|
This Month: How "Phantom Loads" are Affecting Energy Use and Your Pocket Book
|
|
From the Chair
Reflections on '08; Hope for '09...
2008 has been an exciting year for the Indiana Chapter and it has been an honor to serve the Board of Directors as this year's Chairman. It's the traditional time of year to look back at what happened these past twelve months-and-to look forward to the exciting prospects of 2009. The promise of change in Washington is cause for hope in these troubled times. And it seems clear that those changes will involve several topics of high priority for USGBC. We (all of us) will need to be ready to do our part here in Indiana to help contribute toward USGBC's mission of transforming the built environment to one that balances quality of life with a sustainable environment for our country and for the entire global community. "Yes We Can" and the time is now...
At the beginning of the year, we set several broad goals for the chapter with perhaps none as important and significant as the goal of "functioning as a statewide chapter" since we are indeed chartered that way by USGBC. While there are many member companies (businesses/firms that pay national dues) all over Indiana, individuals participating in and benefitting from Chapter activities over the past three years tended to be concentrated in the Indianapolis area. Following the lead of other USGBC chapters with a similar problem, we started the formation of 'Branch Chapters' to bring a formal USGBC presence to other key parts of the state. This formation process is well underway in Ft. Wayne (Northeast Branch) and in Bloomington (South Central Branch) where interest has been strong. We anticipate further branch formation in the next year(s) as well with the eventual goal of at least five (adding Northwest, South, and Central). Indianapolis would be part of the Central Branch territory. Each Branch would have its own leaders, activities, budgets, and local advocacy initiatives while being a synergistic part of the whole Indiana Chapter-a very strong organization and truly functioning as a statewide chapter!
We also invested in a significant communications initiative in 2008. Similar to the ideals of branch formation, we felt the need to provide high quality, Indiana-specific information, resources, and communications to the Chapter constituency. The new website (www.usgbc-in.org), trade show booth, and Indiana brochure will help us continue to grow and establish our organization as the key advocate and knowledge base for green building and development in Indiana. Keep an eye on the website as new content and features are forthcoming in 2009-and don't let your company miss out on having their logo and web-link in place as a sponsor!
In 2008 we significantly increased our following-Membership nearly doubled (chapter and national), 400 attended our annual symposium (www.indianabuildinggreen.org), more than 250 people trained in chapter sponsored LEED workshops, and attendance at Chapter/Branch programs was excellent. A few members were active in legislative advocacy efforts at the local, state, and even the federal level. These efforts appear to be already contributing toward pending changes in energy policy, building codes, financial incentives, and community programs. We've also benefitted greatly this year from the services of a part-time administrative consultant and now we are finishing up the year by hiring a full-time Executive Director with non-profit organizational experience-a direct result of the Chapter winning a highly competitive $25,000 Challenge Grant from USGBC National.
I hope that the tools and resources now in place will continue the strong momentum of 2008. There is a lot of work to do and we can certainly use the help of anyone in the Indiana green building community. Perhaps you can put USGBC-Indiana on top of your resolution list for 2009!
Finally, I'd like to sign-off my final "From the Chair" column with a Happy Holiday wish to all along with some descriptive imagery, courtesy of Indy Star cartoonist Gary Varvel, of a tiny "green" building in Bethlehem, and the apropos caption, "the world needs a stable influence".
Sincerely,
Mac Williams, LEED-AP
Indiana Chapter Chair
|
Feature Article
The Phantom Menace
There are phantoms among us.
No, we're not talking about ghostly apparitions dwelling in your basement; but rather something far scarier: the 3 to 4 billion dollars worth of energy loads lost from our homes and businesses every year from electronic devices we are not even using.
Energy isn't free. Every week, a clock radio costs about $0.07 to operate. Leaving a 60-watt light bulb on for the same duration costs about roughly $1. A typical refrigerator will require about $5.50 per week in electricity.
One would expect these appliances to consume energy because he/she knows they're on. What you may not expect is that many electronic devices suck energy from the grid while they're idle and unused because they revert to a stand-by mode. The purpose of a stand-by mode can vary between appliances, but typically it serves to facilitate a quick start-up when a user wishes to operate a given device (e.g. a cable box utilizes a stand-by mode so that it does not have to reload the TV listings and digital menus every time it is powered-up).
