineering window and curtainwall systems for commercial and institutional construction applications. For more than 50 years, Wausau has worked closely with architects, building owners and contractors to realize their vision for aesthetic beauty, sustainability and lasting value, while striving to maintain the highest level of customer service, communication and overall satisfaction. Wausau is a part of Apogee Enterprises, Inc., a publicly held, U.S. corporation.

GreenBuild 08, Boston MA: Highlights – part 5

2008-12-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

By Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

EXPO & COMMENTS

Jerry Yudelson noted[1] the increasing representation among solar companies. It would be good to see this expo segment grow, along with wind turbine providers and e.g. chilled beam manufacturers.

Suntech aims to have 1000 MW of solar PV production capacity by 2010. Their solar PV cells are at 20% efficiency; some products include Suntech See Thru™ PV glazing that can be used e.g. in curtain walls, skylights or atria; and Suntech Just Roof™ is BIPV that can be substituted for tiles, with weatherproofing, water channels. For case studies of a retrofit in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and new construction in Hokkaido, Japan click here.

I found Accoya interesting. It is acetylated wood, i.e. treated with acetic anhydride (derived from acetic acid, or concentrated vinegar) to change the water molecules to acetyl groups. This process hardens the (FSC certified) wood and the resulting product has been tested for ‘dimensional stability, durability, UV resistance, paint retention and in-ground conditions,’ as well as strength and hardness. Uncoated, it emitted a vinegar odour.

Airvac fascinated me. A case study of a vacuum sewer system installed in Holden Beach, North Carolina, an island community with a high water table and failing septic tanks and drain fields, indicates the benefits include the alternative to gravity-flow lines, and prevention of sanitary sewer overflows during storm surges or power outages since it runs pneumatically in comparison to gravity sanitary sewers. Small town Hooper, Utah also addressed their challenge of septic systems leaking into groundwater this way. This technical data sheet from EcoSan notes benefits of vacuum sewer system/sanitary installations (which must be separate from stormwater systems). They provided: water savings of as much as 80% since a vacuum toilet used 1 litre of water per flush; capacity for blackwater collection for biogas; 20-25% cost savings over conventional methods; and protection against nutrient and pathogen discharges due to the closed system.

The ecoScorecard system is paid for by manufacturers and free to users. It is a tool intended for architects and designers at the spec process, that translates manufacturers’ data (including designer’s product lines, percent post-consumer recycled content, percent rapidly renewable materials, and environmental ratings) to provide the necessary documentation for certification.

I’ve been aware of the merits of North America’s Island Press and New Society Publishers, and found I also liked several books by Earthscan Publications out of the UK.

I would also find value in seeing:
· Energy storage companies[2] given: their capacity to smooth out variations and enable dispatchability; and the focus on renewables expansion in the new economy.
· A significantly greater complement of finance/insurance as well as reinsurance companies, given the mutual market transformation potential – since green buildings can enhance portfolio value and reduce risk.
· Biogas companies and closed-loop food security systems that provide solutions at neighbourhood and individual building scales.
· More Consulate/Government quasi-catalogues like the displays from the Netherlands and the Canadian governments.

As a market research analyst, I was puzzled by the number of booths that didn’t clearly identify key benefits or competitive advantages of their products and services – even those with site demos. As the expo grows, it becomes even more necessary to capture attention of visitors quickly so they stop for that sound byte that could make a sales or outreach difference.

Overheard at the conference:
· A need for sessions addressing code and regulatory barriers, possibly prior to GreenBuild, which could feed findings and conclusions into the conference. After co-authoring a project on code, regulatory and systemic barriers[3] it is clear that there are key issues and best practices in both countries in regards to these – often significant – challenges, and this would be a useful adjunct, in my opinion.
· Opportunities for youth to engage in the conference, possibly via a separate but concurrent part-stream.

On the systems side, it also would be helpful to have a larger expo map, a hard copy of the index by booth number, and each booth’s number clearly marked.

It would be useful to hear reader feedback on the above suggestions and booths.

GreenBuild 08: an excellent event. Thanks for your hospitality. Boston, Cambridge, Concord: I’ll be back.

Green Syndicated Columnist Sonja Persram is co-author with DCAT’s David Eisenberg of a forthcoming publication on code, regulatory and other systemic barriers affecting Living Building projects, for Cascadia Region Green Building Council. She has conducted several research projects for Yudelson Associates, and is lead author of ‘Marketing Green Buildings to Owners/Tenants of Leased Properties’ for the Canada Green Building Council (2007) with co-authors Nils Larsson (MRAIC) and Mark Lucuik (P.Eng, LEED AP). Ms Persram wrote ‘Green Buildings: A Strategic Analysis of the North American Markets’ for Frost & Sullivan (2006) addressing Energy, Water and Facilities Management; and the USA portion of ‘International Sustainable Building Policy Initiatives,’ a 2007 study for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation whose project lead was Nils Larsson. She is a member of the CaGBC Greater Toronto Chapter’s Business Development Committee and the USGBC’s Social Equity Task Force.
Contact: sonja@sustainable-alternatives.ca
Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

[1] Yudelson, Jerry, personal communication with Sonja Persram
[2] See Peters, Roger with O’Malley, Lynda, Storing Renewable Power Primer, June 2008, The Pembina Institute, http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/StoringRenewablePower-jun17.pdf .
[3] Eisenberg, David & Persram, Sonja, Code, Regulatory & Systemic Barriers Affecting Living Building Projects, for Cascadia Region Green Building Council, 2008, Forthcoming.

GreenBuild 08, Boston MA: Highlights – part 4

2008-12-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

By Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

CARBON

Measuring embodied carbon impacts in commercial and industrial buildings was the topic of dcarbon8’s Andrew Marris’ and Tony Siantonas’ presentation. CEO Marris noted the ratio of embodied to operational carbon is 20:80, however given the scenario where buildings are low energy the ratio becomes 40:60 based on benchmark data from the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)’s carbon buzz website. Their UK carbon consultancy firm developed their Planet Positive mark which requires measuring carbon footprint of direct (operational) and indirect (embodied) activities, and of products based on life cycle analysis, committing to reduce this footprint significantly, and offsetting the balance by a minimum of 110%. Siantonas stated that 1 tonne CO2 equivalent is:
· about 2 months of an average home’s emissions from energy (gas and electricity)
· $3.50 on CCX, $10 on VER (Voluntary or Verified Emission Reduction), $20 on regular markets, and $40 shadow cost of carbon

Some findings:
· Analysis of embodied carbon by lifecycle in one study resulted in 85% coming from manufacturing processes, 7% from delivery to site and 8% due to fuel combustion. Their conclusion in this case, which may be applicable to others: focus on where materials are from and how they are manufactured, not necessarily the delivery to site.
· In analysing carbon by building component, they found the building envelope contributed 42%.
· In steel production[1] over 90% of GHGs were from direct emissions i.e. blast furnace energy. Less than 10% of emissions came from: feedstock GHGs (mining ore, limestone), infrastructure (tools e.g. making the blast furnace), and a small amount came from what they call ‘infrastructure squared’ or the tools for tools. Siantonas noted the latter component was hard to control, and the size of the contribution meant including such data wouldn’t add much to the analysis.

