Visit to a Sustainable Farm

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Recycling Tour

Boo Jr and I went on a tour of a recycling plant that specializes in waste construction materials. It was sponsored by a professional organization that I belong to and was open to family memebers. Boo Jr said the best part of the tour was all the yummy food!

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Tesla Unvails First Mass-Produced, Highway Capable Electric Car

March 26, 2009

HAWTHORNE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) —Tesla Motors is now taking orders for the Model S, an all electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels 300 miles per charge.

The Model S, which carries its charger onboard, can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes. By recharging their car while they stop for a meal, drivers can go from LA to New York in approximately the same time as a gasoline car. Moreover, the floor-mounted battery pack is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, allowing for the possibility of battery-pack swap stations.

The floor-mounted powertrain also results in unparalleled cargo room and versatility, as the volume under the front hood becomes a second trunk. Combining that with a four-bar linkage hatchback rear trunk and flat folding rear seats, the Model S can accommodate a 50-inch television, mountain bike *and* surfboard simultaneously. This packaging efficiency gives the Model S more trunk space than any other sedan on the market and more than most SUVs.

“Model S doesn’t compromise on performance, efficiency or utility -- it’s truly the only car you need,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing.”

Tesla expects to start Model S production in late 2011. The company believes it is close to receiving $350 million in federal loans to build the Model S assembly plant in California from the Dept of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program.

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Green Club News

As some of you know, I volunteer for my son's elementary school's green club. It has been a very rewarding experiencing working with like minded parents and teachers to encourage sustainable practices at our school. The thing that I'm most excited about is the blog I created. I feel it has great potential for dispensing information to students, teachers, and parents alike. It's been challenging getting the word out and getting people to participate. I think that most people aren't use to the blog interface and the concept of blogging in general. But the green club is just new this year, and I can't expect too much so soon.

Here are some great things we've been able to accomplish so far this year:

1. We've started a battery recycling program. So far, we've recycled over 100 pounds of batteries that would otherwise be polluting our landfills.
2. Some other things we're recycling are Elmer's glue sticks, printer cartridges, and paper in the classroom.
3. We had a "Commit to Recycling Drive" and asked families to sign a pledge to commit to recycling at home. Over 250 families have committed this year.
4. Speaking of recycling, we just introduced a recyling program in our cafeteria. We now have recycling bins for cans, bottles, and juice pouches. There's a lot more potential for waste reduction in the cafeteria that we're continuing to work on.
5. For Earth Day, we're going to have a magazine recyle drive. People will bring in used magazines, and we will reuse them and distribute them to senior citizen homes and other similar places. During Earth Week, the kids will announce a "Tip of the Day" during the morning announcements. We're selling t-shirts for the kids to wear on Earth Day. It will also act as our very first fund raiser. We will make $1 for every shirt sold. To round things out, the kids will have a poster contest and will watch The Lorax movie.
6. Looking to the future, our pie-in-the-sky is to conduct an energy audit of the school. The school is about 20 years old and is ripe for enery conservation. It will be easy to identify things that can be done to save energy. It will be much more difficult to get the school and the school district to cooperate and actual complete these measures.

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Green Meeting

I've got a big meeting today to talk about what may the first LEED certified jail in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Rumor has it that another firm is also designing a proposed LEED certified jail too, so I hope that ours gets certified first and/or has a higher ranking (certified/silver/gold/platinum). This will be my first LEED job, and boy, is it a doozie - a 600 bed prison with future capacity to expand to 1,000 beds.