Some devices are very wasteful. It is estimated that, when left plugged-in, only 5% of the energy drawn by a typical cell phone charger is used to recharge the phone.
As energy-conscious professionals invested with the built environment, our sights have been set on the building sector-and appropriately so because buildings are responsible for almost half (48%) of our country's annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, reducing our phantom loads is a low-effort, high-impact strategy that saves energy, cuts emissions, and puts money back in your wallet. Consider the following:
- The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reports that phantom loads account for nearly 6% of our country's energy consumption.
- According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, if every TV, DVD player, and home theatre/audio system purchased in the U.S. in 2009 meets the Energy Start efficiency standards, 300,000 cars-worth of emissions would be spared.
- The Rocky Mountain Institute estimates that the average American home loses 587-kWh every year due to phantom loads. That's about $64 per year.
Indeed, individually, phantom loads are quite small: a conventional microwave costs $3.85 per year; a lap-top, $15.90; a radio, $1.44. But as the data suggests, the aggregate effect of reducing all of them can be quite significant. Using smart power strip, specifying Energy Star appliances, and exercising a reasonable degree of energy-consciousness can put a considerable dent in our country's energy consumption and GHC emissions.
For more information regarding the content of this article, please contact Daniel Overbey, LEED AP, at doverbey@bdmd.com. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome!
Please note that a rounded national average energy cost of $0.11 per kilowatt-hour was used to calculate the monetary figures in this article.
|
USGBC-IN Chapter News
2009 Indiana Building Green Symposium Update
The sponsor deadline has been extended to Dec 15th Exhibitor spots are still open, but limited. Please sign up soon as they will sell out. The event will be held at the Indianapolis Art Museum on March 12th and March 13th. Registration will open on Dec 15th as well at www.indianabuildinggreen.com.
This year's exciting event will highlight how green thinking is quickly becoming the norm. Keynote speaker is Ed Mazria, the architect of both the AIA's position statement and the U.S. Conference of Mayor's resolution adopting the "2030 Challenge" as a means of dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A panel discussion will highlight the challenges and successes seen by Indiana cities and towns that are trying to go green. The sustainability director for Harvard will show excellent examples of greening a college campus. Sessions include a tour of local LEEDŽ facilities; the past chair of the national USGBC, LEEDŽ Workshops, Green incentive opportunities and case studies on some remarkable buildings. In addition the newest green products will be on display by over 40 exhibitors.
The Indiana Building Green Symposium is developed by the US Green Building Council - Indiana Chapter and collaboratively with local chapters of AIA, CSI, IIDA, ASHRAE and BOMA and Ball State University's CAP|Indy Center.
Greenbuild 2008 Wrap-Up
It's evident that many people are catching the "green" wave. Approximately 28,000 people attended this year's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA. More than 60 countries were represented and more than 800 companies unveiled their latest green building products and technologies via exhibits.
The conference was buzzing about LEED 2009 and the announcement that the LEED AP exam will soon become a two-part test. Tier 1 of the test will cover general knowledge, while Tier 2 will be a specialty exam depending on one's chosen track.
Speakers at this year's Greenbuild expo included Kevin O'Connor, Bill McKibben, and Van Jones.
Next year's Greenbuild expo will be located in Phoenix, AZ from November 11-13.
To learn more, please visit www.greenbuildexpo.org.
Greenbuild 2008 was another great success.
Photo: Heather Schafer
Bill Brown awarded AIA Presidential Citation and USGBC Leadership Award
The USGBC-IN would like to extend a congratulations to William M. Brown for receiving two very prestigious awards. Bill was honored with a U.S. Green Building Council Leadership award for Organizational Leadership. In addition, Bill received an American Institute of Architects Presidential Citation (his second) for his contributions to the AIA COTE .
Appointed in 1993 as a Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning student, Bill was the first student member of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (COTE). He also participated with COTE members in the Greening of the White House and Educating Architects for a Sustainable Environment.
