Articles of Interest:
U.S. Climate Report Says Global Warming Impact Already Severe
The government's newest national assessment of climate change declares that increased global warming is affecting every part of the United States. The report released Tuesday cites wide and severe impacts: more sea-level rise, flooding, storm surges, precipitation and heat waves in the Northeast; frequent water shortages and hurricanes in the Southeast and the Caribbean; and more drought and wildfires in the Southwest.
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More Americans View Energy Efficiency as a Priority
Energy efficiency is a priority for 79 percent of Americans, according to a poll released by the University of Texas. But nearly two-thirds believe political "squabbling" is the biggest barrier to increased energy efficiency.
While most people are concerned about the environmental impact of high energy use, the biggest motivator for energy efficiency is savings, according to the UT Energy Poll, a scientific survey of 2,133 U.S. residents aged 18 and older conducted between March 3 and 17.
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Using VAV To Limit Humidity at Part Load
High humidity levels can reduce the quality of indoor air, make occupants uncomfortable, and damage a building's structure and furnishings. To avoid problems associated with high humidity levels, it's important to understand how well an HVAC system will dehumidify at both full load and part load. But, part-load dehumidification performance varies by system type and control strategy.
Solar Wind Wins Approval for $1.5 Billion Power Tower
Solar Wind Energy Tower Inc. (SWET) won approval from an Arizona city to develop a $1.5 billion project that would use ambient desert heat to create a draft to generate electricity, in a concrete colossus that would be the tallest structure in North America.
The 2,250-feet (686-meter) project, which resembles a nuclear plant's cooling tower, would be capable of generating at a average rate of about 435 megawatt-hours over the course of a year, Ron Pickett, chief executive officer of the three-year-old Annapolis, Maryland-based company, said in a phone interview today. In July and August, the Southwest's hottest and driest months, the plant could produce more than 1,200 megawatt-hours.
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Electricity Use Slashed with Efficiency Controls for Heating, Cooling
Commercial buildings could cut their heating and cooling electricity use by an average of 57 percent with advanced energy-efficiency controls, according to a year-long trial of the controls at malls, grocery stores and other buildings across the country.
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