Client projects include:
· A carbon footprint analysis for Lend Lease Retail project Somerset Central in Singapore.
· The Masdar city carbon footprint analysis: the headquarters building is energy positive, and is 103,000 m2. The building envelope was targeted for major reduction approaches.
· Prologis - the largest global owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities with $40.8 billion real estate assets under management representing 548 million sf in 22 countries.

Prologis Manager of Sustainability Drew Torbin described his corporation’s rationale for carbon measurement: he “thinks of carbon as waste,” and found that value was from an embodied carbon study via the following:
· Low carbon = high efficiency. ‘Less’ is used: less energy, resources…
· Strengthening of customer relationships
· Attraction for customers and investors: ‘A’ quality assets attract ‘A’ quality customers

BEYOND PLATINUM: REVOLUTIONARY GREEN

In discussing how to achieve sustainability and happiness, the speakers called for changing the system, not the mindset. Jim Hartzfeld, Managing Director of InterfaceRAISE noted that personal sustainability practices were key: ‘green your routine,’ since ‘order begets order’… use a ‘practice placement’ (a re-working of ‘product placement’) since ‘every little green practice breaks down inertia and at some point they all add up to break the status quo.’ He said we could get caught up in catastrophes, when maybe what we need to do is consider ‘how could you live your best life every day.’ He uses this tactic to achieve enormous change: ‘get peoples’ stories of what they have been the absolute proudest of being associated with. Two-thirds of these memories are memorable examples of what they thought was impossible.’ Analyse – ‘what made that happen? Big goals? Not taking ‘no’ for an answer? Unbelievable planning and execution? Then they think it’s not quite as impossible (as before).’ He goes on to suggest that we ‘focus on what LEED buildings can do, and the power of buildings to affect the mindset of occupants.’

Dayna Baumeister of the Biomimicry Guild foresaw that society in future would be free of white noise, and we would be wondering at times not at what we did, but what we put up with in that regard. An interesting viewpoint, especially given we often have to go ‘out into nature’ to achieve needed peace from urban noise, and noise can be considered as wasted energy.

CLOSING PLENARY

The closing plenary presentations are available online. Some key messages:

E.O. Wilson stated ‘four-fifths of animals on the planet are nematode worms,’ of which most species are unknown. There are ‘5,000-6,000 species of bacteria in a handful of soil – all unknown to science.’ There is great tragedy in that ‘human action is destroying countless species before even knowing what they are.’ Later in their collaborative ‘armchair’ discussion, Wilson noted the need for addressing worldwide water shortages, such as via dry land agriculture, and that we use too narrow a band of species given that ‘50,000 species of plants could be adapted to crops.’

Janine Benyus described her childhood adventures in the ‘micro-wilderness outside (her) house;’ how as a ‘dinner-bell kid’ in the morning she would ‘squirm out of my mother’s embrace to go outside,’ investigate all day in the field by her house, and her mother ‘would have to ring and ring the dinner bell to get me to dinner.’ Later, she watched from the bushes as her childhood idyll was ‘scalped’ with the incursion of bulldozers in phase II of a new subdivision, and noted: ‘if they knew differently (about the natural world there) they would treat that settled land differently’…. We ‘all have to get to know our places very well.’

Through the massive knowledge gaps they spoke of and damage incurred given those gaps, I nevertheless found the presentations rather relieving and engendering of hope, because of the announcement of two websites. They are:
· The Encyclopedia of Life (launched by a global consortium of key museums and research organizations) with a goal of having one webpage on each of the estimated 1.8 million species on earth. Wilson observed that this arose out of a perceived to link ‘science and the enlightened future-oriented business that you are involved in.’
· www.asknature.org aims to share biomimetic design knowledge for applications globally.
Both projects are free and open source.

This post is instalment #4 of 5. Stay tuned!

[1] Based on data he cited from the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study (IFIAS), 1974

GreenBuild 08, Boston MA: Highlights – part 3

2008-12-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

By Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

GREEN JOBS were one major focus of the conference.

Green For All President and Founder Van Jones gave a rousing presentation, sponsored by Dadanco:
"You are the people who the country is going to turn to… You have a president (elect) who wants 5 million green jobs… (you’re going to be the people … who have to find a way of doing that) … and a president elect who wants to put $150 billion into clean and renewable energy. This used to be a lot of money. Now it sounds like a rounding error … There are some investments in this country that we can no longer put off…

It’s not that we have a President (-elect) who’s black, it’s that for the first time we have a president who’s green." Continue reading Van Jones’ Master Speaker presentation here.

Among other excellent presenters on this topic[1] was the Greener Good panel on USGBC Chapters’ local green job and social equity initiatives. The panel was convened by Jerome Ringo, President of the Apollo Alliance – a coalition, Ringo noted, that impacts 17 million people and is a collaboration of conservation organizations, business, industry, labour and politicians with a common, green focus. Ringo described how the Apollo Alliance’s new 10 year extensive investment Apollo program is a $500 billion strategy which they believe can create over 5 million green jobs, to “put people to work from all walks of life.” Said Ringo: “We believe we have our own moon shot mission today – we can now declare energy independence, we can now stimulate the American economy, and we can clean up the environment.” What a feat this will be, and how badly the US – and Canada – both need such an initiative.

A marvellous example of the triple-bottom-line in action was the panel presentation on her company’s initiative by Martha Jane Murray, an architect and co-owner with her husband of Neil M Footwear - a shoe factory in Arkansas. Murray is Policy Associate with the Clinton Climate Initiative and Founding Chair, USGBC Arkansas.

In rural America, retaining both companies and employees is difficult. Murray noted the following stats:
· 7.6 million families are living under the poverty level in the US
· 400,000 household units qualify in Arkansas for federal assistance

She described how their corporate concern about profitability led to a focus on compensation to enhance employee retention. In seeking different ways to compensate employees in addition to salary and benefits, they simultaneously found means to stimulate their local (rural) economy. Unusual for a corporation that addresses their own energy efficiency, they also worked with their local utility to develop an energy benefit program for employees. In this program they work with employees to make energy efficiency upgrades to homes, while generating local jobs.

Murray and her husband finance the retrofits up front using an energy fund with payments over time arranged via payroll deductions. Employees get cash coupon incentives from their utility for the recommended measures, and then receive benefits from lower utility bills in the amount of $200-$1,500/year per homeowner. As one employee observed, “Normally people don’t go out and do this on their own. They don’t know how extensive or how little (the retrofits will be)."

These are small measures on an individual basis that make enormous differences in people's quality of life, and benefit the environment and local economies.

This post is instalment #3 of 5. Stay tuned!