USGBC-Indiana Chapter Announces
Several 2009 Programs
The USGBC-IN programs committee has been meeting every month to put together an outstanding program slate for 2009. We are very excited about the quality of programs we believe will be offered next year. We have decided it would be easier to remember if we schedule a program every month on the third Wednesday. Exact dates, times and topics will be emailed out at least a month in advance and another reminder will be sent the week of the event. Below is the partial list of already scheduled programs:
January: On-site Renewable Energy
February: Sustainable Sites Panel Discussion
March: Live Roof/Green Roof
April: Water Efficiency Panel Discussion
May: Green Communities
June: Energy and Atmosphere Panel Discussion
July: Pervious Pavements
August: Materials and Resources Panel Discussion
September: TBA
October: Indoor Environmental Air Quality Panel Discussion
November: TBA
December: TBA
USGBC-Indiana Chapter To Kick-Off
2009 Programs on January 21st
January's Topic: On-Site Renewable Energy
Join us on Wednesday, January 21st, as we kick-off the USGBC-IN's first program of 2009. Chad Martin and Eric Cotton will offer their expertise in the field of on-site renewable energy. Special attention will be paid to on-site wind energy.
Chad Martin
Purdue - Renewable Energy Extension Specialist
Chad Martin is the Renewable Energy Extension Specialist in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. He earned an A.A.S. degree in Agriculture Business from Joliet Junior College, Illinois; a B.S. degree in Agriculture Education from Western Illinois University at Macomb, IL; and an M.S. in Agricultural & Extension Education from Purdue University.
Mr. Martin's background in renewable energy began while working as a research and outreach associate with the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs "IIRA" at Western Illinois University. He worked specifically with the Agriculture Community Action Program which helped organize New Generation Cooperatives for capitalizing biofuels production operations with farmer and local ownership throughout rural Illinois, and provided support to the IIRA's Illinois Wind project. Before coming to Purdue, he was the business development specialist with the Indiana Cooperative Development Center in Indianapolis. Martin's focuses his Extension efforts in the areas of on-farm energy efficiency, biomass energy resources, and wind energy. Mr. Martin works with producers, small businesses, Purdue faculty and Extension educators, and state and federal government agencies to deliver programs. He is a member of the Indiana Wind Working Group, and along with Purdue faculty has initiated the Indiana Biomass Energy Working Group. Mr. Martin provides presentations to diverse groups and coordinates the development of educational resources.
Eric Cotton
ECI Wind & Solar
ECI Wind and Solar is an East Central Indiana based renewable energy service company. Their goal is to provide consumers with superb education with unparalleled service and sales of renewable energy products.
ECI Wind and Solar started around the turn of the century when the company's founders needed to power their remote home sites. At the time, there was very little information available for someone who wished to learn about this exciting technology on their own. So, ECI Wind and Solar dove investigated the technology. After a few years, the company felt confident enough in what they had learned to purchase and install a small off-the-grid system in a remote cabin. For the first time in history there was power at the ECI Wind and Solar Home!
It was at this point that the company decided they could offer their knowledge to the local community. Thereafter, they investigated renewable energy technology in even greater detail. Ultimately, ECI Wind and Solar Home believe that educating consumers to the benefits of this technology will help usher in a new era of renewable energy.
|
Become a Sponsor!
The Indiana Chapter of USGBC invites you to support the activities of the chapter by becoming a sponsor. As interest in green building gains momentum in Indiana, there has never been a better time to become involved with and support the Chapter.
Through communications, educational programs, networking events, and advocacy work, we hope to educate and create awareness of green and sustainable building strategies. Please consider becoming an annual or program sponsor and joining our effort for a better built environment.
There are several levels of sponsorships that are available. To receive a Sponsorship Registration Form, please contact Angie Resiak, Chapter Coordinator.
|
|
USGBC-IN Branch News
Bloomington Branch offers Green Drinks
Join the USGBC-IN Bloomington Branch for Green Drinks - a casual setting for the local sustainability community to socialize, network and learn from one another. Attendees are encouraged to invite a guest in order to foster an organic, self-organizing network.
Green Drinks will be located at:
Upland Brewing Company
350 W 11th Street, Bloomington
Phone: 812.339.2901
The first Green Drinks event will be sponsored by the USGBC-IN Bloomington Branch and will feature a brief talk by Bill Brown about Introductions to USGBC. The event will take place Wednesday, February 15th at 5:30pm.
Northeast Branch hosts their first annual
Green Mix n' Mingle
Club Soda, a fine dining restaurant located in downtown Fort Wayne, accommodated the USGBC-IN Northeast Indiana Branch 2008 Social Mix 'n Mingle Event. Sixty-five industry professionals enjoyed the food, fun, games and networking.