My job has lots of duties. Sure, I spend a lot of time sitting at my computer drawing ductwork and piping, so it's good to get out of the office every now and then. Sometimes it meens going out in the field and checking in an on the evil and sinister Lord Contractor to make sure he's not up to any dirty tricks. I'll be doing that on Thursday. But today is a big meeting a couple hours away from the office. There will be a big group of us going to this meeting, so we'll have lots of conversations going during the ride to and from. The meeting is to discuss which green strategies we're going to persue in our effort to become LEED certifed. Jails and prisons are occupied 24/7/365 and use tons of energy and water. There are some design strategies that we can't use due to security reasons, so it will be a challenge. Part of the meeting is to also remind the Owner that even though some of these measures initially cost more, they typically have a good payback (within 3 - 5 years). I know we plan on doing a vacuum plumbing system to reduce water consumption. It will be cool if we end up doing a grey water system as well.

I used to get pretty nervous when it came to public speaking (especially in school). It has gotten a lot better. I think practice makes perfect and it certainly helps when you know what the hell you're talking about.

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Governor Tim Kaine Declares Sales Tax Holiday On ENERGY STAR Products

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine signed legislation to create a sales tax holiday for all ENERGY STAR qualified products from Friday, October 5 through Monday, October 8, 2007. Residents are encouraged to select ENERGY STAR qualified products when making purchases. The ENERGY STAR qualification means that these products meet strict energy efficiency criteria set by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR qualified products use approximately 30 percent less energy than conventional models without sacrificing features, style or comfort. By replacing old, inefficient products with ENERGY STAR qualified models, Virginians can help protect the environment while saving money and energy. From October 5 to October 8, consumers can visit their local retailers and save both state and local sales tax on ENERGY STAR qualified products that cost $2,500 or less.

The following products are eligible:

• Ceiling Fans
• Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs)
• Dehumidifiers
• Dishwashers
• Programmable Thermostats
• Refrigerators
• Room Air Conditioners
• Clothes Washers
  

In addition to the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday, consumers can save money with federal tax credits on doors, windows and other energy efficient products. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes tax credits on a variety of products designed to save energy, save money, and protect our environment. These incentives are available through December 31, 2007. For more information on the federal tax credits, visit www.energystar.gov/taxcredits.

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Engineering Tip #1: Waterless Trap Primers

The Problem

The water seals in traps are needed to prevent sewer gases from entering buildings, but because this water is exposed to the air, it is subject to evaporation over time. Also, poor venting or windy conditions can cause water seals to be siphoned or blown out. A trap primer injects water, either directly or indirectly, to the trap to maintain the water seal indefinitely.

2003 IPC requires traps be protected from evaporation. Traditionally, this meant providing a trap primer. But as everyone knows, trap primers are a royal pain in the ass because of maintenance and repairs. They also waste a lot of water.

The Solution

The Trap Guard® sets watertight inside the drain and stays open when water is flowing but closes when the water stops. When the Trap Guard® is closed, it successfully resists any emission of sewer gas, even if that gas is under significant pressure. It uses a flexible tube made of a space age, Elastomeric TM material that is treated to roll up when water is not passing through but is flexible enough to open and permit water flow, from an intermittent drip to fire-hose type flows.

Trap Guard® is compliant with the Standard Plumbing Code and the International Plumbing Code Contact us at 800-262-5355 for code approval in your area. For additional information on testing for flow rating and durability, please click here.

Advantages

• Initial cost plus installation is much less expensive than alternative solutions.



• It eliminates sewer gas emission and backup of raw sewage into living or working areas.


• Trap Guard’s space-age, Elastomeric™ material has been proven in plumbing industry uses for forty years and has been used in non-plumbing critical applications for almost fifty years of continuous use without degradation.


• Maintenance-free except for occasional flushing.


• Successfully tested with common cleaning solutions and other chemicals.


• Functions despite lodging of common debris (mop strings, food residue, etc.).


• Resistant to lime scale and microbiological growth.


• It eliminates the headaches of specifying and installing trap primers.


• Eliminates the requirement to consider or specify a trap primer – with its associated costs

Click HERE for more FAQ.

Click HERE for more applications.

Click HERE to watch the product in action!!!