[1] See also Majora Carter: http://www.greenbuild365.org/pagemaker.aspx?PID=67

GreenBuild 08, Boston MA: Highlights – part 2

2008-11-27T23:11:00.000-08:00

By Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

The INTERNATIONAL FORUM was hosted by the USGBC, the World Green Building Council (WGBC), and the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE).

Of interest were the juxtapositional presentations on Windmill West’s Dockside Green project by Joe Van Belleghem, and journalist Tim Lesle’s Frontline story on Huangbaiyu, a collaborative development between William McDonough + Partners and China.

Van Belleghem noted Dockside Green’s triple bottom line focus on factors facilitating community - such as addressing nature deficit disorder and social equity issues related to green jobs and to the site’s formerly being native lands - has contributed to cost savings on entitlement (due to lack of opposition), construction and marketing.[1] These in turn have led to a 250% sales increase from October to November. He stated that the key to sustainable development is to “unlock the human potential that we have within us to do what is right.”

By contrast, Lesle presented his observations of how the Huangbaiyu project’s implementation fell short of their sustainable goals. And, in the Q&A session, a representative from McD+P stated that the firm acknowledged this result, noting the detrimental impacts of the need for translation.

Some lessons learned from the two scenarios:

Lesle:
· “in some ways, farmers’ days are numbered” in the same way as the classic family farm in the west.
· “it’s not enough just to have translation.” It’s important to employ translators, and the translation then “must represent (the company’s) interest.”

Van Belleghem noted some market transformation indicators:
· “local developers want to participate.” “Large developers initially come for solutions” e.g. about technology – but leave with more understanding of the values shift underpinning
· They’re “getting rid of the stigma that green costs more”
· The “suburban lifestyle will die.” “We need to have a conversation about how we fix suburbia.”

John Hynes, President & CEO of Gale International, described the company’s master plan for Songdo City, a joint venture with POSCO E&C in a $20 billion private development in South Korea. The project’s goals: 42 million sf LEED-ND certified, with cogen hydrogen, 75% construction material recycled, low VOCs, and a city-wide procurement/recycling initiative. One of the turning points for transformation was the need for enhanced infrastructure as many in the nation’s rural communities migrate to cities. The project is intended for multi-national firms which would be expected to hire about 95% Koreans and 5% ex-pats from other countries. A cost premium of 5-15% is budgeted for the project.

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, UAR, is intended to be the first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. 6 million sf is under development at a cost of $22 billion over 8 years, for 50,000 residents and 40,000 commuters, with a 135 person/ha density. The project is being conducted with the support of WWF and One Planet Living, with a goal of being a global hub for “cleantech education, R&D, and production,” according to Director of Property Development Khaled Awad.

Wang Shi, founder of China’s largest home builder company China Vanke Co. Ltd., presented real estate data interspersed with images of his mountain climbing achievements (he scaled Everest and Kilimanjaro, among others). Chinese currency is the China Yuan Renminbi; 1 CNY/RMB is $0.146372 USD,[2] consequently the 2007 China housing market revenue at 2.5 trillion RMB is $365.93 billion USD. He also noted that 10% of China’s rural population migrates to cities annually.

I posed some questions in relation to recognition of value in a Deutschebank initiative, which will be addressed separately, post-GreenBuild.

A poignant moment at the Lend Lease international reception was a serenade by incoming WGBC chair Tony Arnel of GBC Australia with GreenBuild chair Jerry Yudelson and ‘outgoing’ WGBC chair Kevin Hydes (known for his songfests).

This post is instalment #2 of 5. Stay tuned!

[1] See also: http://docksidegreen.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
[2] http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

GreenBuild 08, Boston MA: Highlights

2008-11-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

By Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

The City of Boston has been deemed by Popular Science Magazine to be the “3rd Greenest City in North America” and was a beautiful locale for the conference. In cold and sunny November, Boston’s stunning architecture, beautiful harbour views, and friendly folks added much to the experience. Being in Boston also brought to life some of my favourite books[1] that were set in the city and its surrounds. Kudos – and thanks - to Conference Chair Jerry Yudelson, the USGBC, Kimberly Lewis, Vice President of Conferences and Events and her organizers, Ashley Katz for facilitative media relations and all the speakers, exhibitors, attendees and volunteers.

USGBC

Strategic Plan for 2009-2013
Fostering Social Equity was added to the USGBC’s Guiding Principles and is imbued within the Strategic Plan. Another key strategic issue: “lack of capacity in the building trades to meet the demand for green building.”

CEO Rick Fedrizzi reported that 30,000 were registered for GreenBuild from 80 countries, with over 15,000 people logged in worldwide. Some quotes from his inspirational opening presentation:
· Green collar workers will be the backbone of this economy that we will help create. It will transcend the financial mess we find ourselves in.
· Martin Luther King said we need to move ‘from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.’ Our values have to include fostering social equity in everything we do, and everything we choose. We are at the beginning of a seismic shift in priorities.
· We must say to those who pollute our land… this will never happen again, not on our watch. (The new paradigm) is not about Washington, or Wall St. but about us. Change comes from us. We are the people that we have been waiting for. We are revolutionary green.

Leadership Awards
Some of this year’s outstanding winners were Alex Wilson, Executive Editor of Environmental Building News for education, and Davis Langdon for research.

PLENARY

The energy and courage of the African Children’s Choir was a joyful opener – and closer - for 1984 Nobel Peace Price winner/2007 Gandhi Peace Prize winner, most reverend Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A winsome, formidable speaker, he fed spirits we didn’t know were starved for his brand of radiant insight. He marked the opinion turnaround in response to people concerned about the environment – from being considered a ‘lunatic fringe’ about whom people would ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ to (providing hope). His words are here.

This post is the first instalment of five. Stay tuned!

[1] Apart from works by the renown philosophers and naturalists of the region, here are some by more contemporary authors: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/jane-langton/; http://www.nealstephenson.com/zodiac/

Book Review: Choosing Green: The Homebuyer’s Guide to Good Green Homes

2008-11-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

Choosing Green: The Homebuyer’s Guide to Good Green Homes, is written by Jerry Yudelson, 2008, New Society Publishers

Book review by: Sonja Persram, BSc., MBA, LEED®AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

A recent poll[1] found only 4% of adults in the U.S. are aware that buildings are a major GHG emission source in the nation.

This represents an enormous potential for market transformation. What the public doesn’t know about, they don’t want. But, by what means will the industry address this with target markets? And, how can it be done effectively?

Choosing Green is a useful tool to achieve this goal, in my opinion
Jerry Yudelson ably addressed the awareness gap in his book for U.S. and Canadian homebuyers, and I believe it also should be required reading for: realtors, the home building industry – including the financial, investment and insurance services sectors. As well, I think it’s a must-read for influencers and folks in all levels of government – including municipal councillors and staff. And, it’s useful for gifts in our personal goals of market transformation.

As previously with my reviews of Jerry Yudelson’s books, here’s my disclosure: he is a friend, a client, … and my senior editor! And, while I received a review copy several months ago, it was entirely my decision to review this just prior to GreenBuild.