Membership and sponsorship were the theme of the evening with an interactive kiosk available with online membership applications.
The main event of the evening was a Green Trivia Quiz Game in which attendees answered questions and received prizes from more than twelve local contractors, vendors, and reps.
|
News from Emerging Green Builders
EGB Indiana Prepares for 2009 Initiatives -
Join Your Local Chapter Now--For FREE!
After successfully naming Directors of 7 Indiana EGB Chapters, EGB Indiana prepares to implement state-wide initiatives in the new year. Join your local chapter now:
- Bloomington
- Fort Wayne
- Indianapolis
- Lafayette
- Muncie
- NW Indiana
- South Bend
Email us to join your local chapter for FREE in 2009!
Want to start a local Emerging Green Builders Chapter in your area?
Email us to learn how!
EGB Indiana Leaders attend Greenbuild 2008
Boston, MA - EGB Indiana leaders Brian Burtch and Matthew Pierce attended the EGB Local Leaders Summit at Greenbuild. There, they learned about the local, state, and national organization of EGB and how to lead an effective chapter.
EGB resources to be available on the USGBC
Indiana website SOON!
Be sure to visit www.usgbc-in.org often for the most current information on all things green in Indiana. Find EGB resources for chapter leaders and members, connect to your local chapter, get current information, and grow your green network at www.usgbc-in.org/egb.
|
News from the Web
Items are linked back to their sources and are the property of their owners. Click on heading for complete article.
Amidst Deepening Recession, Green Fights Back
Author: Andrew C. Burr
Source: CoStar Group
Date Written: 12/3/2008
Despite a slowdown affecting nearly all segments of the commercial property industry, green building is positioned to withstand the deepening economic recession and possibly emerge as a more influential force than before, sustainability advocates say.
The optimism stems from a groundswell of popularity that carried green building to the forefront of the industry heading into the downturn, as well as the idea that sustainability can help building stakeholders cut costs.
Lately, the financial case for green buildings -- that they are cheaper to operate and display better fundamentals than conventional buildings -- has become the chief rallying cry for the movement.
Read more...
Green-Building Caucus Under Construction
Author: Erika Lovley
Source: Politico
Date Written: 12/9/2008
The newly formed High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus may not be on the radar of many climate enthusiasts, but expect it to be a growing voice in next year's energy debate on Capitol Hill.
Co-chaired by Reps. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), the House caucus has more than a dozen members and will launch a membership drive early next year, largely focused on attracting Republicans and incoming freshmen on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The group will focus on increasing energy efficiency and lowering the carbon footprint of buildings.
President-elect Barack Obama has called for energy efficiency and home weatherization as major priorities in a green agenda that could also help revitalize the nation's slumping economy.
Some caucus members are already considering introducing green-building legislation that experts expect say could include tax incentives and implementation of a smart-grid system.
Caucus members are also eyeing economic stimulus or climate bills as potential vehicles for green measures, according to Carnahan spokesman Jim Hubbard.
"This is a largely bipartisan issue," Hubbard said. "All options are on the table."
Read more...
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rose in '07
Author: H. Josef Hebert, Associated Press Writer
Source: Indianapolis Star
Date Written: 12/3/2008
The amount of U.S. greenhouse gases flowing into the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, increased last year by 1.4 percent after a decline in 2006, the Energy Department reported Wednesday.
The report said carbon dioxide, the leading pollution linked to global warming, rose by 1.3 percent in 2007 as people used more coal, oil and natural gas because of a colder winter and more electricity during a warmer summer. Half of the country's electricity is generated by coal-burning power plants.
Read more...
|
| Get Involved with USGBC-IN
Green Schools
Deadline: January 1st, 2009
Over the past year, USGBC has initiated the National Green Schools Campaign with a goal that every child will attend a green school within a generation. Looking to begin work within our local communities, USGBC-IN is looking for members interested in working to green their local schools. For details, contact USGBC-IN at info@usgbc-in.org. Please title the email "Green Schools."
Commercial Real Estate Initiatives
Deadline: January 15th, 2009
USGBC is working hard to increase the private sector's involvement with USGBC and its commitment to green building. If you are interested in learning about or becoming involved with the Indiana chapter's upcoming initiatives, please contact USGBC-IN at info@usgbc-in.org. Please title your email "CRE Initiatives."