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More Green News

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform approved legislation June 12 that will require the federal government to adopt the AIA’s 2030 energy goals for federal buildings. The Carbon-Neutral Federal Government Act (H.R. 2635), introduced by Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) seeks to reduce carbon emissions from the federal government, the nation’s largest energy consumer. This bill will be a critical piece in comprehensive energy legislation that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) hopes the House of Representatives will approve by July 4. The Carbon-Neutral Federal Government Act will require all new federal buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations to immediately consume 50 percent less fossil-fuel generated energy when compared to a similar building’s use in 2003. The legislation calls for further reductions in energy use until 2030, when all new federal buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations will be required to use zero fossil fuel-generated energy. AIA President-elect Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, testified before the Oversight Committee in May and urged the Committee to include the AIA’s 2030 goals in their energy bill. “The AIA is delighted that Chairman Waxman included our 2030 targets for federal buildings in this bill,” says Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, manager, Federal Affairs. “But it still has a long way to go before becoming law, which is why continued advocacy by AIA members is so vital.” Login to the Government Advocacy Center.

The International Union of Architects (UIA) announced on June 8 that the theme of this year’s World Day of Architecture is achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions. In choosing this theme, the UIA is calling on architects’ capacity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions drastically in the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings and cities. Because almost half of the emissions of this greenhouse-effect producing gas comes from the construction and transportation sectors, the UIA notes, mobilization of the world’s architects is crucial. Several UIA Member Sections already have joined the efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. World Architect Day is celebrated on October 1, concurrently with the United Nations’ World Habitat Day. The UIA aims to highlight architects’ awareness of the current ecological emergency and invites all its member sections to organize programs on this theme for the first of October. For more information, visit the UIA Web site.

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66 Bottle of Beer on the Roof

Take 66 beer bottles. Fill them with water and connect so that it flows slowly from bottle to bottle. Place apparatus on roof (or better yet, build it in place) and voila, you have the ultimate in DIY solar thermal hot water systems. Not only do you get the pleasure of consuming 66 bottles of beer on the way, you also get the joy of providing hot water for your mother to shower in comfort.

That's Ma Yanjun, a farmer in Qiqiao village, Shaanxi province--the heartland of China. He built the contraption for his mother, according to Weird Asia News, making him both a devoted son and one of the numerous backyard enthusiasts who have discovered a simple way to harness the power of the sun. From the cold of Vermont to the baking heat of South Africa, such solar water collectors--whether made from beer bottles, soda cans, or anything else--are a cheap and simple way to heat water for your home--a different type of recycling if you will. You do need to remember, however, that the sun doesn't always shine and plan accordingly.

Of course, you don't have to build your own. In fact, Ma may already have made a business out of it: 10 families in the village have followed his lead. There are plenty of companies worldwide only too happy to sell you a solar water heater these days. Check out the U.S. Department of Energy's guide here, including diagrams of the various systems (none as fun as Ma's) as well as guidelines for judging whether such a system is right for you. One fact is clear: they work well--providing enough hot water for the kind of lengthy, water-intensive showers so prevalent in my house (and yours?) But you're probably not going to impress your mother as much.

Then again, I know my mother would be singularly unimpressed if I explained a bout of binge drinking as part of my environmental lifestyle. But the several hundred dollars in yearly energy savings I calculated using the DOE's website could buy a lot more beer (or anything else for you teetotallers out there). 66 bottles of beer on the wall, 66 bottles of beer, take one down and pass it around, 65 bottles of beer on the wall...

Now what are some other DIY home improvements that also make environmental (and economic) sense?

http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=66_beer_bottles_one_cheap_rooftop_solar&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

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Nearly 300 College Presidents Adopt Environmental Pact

Source: GreenBiz.com

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2007 -- The leaders of 284 colleges and universities from around the country officially unveiled this week the The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, a pact that urges educational institutions to eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions.

The schools come from 45 states and represent about 15 percent of the country's higher education institutions, and included community colleges, major universities, and whole school systems, like the 10-school University of California system.