Why this book is a helpful resource

For homebuyers:
Jerry walks the reader through the issues using everyday language. He describes in detail different valuation systems and tools: HERS, the NAHB National Green Building Program, Energy Star (and Energy Star Canada), LEED for Homes, local programs from utilities, government and non-profits (like EarthCraft House and the American Lung Association Health House Program). He helps optimize home/condo selection by discussing the green rationales and using jargon-free descriptions of measures and benefits (e.g. ‘glass’ not ‘glazing’). He talks about financing and incentives and value using clear examples, and provides checklists to personalize the ‘green choice.’ He addresses ‘blue’ - energy vis-à-vis ‘green’ issues. He includes experiences of folks who’ve gone the green homebuyer route, to make the possibilities real for readers. He presents a host of information on where to find green developments in both countries. And then he talks about what to do after purchase – how to keep one’s home green, how to make it greener. A glossary and resources list rounds out the smorgasbord of provisions. Jerry’s dedication to education is laudable.

But, this is not just a boon for buyers. It’s for developers, realtors, the home building industry, the services sectors, and government representatives and staff. Here’s why:

Developers can use it to educate realtors on what’s available, and the competitive advantages of their propert
Realtors who are new to the sector can read it … and understand the how and why of green homes and condos. Realty companies will need to educate their professional associates.
The home building industry can apply it in presentations and workshops – so different trades can understand how their work fits within a whole-building approach
Leaders in real estate services sectors (financing, investment, actuaries, insurance) can use it to enable understanding of how green measures should be adding to home value and lowering risk
Government representatives and staff need to be able to understand the criteria, measures and benefits that green homes can bring to society, to more effectively provide incentives and supports to their constituents

The awareness gap means we all have much to do, to bring about market transformation. Choosing Green is a thoroughly readable journey to a green home, and a major step toward enabling this market greening.

It’s another gift from Jerry Yudelson, who leveraged his knowledge into a meaningful tool at a low-unit-price. I recommend we pay this gift forward.

[1] Statistic from a recent poll by Harris Interactive for Autodesk; the full study will be launched at GreenBuild next week.

Hyatt Regency Enrolls in PowerPay! WNY Energy Conservation Program

2008-11-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

Hyatt Regency Enrolls in PowerPay! WNY Energy Conservation Program

Buffalo, NY, October 22- Hyatt Regency, located in Buffalo, NY, is pleased to announce its enrollment in Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.'s (ECS) demand response program, PowerPay! WNY. The Hyatt has agreed to participate in the program in order to earn extra revenue for reducing their energy usage just a few times a year.

PowerPay! WNY comes into effect in times of peak demand, usually on the hottest days of the summer, in which the hotel will cut back their electricity usage to help keep demand and energy prices low, as well as avoid peak power plants from being built. ECS' program was designed in an effort to help WNY businesses earn money during the economic hardship and help them become energy conscious at the same time.

"Hyatt Regency has joined the ranks of other high-end hotels by enrolling in PowerPay! WNY," said Michael Marsch, general manager for Hyatt Regency Buffalo. "We were really interested in being a part of 'green' New York and ECS' program was the best way for us to achieve that goal."

In order to make the most of its participation in PowerPay! WNY, when an event is called, the hotel plans to pre-cool the air conditioning in common areas, reduce lighting and enforce a housekeeping plan to turn off lights and air conditioning when rooms are unoccupied.

"We are excited that the Hyatt Regency has chosen to participate in PowerPay! WNY," said Paul Tyno, executive vice president, program development of ECS. "We are pleased that they have decided to give back to the community and become a part of 'green' New York."

About Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.

ECS offers turnkey, administrative, and a la carte demand response services. Energy Curtailment Specialists is currently serving markets in all of New York, California, New England, Kansas City, PJM territories, and Ontario, Canada. For more information, please call 877-711-5453, or visit us on the web at www.ecsgrid.com

About Hyatt Regency

Global Hyatt Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is one of the world's premier hotel companies. The hotels owned, operated, managed or franchised by its subsidiaries provide authentic hospitality to guests in 45 countries through a passionate commitment to personalized service, cultural relevance, and the environment. Global Hyatt subsidiaries own, operate, manage or franchise more than 365 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Resorts™, Grand Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt Summerfield Suites® and Andaz™ brands with additional properties under development on five continents. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc., operator of Hyatt Vacation Club®. The success of Global Hyatt is driven by the commitment and energy of the approximately 90,000 men and women around the world who provide exceptional service to hotel guests. From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or visiting www.hyatt.com.

Third World Steel Association Sustainability Report 2008 published

2008-11-01T11:24:00.001-07:00

Third World Steel Association Sustainability Report 2008 published

Washington DC, 7 October 2008 – A new report released today by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) outlines the challenges faced by the industry, reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development and presents the industry's progress.

The 2008 Sustainability Report is based on a survey of 500 stakeholders located in Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Asia and Africa. The report captures indicator data from 38 companies and two regional associations in 2006, representing 520 million metric tons of steel, or 42% of world production, and US$ 410.3 billion in annual revenues.

Speaking at the steel industry annual conference, Director General Ian Christmas said "We are faced with a broad range of sustainable development challenges and it is our responsibility to help meet the growing demand for steel in a sustainable way.

This report underlines the actions that we, individually and together as an industry, are taking to address these challenges".

The industry's three key sustainable development priorities are:

· Safety and Health: the safety and health of the people who work in our industry is our top priority. All injuries and work-related illness can and must be prevented.

· Climate Change: CO₂ emissions from the steel industry will inevitably increase with projected increased volume of steel production in the future. To address the challenge of CO₂ emission reduction we are developing an intensity-based global steel sector approach.

· Adding Value: the recyclability of steel is one of its most valuable properties. We are shifting our focus from increasing the volume of steel in use to maximising the contribution of steel over product life cycles.

"Sustainable development is aimed at improving the quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. For the world steel industry it means valuing the interdependence of environmental, social and economic aspects in all decision-making" concluded Ian Christmas, Director General.

Shifting Into the Mainstream: first CaGBC summit highlights

2008-10-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

by Sonja Persram, BSc, MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

The first summit of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) in June 2008 provided a variety of useful info and action possibilities. Some presentation highlights follow from Shifting Into the Mainstream:

CaGBC President Thomas Mueller stated that Canada’s current GHG emissions were 124% above Kyoto targets, hence the ambitious CaGBC targets for Canada, including a 50% reduction in energy and water use from 2005 baselines by 2015[1] and an estimated 50 MT reduction in GHG emissions by 2015. Using the new performance-based Canadian Rating System, the CaGBC is aiming for substantial energy and water savings from existing commercial buildings and homes. There are two major initiatives: the LEED Canada Initiative (targeting the top 25% market leaders) and the Green Building Performance Initiative which is establishing a database of building performance, and aims to improve performance of existing buildings by setting benchmarks (with continuous improvement) for energy use, GHG emissions and water use via pilot projects. This is a voluntary mechanism aimed at market transformation – that will be supported by carbon trading system[2] [3] in development.