Volunteer Photographer
Deadline: January 31st, 2009
USGBC-IN is looking for a motivated member who would be interested in providing photographic services for the Communications Committee. For more information, contact USGBC-IN at info@usgbc-in.org. Please title your email "COMM2 Photographer" and feel free to attach sample photographs (please keep email sizes below 5 MB).
|
Calendar at a Glance
January
1: Deadline for "Green Schools" inquiries
15: Deadline for "CRE Initiatives" inquiries
21: January Program: On-Site Renewable Energy
Location: The Conference Center at Four Parkwood
500 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Presenters: Chad Martin and Eric Cotton
31: Deadline for "Volunteer Photographer" inquiries
February
18: February Program: Sustainable Sites Panel Discussion
Location: The Conference Center at Four Parkwood
500 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Details to be announced.
18: Green Drinks
Location: Upland Brewing Company
350 W 11th Street, Bloomington
Time: 5:30 PM
Please email your event notices to the Editor. Thank you!
All dates are subject to change. Please refer to the latest newsletter or log-in to www.usgbc-in.org.
|
|
From the Editor
"...And miles to go before I sleep..."
Robert Frost, "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening"
"It's not the years, kid; it's the miles..."
Han Solo (or Indiana Jones; I'm not sure)
The Communications Committee, at the 2008 Board Retreat, was tasked with the following projects:
- Develop a new brand identity for the Chapter that is unique yet consistent with National's brand image that would be applied to all Chapter materials.
- Replace the dated Chapter information brochures.
- Replace the website that was provided by National with a user-friendly standalone site.
- Continue to improve the Chapter Newsletter.
- Procure a new trade show booth.
We were able to complete all of these projects by the third quarter of 2008 with the hired help of some really talented designers at Westlake Design and with many hours of volunteer labor put in by Committee members Bill Barnard, Bill Brown, Mike Lubbehusen, Ted Mendoza, Daniel Overbey, Heather Schafer, Albert Schinazi and Julie Williams. Angie Resiak, our Chapter Coordinator, went above and beyond to provide incredible levels of support and coordination, but mostly helped me keep my sanity when I was sure to lose it somewhere among the hundreds of email messages and PDFs I handled on behalf of the Committee...
...which brings me to that rather jagged literary juxtaposition with which I started. I have a fair number of both years and miles under my belt, but even though I have a pretty sturdy connection to my younger self, I can't deny that I'm no longer suited to endless work and sleepless nights. Events of the past year have only reinforced that notion and made me realize that priorities exist for a reason.
While helping grow our green building industry in Indiana through the Communications Committee has been a very rewarding experience, I need to focus more of my energies closer to home and work - especially home.
To that end, I will be handing off the chair of the chapter's Communications Committee (which we've come to call "Comm2") to my colleague Daniel Overbey who has been the Co-chair of the Committee since the summer. Dan brings a wealth of Comm2 experience from his time in the Nevada Chapter, but more importantly, he brings an enthusiasm and energy level to the job I can only wish for. I will remain on the Committee and am helping Dan transition into the Chair role. He's a quick study, so the transition will not be long.
I hope you'll contact Dan and offer to help him grow Comm2 as we expand our efforts and reach even further. As always, please feel free to contact me as well.
We have many miles to go. Join us!
With love and joy for all in this Holiday Season,
~ Mark
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platinum Sponsor
_____________________
Gold Sponsor
_____________________
Silver Sponsors
_____________________
In Kind Sponsors
_____________________
USGBC-IN is supported with a grant from the Indiana Office of Energy Defense Development.
_____________________
The Indiana Chapter of USGBC
invites you to support the activities of the chapter by becoming a
sponsor. As interest in green building gains momentum in Indiana,
there has never been a better time to become involved with and support
the Chapter.
Through communications, educational programs,
networking events, and advocacy work, we hope to educate and create
awareness of green and sustainable building strategies. Please
consider becoming an annual or program sponsor and joining our effort
for a better built environment.
There are several levels of sponsorships that are available. To receive a Sponsorship Registration Form, please contact Angie Resiak, Chapter Coordinator.
_____________________
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK
Let us know how we can improve the USGBC-IN newsletter. Contact Daniel Overbey, Communications Committee Chair.
| |