The official commitment signed by all members of the group says in part, "We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to minimize global warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate neutrality."

Michael Crow, the president of Arizona State University and the chair of the group's steering committee, told the New York Times, "Universities are huge institutions with huge carbon footprints, but they also are laboratories for concepts of sustainability."

The plan for signatories to the Climate Commitment follows three steps:

1. Begin development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible;
2. Implement two or more actions from a list of ways to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed;
3. Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

The first step, creating a long-term plan to become climate neutral, begins with an inventory of each school's carbon emissions within the next two years, followed by the creation of specific strategies to neutralize those emissions.

The second step of the commitment includes taking at least two of the following actions: ensuring that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard; purchasing only Energy Star-certified products when possible; offsetting GHG emissions from school-funded air travel; encouraging public transit use by all comers to the school; purchasing energy from renewable resources; and supporting shareholder resolutions that address climate change and sustainability issues in companies that the school invests its endowment.

Mitch Tomashow, president of Unity College in Maine, told the Kennebec Journal that signing the commitment was a "no-brainer," but added that the sub-section of the commitment that requires making climate change and sustainability part of the curriculum for all students posed an entirely different challenge. "

That's going to be the most difficult thing to accomplish," Tomashow said. "Moving the curriculum so that every engineering student, every medical student, takes these types of classes -- that's a much bigger challenge, but that ultimately will need to happen."

More information about the commitment, as well as a list of all the schools that have signed on, is available at PresidentsClimateCommitment.org.

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Schumer announces plan calling for increased energy efficiency

NEW YORK -- Following the example of places like California and New York City, Sen. Charles Schumer on Monday announced a plan for federal regulations that would require states and municipalities to update building codes and increase building energy efficiency.

"There's a huge portion of energy consumption that goes into our buildings," Schumer said during a news conference at an energy efficient building in Times Square.

"Increasing our energy efficiency in America's residential and commercial buildings is one of the quickest and most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gases and energy consumption," he said.

His proposed amendment, which he plans to offer to the Senate's energy bill next week, would set targets of 30 percent increases in efficiency by 2012 and 50 percent increases by 2022 through a nationwide code. States could have their own codes, but would be required to meet those overall goals.

Not meeting the goals would result in penalties, but any city or municipal area meeting the standards would not be penalized.

"These improvements will have a staggeringly positive effect," Schumer said.

He pointed to the example set by New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who in April announced an extensive plan, PlaNYC, to reduce the city's greenhouse gases 30 percent by 2030, as well as by California, which has green building standards for many years.

Bloomberg, who attended the news conference, lauded the amendment from Schumer.

"We can't do it all at the local level," he said. "It's time for the federal government to stand up."

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Governor Kaine signs onto The Climate Change Registry

RICHMOND (May 22, 2007) – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Virginia has joined The Climate Registry and will work with other states and tribes to develop a common accounting system to track greenhouse gas emissions.

The Climate Registry is the nation’s only state-sponsored initiative to standardize methodologies to record and measure greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The data is to be collected in a way to support a variety of greenhouse gas reduction policy options.

“There is mounting scientific evidence that global warming is real and over time will bring about negative economic, environmental, and ecological impacts,” said Governor Kaine. “If states are to play a leadership role in developing science-based approaches to reducing the nation’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, we must have a multi-state emissions reporting and accounting system that is commonly used, efficient, transparent, and verifiable.”

The Climate Registry is a non-profit cooperative currently comprised of more than 30 states and several tribes. The registry does not endorse any particular greenhouse gas reduction policy; rather, it is to provide a widely accepted set of emissions data that state and tribal policymakers can draw upon in developing their own emissions-reduction strategies.

The Climate Registry is scheduled to begin accepting voluntarily reported greenhouse gas emissions data on January 1, 2008. For more information about the Registry and participating states and tribes, please visit www.theclimateregistry.org.