Kevin Hydes, Chair of the World Green Building Council noted that a major challenge to implementing green buildings is the siloization[4] imposed by the regulations imposed by different segments of the construction industry, which arose independently.

Sandy Wiggins, immediate past Chair of the USGBC observed that Chapters have been overwhelmed by homeowners seeking advice and information.

Rich Coleman, the Province of British Columbia’s Minister of Housing and Social Development, discussed the province’s GHG reductions target: 33% by 2020, and 80% by 2050... and that their new BC Building Code addressing energy and water efficiency, developed in one year, comes into effect in September 2008 with ongoing aggressive upgrades.

Chris Higgins, CaGBC Coordinator of LEED Canada for Homes noted the schedule for the rating system:
o The initiation of the case study on Canada-sited US projects was Fall 2007.
o The rating system adaptation for Canada is in Summer 2008.
o The rating system goes to ballot in the Fall of 2008.
o Launch of the Canadian Rating System in Spring 2009.

Peter Busby of Busby Perkins + Will described an ecodensity method[5] of transforming the City of Vancouver, British Columbia - from regions with differing carbon footprints ranging from 1.5 to 6 tonnes CO2 per person – to a system of nodes throughout the city by 2031, which emit one-half the CO2. These nodes include proximate jobs, amenities and transit access; district energy; parks; localized water and wastewater treatment; buildings that are carbon neutral; and walkable communities within 5-10 minutes. Busby also showed other interesting national and city emissions statistics.

Joe Van Belleghem of Windmill West presented updates on Windmill West’s Victoria, BC project Dockside Green. These include:

In combining a consideration for First Nations ancestral heritage of the Dockside Green lands - and with a concern for social equity, employment training and local economic development - First Nations cultural and job training initiatives are underway, as well as support for similar regional opportunities.
Blackwater treatment using a GE ZENON system, with water reuse mostly for toilets and irrigation, as well as for recharging the development’s naturalized waterways… in which an otter was recently sighted.

Ryan Scott of Avalon Master Builder discussed technical details of Discovery III - their demonstration house for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s EQuilibrium Homes project– a 2,196 sf urban freehold single family dwelling that will be net zero energy:
o Significant insulation: R86 roof, R72 walls, R60 floor, R5.6 windows.
o Space Heating and district hot water load is 33,988 MJ: solar supplies 33,792 MJ, and solar pre-heating for ventilation accounts for 1,171 MJ.
o PV supplies 25,362 MJ grid-connected.

David Suzuki shared a tool for knowledge transfer about the critical state of the earth’s resources. Because economists treat nature and the benefits that natural systems provide as externalities, the economic system becomes destructive in assuming there should be no limit to economic growth, and that the economy must grow forever. Suzuki questioned: ‘how much (growth) is enough?’[6] and described a means of demonstrating this as a test tube of organisms that grows exponentially, doubling each hour. At the 59th minute the test tube is half full – and in one more minute all resources in the test tube will have been consumed. Suzuki observed we have been “using our biological capital for the past 3 decades” and now are at earth’s ‘59th minute’.

Suzuki rued the lack of policy uptake of ‘one of the most important documents of the last half-century’ from the time of its publication in 1977. This report, Canada as a Conserver Society: resource uncertainties and the need for new technologies [7] was researched by a Canada Science Council Committee chaired by eminent scientist Dr. Ursula Franklin. I recently received a rare copy of this remarkable work from a thoughtful donor and summarize below some of the recommendations, from which both Canada and the U.S. can benefit:

Impediments to retrofitting homes with insulation should be removed and “loans, grants, interest rates and/or tax incentives should be provided to accelerate the process”.
Adopt and enforce new energy standards (in new building codes) in all provinces; legislate sun-rights[8]
Assist homeowners by lease financing (of energy-saving equipment).
Transition workforces “to put the creative energies of Canadians to work on conserver problems and opportunities.”
Research retrofits of suburbs, which “have grown as expressions of a high-energy-consumption lifestyle, with very high dependence on the private automobile. Should fuel prices become desperate, or prices rise exorbitantly, it may be useful to consider ways of modifying the typical suburban development to reduce its dependence on the automobile.”
Solar (passive and active methods) and wind capture must be encouraged; use of storage will address intermittency. Wind has the potential to supply base load.

A farsighted work, indeed. Other useful quotes are found here. Suzuki wryly observed that instead of action on this report, if Canadians see a problem, they form a committee: since the report was produced, “during 20 years, 5 commissions were set up to deal with energy.”[9]

I conducted an interview with Karel Valk, who is Programme Manager, Construction, in the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) about sustainable buildings in the Netherlands. He noted:

Every building that is new or renovated will use 50% less energy in 2020
NC in 2012 will be net zero energy
A comparative analysis conducted of Netherlands standards and LEED found that current practice for office buildings in the Netherlands is equivalent to LEED Silver.

A question overheard at the conference: should those already committed to greening take full advantage of (large) incentives?

The 2008 CaGBC summit was a great success. Next year’s summit dates (currently unconfirmed) will be June 9-12, 2009. See the Canada Green Building Council’s website and Shifting into the Mainstream for updates.

Green Syndicated Columnist Sonja Persram is co-author with lead author David Eisenberg (of DCAT), of a forthcoming publication on code, regulatory and other systemic barriers to Living Building projects, conducted for Cascadia Region Green Building Council. She is lead author of Marketing Green Buildings to Owners/Tenants of Leased Properties for the Canada Green Building Council (2007) with co-authors Nils Larsson (MRAIC) and Mark Lucuik (P.Eng, LEED AP). Ms. Persram wrote: Green Buildings: A Strategic Analysis of North American Markets for Frost & Sullivan (published 2006) addressing Energy, Water and Facilities Management; and the U.S.A. portion of International Sustainable Building Policy Initiatives which was a 2007 study for Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation whose project lead was Nils Larsson. She is a member of the CaGBC Greater Toronto Chapter’s Business Development Committee and the USGBC’s Social Equity Task Force. Contact: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc: sonja@sustainable-alternatives.ca

[1] See article by Sonja Persram on the WorldGBC International Congress: http://www.igreenbuild.com/cd_2926.aspx
[2] Several provinces and U.S. states are working to develop a cap-and-trade system for 2012: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2350125820080724
[3] Carbon trading in The Province of British Columbia is phasing in a revenue-neutral carbon tax with provision for lower-income residents
[4] Discussed in detail in an upcoming publication authored by David Eisenberg (of DCAT) & Sonja Persram, conducted for the Cascadia Region Green Building Council on code, regulatory and other systemic barriers to Living Building projects.
[5] Described in “Advancing the Sustainable Region: Issues for the Liveable Region Strategic Planning Review, Greater Vancouver Regional District 2005.
[6] Suzuki, David, presentation to Canada Green Building Council summit Shifting Into the Mainstream, June 12, 2008
[7] Science Council of Canada Report No. 27, Canada as a Conserver Society: Resource Uncertainties and the Need for New Technologies, September 1977, Minister of Supply and Services Canada. Researched by Science Council Committee on the Implications of a Conserver Society. Committee Chair: Dr. Ursula Franklin (from December 1975); John Pollock (March 1975 to December 1975). Members: Dr. Ursula Franklin, Dr. Gabriel Filteau, Dr. Ran Ide, John Pollock. Report Staff: Dr. Arthur J. Cordell (Project Manager), Dr. R. W. Jackson, Dr. J-A. Potworowski, Bruce Henry, Andrea Gerber.
[8] Issues also covered for the Canadian ‘scene’ – with more emphasis on the U.S., in the upcoming publication by David Eisenberg (of DCAT) & Sonja Persram, conducted for Cascadia Region Green Building Council.
[9] Suzuki, David, op. cit.

