Ultraefficient All-Variable-Speed Buildings
By Ben Erpelding, PE, CEM
Introducing a benchmark for entire-building HVAC-system efficiency...MORE
New Energy-Efficient Commercial-Building Deduction
President Bush signed into law the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (HR-1424) and extended the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Commercial-building owners who have installed or retrofitted their properties to be more energy-efficient may be eligible for a deduction for part or all of the costs associated with installation or retrofit...MORE
USGBC Reaffirms Commitment to Developing Green-Building Code
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) reaffirmed its commitment to the development of Standard 189.1 P, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, which will be America's first national green-building code. The standard is being created for states, localities, and other jurisdictions and will provide minimum requirements for the design of high-performance new commercial buildings and major renovation projects, addressing energy efficiency, a building’s impact on the atmosphere, sustainable sites, water-use efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor-environmental quality.
Standard 189.1 P is being developed as a standard under the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE's) leadership in partnership with the USGBC and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)...MORE
To better address areas covered in Standard 189.1 P, a new committee is being appointed. A call for members is open through Dec. 4...MORE
Stormwater Pollution Tackled to Improve Water Quality in Charles River
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is targeting an effort to better control stormwater pollution in the Charles River watershed, where stormwater containing high levels of phosphorus is causing dramatic algae – including toxic cyanobacteria – blooms. The EPA action will require certain industrial, commercial, and residential facilities with two or more acres of impervious area, such as parking lots, roofs, and roadways, to operate under a Clean Water Act permit. Under both the federal and state actions, new requirements will be phased in to reduce polluted stormwater runoff at sites with large paved areas, including shopping malls and industrial areas...MORE
LEED 2009 Passes Member Ballot
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009 has passed member ballot and will be introduced in 2009 as the next major evolution of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Green Building Rating systems. LEED 2009 includes a series of technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human-health outcomes...MORE
Free Webinars Offer Energy-Saving Solutions for School Districts
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in partnership with U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, invites school-district officials, facilities managers, school administrators, teachers, and others interested in high-performing schools to view a series of online Webinars that offer solutions for reducing energy costs in K-12 schools...MORE