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Senate Energy Efficiency Bill

Please contact your Congressman and ask them to support this bill.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has introduced comprehensive energy efficiency legislation that includes one of the AIA’s three major priorities from Grassroots 2007: energy efficient federal buildings.

Bingaman’s legislation, the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act of 2007 (S. 1115), includes a provision that requires all new and extensively renovated federal buildings to use significantly less fossil fuel-generated energy than a similar building consumed in 2003. This provision reflects the AIA-recommended reduction targets for fossil fuel-generated energy use in new and renovated buildings, which, if adopted, would result in carbon neutral buildings by 2030.

The AIA Government Advocacy team has held numerous meetings with Energy and Natural Resources Committee staff, and AIA 2007 President RK Stewart, FAIA, testified before the Committee in February. The Bingaman bill already has wide bipartisan support; cosponsors include committee ranking Republican Sen. Pete Domenici (NM), and Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Larry Craig (R-ID). The committee is holding hearings on this legislation this week. AIA Government Advocacy staff is working with a number of members of the House of Representatives to introduce similar legislation there.

Tom Wolfe, AIA senior director, AIA Federal Affairs, says, “It is great to see Senators Bingaman and Domenici heed the recommendations of AIA New Mexico members during their Grassroots visits and show that the federal government can demonstrate the reality of carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. We are pleased that the Energy Committee has included fossil fuel-generated energy reduction targets, building off the language Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) introduced in her stand-alone bill on March 29, in their omnibus energy efficiency legislation.”

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Virginia Goes Green

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today issued Executive Order 48, setting a goal for executive branch agencies and institutions to reduce the annual cost of non-renewable energy purchases by at least 20 percent by fiscal year 2010.

“Reducing our energy consumption and costs and protecting our natural resources is a priority for my administration,” Governor Kaine said. “Last year, Virginia state government spent over $290 million in energy costs to operate our facilities and travel on state business. To reduce the environmental consequences of that level of energy consumption and save taxpayer dollars, I am directing state government to use proven and innovative conservation technologies and energy procurement processes.”

The Executive Order directs state organizations to construct new and renovate existing state facilities consistent with U.S. Green Building Council or U.S. EPA/DOE Energy Star ratings; to lease office space that is convenient to public transportation, energy efficient and pedestrian and bicycle accessible; to purchase fuel-efficient, low-emission state-owned vehicles and maximize use of alternative transportation fuels, minimize travel, implement transit and ride-sharing incentive programs and telecommuting; and to purchase or lease Energy Star rated appliances and equipment, where possible, and use recycled paper-compatible office equipment.

Executive Order 48 also establishes the position of Senior Advisor for Energy Policy and the Governor’s Energy Policy Advisory Council, a board comprised of energy producer, consumer and conservation groups. Governor Kaine has appointed Stephen A. Walz, most recently the Director of Administration for the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, to serve as Senior Advisor for Energy Policy.

“Virginia is faced with substantial challenges to use energy more efficiently,” Governor Kaine said. “The Senior Advisor for Energy Policy and the Governor’s Energy Policy Advisory Council will provide much needed coordination and focus for dealing with this critical issue.”

Walz has worked on energy issues in Virginia government since 1980, managing the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy’s energy conservation and efficiency programs and directing Virginia’s Energy Office. He has 30 years of experience with energy efficiency, renewable energy development, coal and mineral mining, gas and oil development, and low-income weatherization and fuel assistance services. Walz will chair the Governor’s Energy Policy Advisory Council and continue to lead development of the Virginia Energy Plan.

Council members will be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor and will include representatives of Virginia’s energy providers and producers, residential, commercial and industrial energy consumers, Virginia’s conservation community, and the Secretaries of Natural Resources, Commerce and Trade, and Technology. The Council will review the recommendations set forth in the Virginia Energy Plan; evaluate strategies for implementing and monitoring the Plan; and identify additional energy policy options for the Commonwealth.