Publishing to blogs

2008-10-21T15:54:00.001-07:00

igreenbuild.publish@blogger.com

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New Report: Green Building is Growing Despite Down Market

2008-10-12T22:57:00.001-07:00

Green Building is Growing Despite Down Market, According to Report from McGraw-Hill Construction

Report compares initial 2006 study to 2008 findings for residential housing market

New York – October 7, 2008 – McGraw-Hill Construction, a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Program, today released the full update[1] to its 2006 study with 2008 green home building data. The new SmartMarket^® Report, The Green Home Builder: Navigating for Success in a Down Economy, covers market opportunities, key triggers and obstacles, and trends in green home building practices from 2001 to 2007, such as the impact of the down market on this sector. Major findings include:

Forty percent of builders find “building green” makes it easier to market in a down economy; 16% find it makes it much easier.

In 2009, 21% of builders expect to be building 90% of projects green.

Sixty percent of builders claim homebuyers are willing to pay more for green homes. This is greater than the opinion in 2006 (56%).

“Quality” is the top driver behind green home building, which is a shift from the top driver in 2006, “doing the right thing.” This seems to indicate that green homebuyers in today’s market are not just “green consumers,” but are also buying a green home for investment and performance reasons.

Fourteen percent of builders find today’s homes overall more than 30% more environmentally friendly than two years ago. 85% think that energy-efficient features are the ones making these homes more environmentally friendly.

Builders use products that lead to energy efficiency far more than other elements. In particular, they focus on air sealing/tight construction, increased insulation, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, and Energy Star products.

The region in the U.S. with the best growth in green building is the Pacific, followed by the South Atlantic and Mountain regions. The East South Central region has the lowest growth.

“Green building has definitely reached its upper tipping point,” said Harvey M. Bernstein, McGraw-Hill Construction vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances and Strategic Initiatives. “Builders can no longer ignore the benefits and market advantages of green building. Especially considering today’s market and current economic situation, builders need to differentiate themselves from their competitors and hold steady or prosper in the down economy. Green building gives builders that opportunity to expand their market share and ride out this economic slump.”

“Education, training, advocacy and other services that NAHB offers its members help ensure that home builders and remodelers are prepared to go green,” said Bob Jones, NAHB vice chairman/treasurer and a Michigan home builder. “This survey clearly indicates that the market is moving toward more sustainable home building practices, and our members are ready.”

The report also features special sections detailing government regulations, NAHB Green Home Rating Systems, and case studies on different types of green homes (e.g., customized, affordable, and large productions). Commentary on green-washing, product availability, brand awareness, and certification provides further background data and analysis of the market.

To order a copy of The Green Home Builder: Navigating for Success in a Down Economy, visit http://greensource.construction.com/resources/smartMarket.asp. Previous SmartMarket Reports also available online include Global Green Building Trends, Greening of Corporate America, The Green Homeowner, Green Building: Health Care, and Green Building: Education. In addition, McGraw-Hill Construction will release several reports at GreenBuild (booth #1410), including the first-ever 2009 Green Outlook Report, The Green Home Consumer SmartMarket Report, and Commercial and Institutional Green Buildings SmartMarket Report.

For more information on NAHB, visit www.nahb.org or www.nahbgreen.org.

About McGraw-Hill Construction

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has remained North America’s leading provider of construction project information, plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers’ workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record (ENR), GreenSource and 11 regional publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

World's largest solar-powered winery

2008-10-12T22:52:00.001-07:00

PACIFIC POWER MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES WORLD’S LARGEST

SOLAR INSTALLATION AT A WINERY

Solar System using Mitsubishi Solar Panels to be installed at Gonzales Winery in Monterey County to be the largest in the County

Gonzales, Calif. (October 8, 2008) – Pacific Power Management, LLC announced today that it has begun the installation of the largest solar system at a winery in the world at Constellation Wines U.S. (CWUS) Gonzales Winery, located in Monterey County, Calif. The 1.2 megawatt solar system will cover approximately 170,000 square feet of the main winery warehouse roof and will produce more than 1,700,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, providing approximately 50 percent of the winery’s total energy requirements. This project is being financed and built by Pacific Power Management and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Managing Partner of Pacific Power Management, Mark Frederick, commenting on the CWUS installation, said: “Constellation Wines has again shown their industry leadership by going solar. They have a system that now sets the green standard in the wine industry and gives them a competitive advantage that will only grow as electricity prices increase.”

The environmental benefits from this project include a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an annually reduced carbon footprint equal to planting 2,500 acres of trees, not driving an average automobile 25 million miles, or taking about 2,083 cars off the road.

Clean renewable energy such as solar power helps to protect the environment, lowers energy and consumer product prices, and reduces strain on the electric utility system grid by generating electricity when demand is high during the summer. California, in particular, benefits from solar power due to its high number of annual sunlight hours.

Exporting Electricity from the Winery to California Homes

"During the summer months, when the winery is not processing grapes, the system will export enough electricity onto PG&E's power lines to supply all of the electrical needs for about 25 percent of the roughly 1,695 households in Gonzales.", said Kelly McMahon, Director of Sales for Pacific Power Management.

“We are proud and excited about this solar project,” said José Fernandez, CEO, Constellation Wines North America. “We are committed to investing in technologies that will allow us to produce our wines in the most sustainable way possible, from our vineyards through the entire winemaking process. This installation is one of the most significant environmental projects undertaken to date by the wine industry, and will have a positive impact on the environment, as well as being cost effective.”

Solar Project Details:

§ The system will provide approximately 60 percent of the winery’s average energy needs,

§ When more energy is produced than required on-site, excess will be sent 'back to the grid',

§ The system will be capable of generating 1,176,230 watts of D.C. power and delivering 1,000,040 watts of A.C. power to the grid,

§ The installation will include a total of 6,358 Mitsubishi 185 watt solar panels

§ Pacific Power Management, based in Auburn, Calif., is financing and building the system.

