|
2030 Challenge in House Energy Bill
The House of Representatives passed the Energy Independence and Security Act on December 6, 2007. The bill now goes to the Senate. Section 433 of this bill requires that all federal building's meet the energy performance standards of the 2030 Challenge.
The bill states that buildings shall be designed to reduce fossil-fuel consumption by 55% in 2010, increasing to 100% by 2030, as compared to 2003 as a base year.
|
|
Green Products for 2007
For those embarking on a remodeling project, or even building a new home or commercial building, BuildingGreen, Inc. has named its top ten green building products for 2007. While some of the products are mainly green because of their use of sustainable or recycled materials, six of them relate in some way to energy, including a super-efficient dishwasher, an ultra-low-flush urinal, a wireless control device that can be powered with vibrations or ambient light, and a fiberglass-framed window that incorporates aerogel packets into its frame for added insulation. Aerogel, sometimes called "solid smoke," is the world's lowest-density solid and serves as an excellent insulator. Of particular interest is the Solmetric Suneye, a hand-held device for measuring the shading caused by nearby trees and houses, which could be useful for both passive and active solar energy projects. Also noteworthy is a lamp that employs light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to produce 60 lumens per watt, a lighting efficiency that is better than compact fluorescent lamps. The lamp, from LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc., achieves a natural-looking, warm light by combining red and yellowish-green LEDs.
|
|
North Carolina passed a law this year that sets a minimum requirement for the use of renewable energy by the state's electric utilities. The bill requires the investor-owned utilities to draw on renewable energy for 3% of their electricity supply starting in 2012, with the requirement increasing every three years until it reaches 12.5% of the electricity supply in 2021. Electric cooperatives and municipal utilities must also draw on renewable energy for 3% of their electricity supply starting in 2012, with the requirement increasing every three years until it reaches 10% of the electricity supply in 2018. North Carolina is the southernmost state on the East Coast to implement a renewable energy requirement
|
|
Jobs with Energy Ace
Energy Ace is always on the lookout for qualified new employee candidates. If you have a background in LEED or commissioning and want to join a dynamic and fast-growing leader in building sustainability, send a resume to careers@energyace.com |
Phone: 866-610-LEED
114 New Street, Suite H, Decatur, GA 30030
178 Orchid Ridge Trail, Whittier, NC 28789
|
|
We hope you enjoy this newsletter and find it informative and helpful. Please forward to others who can use this information by using the "forward email" link at the bottom.
|
 LEED News
USGBC is planning to restructure the LEED rating system next year to make it more user-friendly.
It hopes to create one system (with a few exceptions) instead of the smorgasbord of rating systems that now exist. The new system will include life-cycle analysis and there will be credits awarded that are geographically customized. Design teams can input project information and receive a list of credits relevant and applicable to their project.
USGBC will pilot a new LEED for Health Care in 2008.
Greenbuild drew over 20,000 attendees last month in Chicago, up from 13,000 in 2006. Greenbuild goes to Boston in 2008.
Source: Architectural Record 12/07 Send for LEED Factsheet | |
|
Ethanol Craze Cools As Doubts Multiply
The Wall Street Journal reported on Nov 28 that ethanol is under attack as a substitute for gasoline. Ethanol is blamed for raising the cost of corn, straining water supplies, creating a form of air pollution, and competing with humans and livestock for corn as food. Corn-based ethanol, of which the US is the largest producer, is challenged by some analysts as having very little net gain in energy, when all the costs of growing, producing and delivering the fuel are considered. Unfortunately, the livelihoods of many farmers, farm communities, and ethanol producers are depending on corn-based ethanol. Orders for new plants are being canceled and stocks are near 52-week lows.
Energy Ace reported last year of the threat corn-based enthanol was placing on food supplies and that corn prices were being driven to new highs. This is good news for corn states but bad news for consumers. Energy Ace also reported last year on the debate amongst researchers as to whether producing fuel from grain was a net energy gain or not. The studies were in conflict but the general consensus seems to be that there is a slight net energy profit.
Meanwhile, Mascoma Corporation announced in October that it plans to work with the University of Tennessee to build the nation's first facility for converting switchgrass into ethanol. The demonstration facility-to be located in Venore, Tennessee, 35 miles south of Knoxville-will draw on 170 tons per day of switchgrass and other cellulosic biomass to produce 5 million gallons of ethanol per year. The project is on a fast track: the University of Tennessee Board approved the partnership with Mascoma on September 19th, but construction is slated to begin this year and the facility is scheduled to begin operating in 2009.
|
 Campus News
449 Colleges and Universities have now signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to reduce their global warming impact by taking actions in a variety of ways. This is up from 415 two months ago and 343 four months ago. Is your college on this list? Send for our Presidents Climate Commitment summary sheet.