To view Executive Order 48 visit the Governor’s website at:

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Initiatives/ExecutiveOrders/2007/EO_48.cfm

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Hoos Green?

Mar. 4, 2007 — A new report from the University of Virginia’s Office of the
Architect provides the first comprehensive look at U.Va.’s numerous
programs in support of environmental sustainability and also provides a road
map for future initiatives designed to secure the University’s position as a
national leader among colleges and universities.

The assessment program considered both operational activities and academic
programs in support of sustainability. According to David J. Neuman, the
University’s architect, the University initiated the study to identify baseline
performance, to recognize accomplishments, to stimulate continuing dialogue
and to develop recommendations for future activities.

In response to the recommendations, U.Va. will move forward with a new
model by adopting and implementing a University-wide program to promote
sustainability measures within and among all departments. Current
departmental and interdepartmental initiatives will be sustained while efforts
in the University’s particular areas of strength in sustainability are enhanced.
Each of the University’s operational units will be required to perform a selfassessment
of current activities, determine best practices and peer
benchmarks, and set measurable aspirational goals.

The release of the report comes on the heels of action by the U.Va. Board of
Visitors in two significant areas. At its February meeting, the board passed a
resolution requiring that all new and renovated buildings at the University
meet LEED certification under the rating system developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design,
construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The LEED
certification is expected to add 1.5 percent to the total construction costs but
should save money through more efficient energy use, reduced maintenance
costs, better storm water management and increased productivity.

In addition, the Board established the Grounds Improvement Fund, designed
to make improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists and reduce automobile
use at the University.

“In truth, the University has made important, measurable strides with regard
to sustainability, and it has done so on its own, because they are the right
thing to do,” said U.Va. President John T. Casteen III. “Our board's decision
in February to adopt LEED certification for new and renovated buildings was
a major step that was not taken lightly. It came after thoughtful analysis of
options, and with full awareness that while LEED represents the current state
of the art in sustainable construction practices, the art will improve. As it
improves, so will our building construction, maintenance, and management
systems. The board’s action represents a clear sign of commitment. We will
monitor progress here and elsewhere carefully and will take advantage of the
research here and elsewhere as we work toward even greater environmental
sustainability in our community.”

Neuman called the assessment “ a significant milestone for the University, not
only because it provides the initial benchmarks from which to plan improvements and to measure our future efforts in sustainability, but also
because it serves as a platform for raising overall institutional consciousness
of our current strengths and weaknesses in creating a ‘greener Grounds.’”
Accomplishments in each of seven “management centers” entailed not only
positive environmental impact but also significant cost reduction or cost
avoidance. In fact, a separate report from the University’s Energy and
Utilities Department indicates that programs in energy conservation and
recycling resulted in almost $6 million in cost avoidance during 2005-2006.

A sampling of accomplishments across the University includes:


Implementation of an Environmental Management System and
Sustainability Guidelines to help U.Va. manage its environmental
impacts, ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and
encourage sustainability across University departments;


Introduction of energy-efficient lighting systems in many facilities,
which has reduced energy consumption and, as a direct consequence,
air pollution by more than 7,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year. This
includes installation of 6,000 motion sensors or timers to control
artificial lighting, which has resulted in an estimated savings of almost
$83,000;


Installation of a Tarkett FieldTurf facility on Carr’s Hill Field, which
results in $30,000 in annual operational savings while allowing for
more frequent and sustained use as well as serving as a storm water
retention device;


Reforestation through a tree replacement and integrated pest
management program to minimize pesticide and herbicide usage, and
the use of low maintenance plants throughout Grounds;


Use of B20 (20 percent biodiesel blend) fuel in the entire University
Transit System bus fleet, plus collaboration between UTS and the
Charlottesville Transportation Service on a fare-free pilot program with
the potential to reduce automobile usage;


Achievement of recycling rates of more than 40 percent, which
significantly exceed the state-mandated 25 percent level. This resulted
in a calculated savings of $114,000 by recycling 5,436 tons of materials
instead of disposing of them in a landfill;


Development of water conservation efforts that have led to a decline in
water consumption over the last six years despite the University’s
growth;


Participation in a pilot program hosted by ARAMARK through SYSCO
(both food service providers) to purchase locally grown produce when
seasonably available.