§ The annual offsets (pollution avoided) are as follows:

o Carbon Dioxide CO2 - 1.6 million pounds annually

o Sulfur Dioxide - 1,636 pounds annually

o Nitrogen Oxides – 2,909 pounds annually

About Pacific Power Management, LLC

Pacific Power Management is a full service commercial solar provider. Their services include assessment, financing support, design, engineering, installation, web-based monitoring, maintenance and public relations support to promote their customer’s environmental leadership. The company emphasizes making solar power easy-to-buy through their Power Purchase Agreement Program, efficient, high-quality systems and complete project management. The company’s proprietary, flat-roof racking systems are designed for a 50-year life and high solar panel output efficiency. For more information, visit: www.pacpower.biz.

About Constellation Wines U.S.

Constellation Wines U.S. (www.cwinesus.com) is the largest wine company in the U.S. based upon sales dollar value and encompasses three wine businesses: VineOne, Icon Estates, and Centerra Wine Company. The company’s portfolio includes such brands such as Clos du Bois, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Blackstone, Robert Mondavi Winery, Simi, Estancia, Wild Horse, Arbor Mist and Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy. Constellation Wines U.S. is an operating division of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ) a leading international producer and marketer of beverage alcohol in the wine, spirits and imported beer categories. www.cbrands.com.

The Gonzales Winery, (formerly known as the Blackstone Winery), is located in Gonzales, Calif., and produces wines distributed by VineOne, the premium and super premium wine division of CWUS. Wine brands produced there include, Black Box, Blackstone Winemakers Select, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Solaire by Robert Mondavi and Hayman & Hill. The winery is ISO:9001:2000 and HACCP certified and has a 23.4 million gallon storage capacity. It is also home to the Blackstone Monterey Tasting Room.

About Mitsubishi Electric, Photovoltaic Division

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of solar power technology, including PV cells, modules and inverters. The company’s eco-friendly photovoltaic systems are used throughout the world to bring clean, reliable energy to residences, business, power generation plants, schools, factories and areas without access to electricity, as well as other applications such as highway and stadium lighting. In the United States, Mitsubishi Electric photovoltaic panels are marketed by Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., and sold only through authorized distributors and installers. For more information visit www.mitsubishielectricsolar.com or call 714.220.2500.

Net-Zero Energy Buildings

2008-10-12T22:38:00.001-07:00

Architectural Record’s Popular Innovation 2008 Conference Explores Progress in Race for High-Tech and Cost-Effective Zero-Energy Buildings

New York – October 10, 2008 – Architectural Record welcomed a record number of 380 architects, engineers, scientists and students to Innovation 2008: The Net-Zero Energy Buildings Conference at the McGraw-Hill Headquarters in New York this week on October 7-8. Attendees filled every seat and spilled into the aisles, anxious to learn about the latest technologies and best practices in super-energy efficient building from industry experts.

Innovations such as MIT Professor Daniel Nocera’s photosynthesis approach—using Cobalt, Co(III), as a catalyst and enabler for efficient energy storage in homes—will create homes that can be both power generators and gas stations. The latest high-performance glass and photovoltaic coverings were also presented, and there was a strong call to action for change in the way buildings are designed and used in light of global warming, greenhouse gases and the imposing carbon footprint created by buildings around the world.

“There’s a tremendous amount of energy wasted because we’re not exactly sure how we work,” said Charles Linn, deputy editor at Architectural Record, citing the example that his building among many others leave the lights on in empty or sparsely used workspaces.

Dr. Andrew Laing, managing director for DEGW North America challenged attending architects and developers with “creating the right workplace that will attract the kind of people who will want to work there in a new way.” Laing’s proposed “new way” of working and thinking about workspaces involves reinventing the office to take advantage of mobile, shared and flexible workplace options, which can reduce space needs by 20-30% and significantly affect a building’s carbon footprint. “On average, we let our assets be used only 30% of the workday,” he added.

“It’s not just about the tools that we use, it’s how we use them, and we need to change the process,” said Denzil Gallagher, partner and MEP regional discipline leader at Buro Happhold North America. “We have tools, we have codes, we have standards, but someone has to set the goals early in the process.”

For more information, articles, blog posts, videos and photos, visit ArchitecturalRecord.com or http://construction.com/events/innovation2008/. B-roll and a video news release are also available by contacting Lisa Jaycox at +1 212-512-3272 or lisa_jaycox@mcgraw-hill.com.

About McGraw-Hill Construction

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has remained North America’s leading provider of construction project information, plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers’ workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record,Engineering News-Record (ENR) , GreenSource and 11 regional publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

2008-10-05T19:48:00.001-07:00

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

New York, NY, September 29 – The New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council (NYHTC) in New York City has enrolled in Energy Curtailment Specialists' (ECS) PowerPay! New York demand response program as an effort to become energy efficient. The NYHTC will receive payments in return for agreeing to reduce its load when the electric grid is overloaded and in trouble. PowerPay! New York is an energy conservation program that helps prevent blackouts and rolling brownouts, along with eliminating the need to build new power plants.

The building, which is home to the NYHTC as well as to the Hotel, Restaurant & Club Employees and Bartenders Union Local 6, and to the NYHTC and Hotel Association of New York Benefit Funds, will develop its own customized plan that will maximize demand reduction while minimizing any impact on its employees and visitors. Some curtailment efforts for the building include turning down public area and office lights, reducing cooling in unused areas, and shutting down some elevators.

"We are glad to be a part of PowerPay! New York and look forward to making our building more energy efficient," said John Ruben, chief officer of operations for the Hotel Trades Council. "Since it's a no-risk program, I wanted to see what kind of impact cutting back on our electricity usage for an hour will have and what kind of savings we can expect if we implement an hourly cutback each day."

Members of PowerPay! New York are usually large energy users who receive notice the day prior to an event, allowing them time to devise a plan and prepare for the curtailment effort.

"We are pleased to welcome the Hotel Trades Council to our program," said Stephen Lynch, principal and co-founder of ECS. "As energy efficiency becomes a staple in our society, its involvement in demand response is a huge step in educating the hotel and hospitality industry on the importance and simplicity of going green."

About Energy Curtailment Specialists

ECS offers turnkey, administrative and a la carte demand response services. Energy Curtailment Specialists is currently serving markets in all of New York, California, New England, Kansas City, PJM territories and Ontario, Canada. For more information, call 877-711-5453 or visit them on the web at www.ecsgrid.com

About the New York Hotel Trades Council

The New York Hotel Trades Council is the union for workers in the hotel industry in New York City.

Green Building Festival

2008-09-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Registration for the Sept 9-10, 2008 Green Building Festival ends this week:
Session topics will include: Malmö Sweden, Carbon Benchmarking, Sustainable Buildings in the Netherlands, Bio-Filters, Innovative Building Materials, EQuilibrium Homes update, Design for Disassembly and Adaptability, the Vancouver Olympic Village, Biomimicry, an update on the WorldGBC, and much more…

The Trade Show is free to the public on Sept. 10 only (not including Festival Sessions, though!)

A lot to choose from and enjoy. Hope to see you there!

Stay tuned for my upcoming article on the Canada Green Building Council’s summertime summit, Shifting Into the Mainstream.