Emory University has opened Turman Hall, one of the first "green" residence halls in Georgia. Turman is the first residence hall to open in a planned complex of up to nine first-year residence halls that Emory anticipates will achieve at least LEED Silver Certification, along with two planned LEED Gold residence halls already under construction. Sustainability features of the 44,000 square foot building include: occupancy sensors, an energy metering display, bamboo and recycled glass terrazzo flooring, high recycled-content carpeting, Energy Star appliances, individually controlled thermostats, low flow showerheads and faucets, and dual-flush toilets. Two new residence halls at Vanderbilt University have received LEED Silver certification. Sustainability features of the new buildings include: low-flow and waterless fixtures, bamboo flooring, high efficiency kitchen exhaust systems, natural lighting in atriums and stairwells, motorized window shades to reduce heat and glare, and pervious concrete pavement.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville has announced a planned policy to require major new campus buildings and renovations to conform to LEED standards. The policy, announced by UT Knoxville Chancellor Loren Crabtree during "Make Orange Green Week." would be the first of its kind at a college or university in the state of Tennessee. Under the policy, all new buildings constructed on the UT campus at a cost of more than $5 million and any major renovations would be required to follow LEED standards.
Auburn University has begun using biodiesel in transit fleet of more than 40 buses that travel around the university's campus and throughout the city of Auburn. The buses are starting with B10 biodiesel, but will switch to B20 biodiesel within a few months. University officials believe that Auburn is the first university in the state to make the switch. Western Carolina University has begun using B20 biodiesel and E10 ethanol in its campus vehicles. The move is part of the University's plan to comply with a state-required 20 percent reduction of petroleum usage by 2010. The biofuels were purchased from Blue Ridge Biofuels, a small business in the region. In addition to the move to biofuels, the University has purchased three electric vehicles this year, and plans to acquire more in the coming year.
Eastern Kentucky University recently completed installation of new equipment and chemicals to make the cleaning products used campus-wide 100 percent Green Seal-certified. The University is also currently changing paper towel systems to automated touchless models and replacing hand soap dispensers to be more sustainable. The project, expected to be completed by the end of September, also includes adding Green Seal-approved paper products and hand soap. The University expects to see no additional costs from the transition, and may actually save money.
Source: AASHE Bulletin |
Google Aims to Make Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal Power
Google plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on both renewable energy research and development and related investments in 2008, with the goal of making renewable energy less expensive than coal power. That goal is embodied in the name of the new initiative, "RE<C," which will initially focus on advanced solar thermal power, wind power, enhanced geothermal systems, and other potential breakthrough technologies.
RE<C will be part of Google's commercial enterprise, but it will also work with Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org. Google.org is currently teamed up with two companies that could have potential for RE<C: eSolar, Inc., which envisions combining many 25-megawatt solar power tower facilities to form large solar power plants; and Makani Power Inc., which envisions capturing high-altitude winds through some type of aerial wind turbine. |
|
DOE and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) have agreed to work together to toughen building energy standards so that by 2010, the standards will require buildings to use 30% less energy than buildings built to the 2004 standards. This is a significant reduction that would result in six LEED points under current LEED NC rules for the Optimize Energy Performance credit. |
|
Car Talk
DOE and EPA have released the 2008 Fuel Economy Guide, which provides listings of the 2008 model year vehicles that are fuel economy leaders, both overall and by vehicle class. Hybrid vehicles lead the way for overall fuel economy with the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid topping the list, followed by a newcomer: the Nissan Altima Hybrid, which achieves a fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. With more hybrid models crowding the top of the list, the only non-hybrids to make the top ten fuel economy leaders are the Toyota Yaris, the Toyota Corolla, and the Honda Fit.
The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) announced that automakers are offering 31 models of vehicles in North America that are capable of running on E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. are offering flex-fuel versions of a range of vehicles, including sedans, convertibles, sport utility vehicles, and pickups. Several models are available as police vehicles, and the Ford Crown Victoria is also available as a taxi, although not all models are available everywhere. According to the NEVC, just 500 flex-fuel vehicles were produced in 1993, but an estimated 750,000 flex-fuel vehicles will be produced in the 2008 model year.
| |
|
|
|