“What was especially notable about the assessment, in my view, was
recognizing that members of the U.Va. community — faculty, staff and
students — are doing remarkable things in support of sustainability initiatives
at the University,” said Cheryl Gomez, energy and utilities director for
Facilities Management. “What was also clear is that we have not done a good
job of documenting and celebrating these many accomplishments. Going
forward, I think we need to focus on how we can build on these many
successes without losing sight of how much we have already done.”

John Quale, an assistant professor of architecture who participated in the
assessment process, said he was struck by the degree to which the process led
to a truly honest evaluation of where the University stands on the issue of
sustainability.

“I think many around the table felt there have been a lot of terrific efforts
focused on environmental issues in the past, but they had remained isolated,”
Quale said. “This report was an attempt to bring everyone together and openly
discuss what we've done well, and frankly, what we haven't done very well.
“In addition, I think the report's authors were working to get beyond generic
suggestions or goals. They were interested in finding solutions that made
sense for U.Va., and could be effectively implemented within the university's
management structure. Tying in the results to the annual reporting structure is
just one example of this."

Neuman noted that one measure of the University’s commitment is the
establishment of two new positions in his office to focus the planning and
coordination of sustainability efforts.

More than 200 University members, including staff, faculty and students
across more than 40 departments participated in the Sustainability Assessment
during the summer and fall of 2006. Through four introductory workshops,
nine Web-based survey modules, numerous interviews and additional
research, the University gathered data in the areas of governance and culture
and academics and learning as well as the following management centers:
land use, built environment, transportation, dining services, energy, water,
and waste and recycling.

The assessment study also determined that academic departments and
institutes throughout the University are infused with a sustainability ethos,
including the School of Law, School of Architecture, The College of Arts &
Sciences, McIntire School of Commerce, the Batten Institute at the Darden
School of Business and the Institute for Environmental Negotiation.

In addition, the report compared current practices at U.Va. with efforts being
undertaken by other colleges and universities. As the report noted: “With
more than 4,200 colleges and universities in the U.S. generating $200 billion
in revenues, employing more than 3 million people, enrolling 17 million
students, spending $20 billion annually on operations and spending $14
billion annually in construction, colleges and universities are uniquely
positioned to drive change in their immediate environs while educating future
generations on the importance of this work.”

Neuman said that U.Va.’s current leadership in several key areas and its
commitment to sustainability afford the University an opportunity for national
leadership among colleges and universities.

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Why is Europe always first?

Seems a lot of the new technology in the HVAC industry has been around for years in Europe. Seems new technology is never developed in the USA. Similarly, Europe always seems to be first in government action to reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions.

LONDON, March 13 — As nations and politicians in many parts of Europe compete to burnish their green credentials, the British government today proposed laws requiring a 60 percent reduction in total carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

If approved, the draft Climate Change Bill could affect many Britons in many ways. Government representatives might be summoned to appear before judges for failing to meet targets; households could come under pressure to switch to low-energy light bulbs and to install more insulation, and manufacturers could be asked to build televisions or DVD players without standby modes that consume energy even when the devices are not in use.
Indeed, in a land enamored of late-model cars, the internal combustion engine and regular low-cost flights to sunnier climes, some of the measures could be unpopular with voters even as they inspire politicians’ acclaim.

“This bill is an international landmark,” the Environment Minister, David Miliband, told reporters. “It is the first time any country has set itself legally binding carbon targets. It is an environmental contract for future generations.”

Although its contribution to global warming is relatively modest, Britain has strived to position itself at the forefront of international efforts to address what Prime Minister Tony Blair said today was “the biggest long-term threat facing our world.”