New Ecological Footprint Calculator from Earth Day Network

2008-08-26T10:39:00.001-07:00

EARTH DAY NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW, IMPROVED ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Washington, DC – Earth Day Network, an international environmental advocacy organization and a recognized leader in the field of carbon footprint measurement, has just released its newest tool to combat climate change: The Ecological Footprint Calculator. Set to debut on August 25, 2008, the Footprint Calculator is intended to raise environmental consciousness in an educational, user-friendly, and fun way.

Created by the originators of the ecological footprint, Global Footprint Network, the calculator provides users with a three-dimensional avatar of their choosing, and situates them on a block in a virtual neighborhood. The user is then taken through a series of questions about her food consumption, energy use, favorite mode of transportation, type of residence, recycling commitment, and spending habits. Using a scroll bar, users can approximate their usage with pithy sayings like, “I’m a farmer’s market friend but I really like potato chips,” indicating, in this case, that she eats local foods often-- but not always.

“It’s fun to use and really conveys a powerful message,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. “Anyone who logs on to our site can determine what a big impact their unique combination of personal habits has on their environment, and what they can do about it.”

Results are shown first in relative terms; after the Footprint Calculator analyzes a user’s living habits, it tells her how many “planets” would be necessary to sustain human life- if everyone lived just like her. The users are also shown how many acres of land and tons of carbon necessary to sustain their lifestyle. They are then given the option of revisiting the quiz to see where they “went wrong”, and given suggestions on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

“I like that it not only suggests ways to change your habits, but also shows the measurable impact small changes on a personal level can create,” adds Rogers.

Earth Day Network’s Ecological Footprint Calculator has been used by tens of millions around the world to evaluate their environmental impact and make lifestyle changes to reduce it. A powerful educational tool aimed to generate critical thinking and inspire younger generations to choose a sustainable lifestyle.

To take the quiz, visit www.earthday.net/ecofootprint. The new Footprint Calculator has launched with measures for the United States and Australia only, but new batch of countries will be available by the end of the year.

About Earth Day Network

Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net, seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet. It pursues these goals through education, politics, and consumer activism. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

Get an eco-education at the Green Building Festival

2008-08-20T13:38:00.001-07:00

Media Release
Attn: Energy Efficiency/Green Building/Lifestyle/City Reporters and Editors

Get an eco-education at the Green Building Festival
Festival returns with must-attend workshops

Canada's largest annual green building event is gearing up for another year with an expanded seminar program.

Festival organizers are very excited to introduce two innovative workshops offering a practical look at the green building trend sweeping the real estate and residential construction markets. Festival Manager Jeff Ranson anticipates high attendance at both sessions.

"Eco-friendly housing is in huge demand. Home builders and Real-Estate Professional need tools to address the demand for environmentally responsible options, and that's what we aim to provide. We want to make green know-how accessible to everyone - our seminars help us do that," says Ranson.

The Green Home Building workshop runs from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on September 10th. This session, delivered by Paul Duffy and John Godden of the Canadian Residential Energy Services Network, will give home-builders an understanding of energy efficiency, environmental standards and green labels, and how to implement green building technologies.

The Green Real-Estate Workshop is scheduled from 1:00 to 4:30 pm on September 10th. Geared toward real estate professionals, and presented by Green Realtor Chris Chopik, the session will focus on: how climate change is affecting the real estate market, what labeling programs mean for home-owners, and incentive programs that are available to green home buyers.

"It's important for both home-builders and realtors to understand green building," Ranson adds. "Our seminars will provide delegates with the tools they need to build greener homes and realize the value of building green."

The Green Building Festival is scheduled for September 9 - 10 2008 at the Toronto Convention Centre on Dixon Road.   The show will feature high-quality, in-depth programming for building professionals with case studies, product analyses and 100 exhibitors offering ready-to-market green building solutions.

A full schedule of workshops and seminars is available at www.greenbuildingfest.com/schedule.asp.

Admission to the trade show portion of the Festival on September 10th is free. Early bird registration for the Festival Sessions is open until August 1st.   There are also a limited number of student passes available. Visit
www.greenbuildingfest.com/pricing-and-registration.asp for details.

Inquires about the Green Building Festival can be directed to:

Jeff Ranson, Festival Manager
416.364.0050 ext.303 or jeff(at)innovolve.com

Media inquires can be directed to:

Tina Siegel, e|c|o
416.972.7401 or tsiegel(at)huffstrategy.com

The Green Building Festival was created in 2005 as the Toronto Regional Green Building Festival by Sustainable Buildings Canada, The Canada Green Building Council Toronto Chapter, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and The Canadian Urban Institute. The program is developed by Sustainable Buildings Canada, and the event is managed by The Innovolve Group.

For Event Calendar and Schedule listings:
The fourth annual Green Building Show takes place at Toronto's Congress Centre on Dixon Road, September 9-10, 2008. Come and see cutting, edge, market ready strategies, products and tools to help you inject some green into your business. Agenda and registration details are available at www.greenbuildingfest.com.

The latest environmental media advisories and releases through RSS - http://feeds.feedburner.com/Huffstrategy

SOYBEAN URINALS GENERATE CONSIDERABLE INTEREST

2008-08-14T01:36:00.001-07:00

SOYBEAN URINALS GENERATE
CONSIDERABLE INTEREST

More Manufactures to Emphasize Sustainability

Vista, CA -August 11, 2008-Waterless Co. LLC reports a surge in both sales
orders and requests for sales information after the company introduced a new
line of soybean urinals approximately four weeks ago.

According to Niki Bradley, marketing manager for Waterless Co. LLC, the
company did expect some excitement with the introduction, "but nothing like
what has happened in the past few weeks."

She attributes much of the interest to the fact that more and more
manufacturers-even the manufacturers of urinals-are looking for more
sustainable ways to produce products.

Waterless Co. is one of the largest manufacturers of no-water urinal systems
in the United States. As the name implies, the company's urinals require no
water and can save more than 40,000 gallons of water per urinal each year.

The soybean urinals are made from approximately 30 percent soybean resin,
which is a naturally sustainable resource.
Bradley adds that the soybean content in the urinals is expected to increase
in the near future.

There is no difference in appearance, function, or maintenance with the
soybean systems compared to other waterless urinals. The difference is
purely in the type of material used to manufacture the product. A label
placed on the urinal is the indication it is a soybean system.

"Our announcement just seemed to happen right as everyone is getting more
and more concerned about the bigger environmental picture of
sustainability," says Bradley.
"Over the next few years, we will probably see many products we use every
day reengineered with more sustainable components. These soybean urinals are
just a bit ahead of their time."

About Waterless
Waterless Co. LLC has established a reputation as an innovative
manufacturer, serving the building, plumbing, and janitorial industry for
over 15 years. Based in Vista, Ca, Waterless Co. offers quality, innovation
and expertise in water conservation and high efficiency products for
building owners with a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning
liquids, and cost saving accessories. Visit:
www.waterless.com

Waterless Co.
1050 Joshua Way
Vista, CA 92081 USA
888-NOFLUSH (888-663-5874)
sales@waterless.com