The British draft law was announced only days after the 27-nation European Union committed itself to a 20 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2020. The draft law would aim higher, proposing a reduction in Britain of between 26 and 32 percent in the same time frame.
Meeting with teenagers at his 10 Downing Street office today, Mr. Blair called for “a revolution” in Britons’ approach to energy use, from how they drive their cars, heat their homes and run their businesses to when they schedule vacation flights.

The draft law also foresees a carbon trading system and the creation of five-year “carbon budgets” planned 15 years ahead, to enable businesses and individuals to shape their behavior to help make a greener Britain.

A committee would be established to make annual assessments of the government’s progress or lack of it.

“A government that fails to meet the requirement under the bill to live within its environmental means will be subject to a judicial review,” said Mr. Miliband, the environment minister. “It will be for the courts to decide what sanctions to apply.”

Government leaders are planning to enact the law by next year, about a year ahead of the next national election, which is expected sometime in 2009.

“This is a revolutionary step in confronting climate change,” Mr. Blair said today. “It sets an example to the rest of the world.”

Climate change is expected to be a central issue in the national elections, which are likely to be fought between the Conservative leader, David Cameron, and Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is expected to take over from Mr. Blair as leader of the Labor Party leader and prime minister sometime this summer.

On Monday, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Brown offered competing claims to environmental virtue. Mr. Cameron, who was photographed last year bicycling to his office and riding on a dog sled in the Arctic, was seen in news footage on Monday digging to plant a tree.

Mr. Brown, for his part, gave a major speech outlining incentives for householders to curb energy use. “I’m greener than you,” the conservative Daily Mail said in a headline printed over photographs of both politicians.

Mr. Cameron has taken what some columnists call a risky step by suggesting new taxes on airline travel, possibly alienating the 400,000-odd Britons who have second homes outside the country and fly regularly — often on low-cost airlines — to visit their properties. The Conservative leader is also pressing for annual targets for reducing carbon emissions, not the five-year targets proposed by Labor.

As sweeping as it is, the government’s proposal nonetheless falls short of demands by some environmental groups for an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

The British proposals and those by the European Union lay out schedules for reducing so-called greenhouse gases far beyond the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty that the United States refused to sign in 2001. China and India, with their booming economies, are also major polluters, but Mr. Milliband, the British environment minister, said the new British law would give Britain authority to persuade other countries to follow its lead.

Still, there were dissenting voices. In Tuesday’s Evening Standard, the columnist Nirpal Dhaliwal said there was “more than a whiff of colonial condescension about British politicians’ attitudes to developing world industrialization.”

Not only that, he said, Britain’s share of global carbon emissions was already relatively small — around two percent of the world total — while China has been building new coal-burning power stations at a rate of one every two weeks. “We could decide to live in the Stone Age, burning nothing, and it would have virtually no impact on the overall problem of global warming,” Mr. Dhaliwal wrote.

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Australia to Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs

Australia has announced it will ban incandescent light bulbs in three years in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, becoming the first country to do away with this technology, which has been in use for more than a century.

Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull made the announcement Tuesday, saying replacing incandescent light bulbs with florescent bulbs would cut 800,000 tonnes from Australia's current emissions levels by 2012.

A model of an 1879 street light burns in the Edison Museum in Edison, N.J., in front of a portrait of inventor Thomas A. Edison. Australia announced on Tuesday it would become the first nation to ban the venerable technology.

"It'll be illegal to sell a product that doesn't meet [an energy efficiency] standard, so that will happen by 2009 [or] 2010," Turnbull told ABC radio in Australia. "So by that stage, you simply won't be able to buy incandescent light bulbs because they won't meet the energy standard."
Opposition parties welcomed the ban but said it would still leave the government six million tonnes short of its target to reduce emissions to 597 million tonnes annually, or 108 per cent of 1990 emission levels.

The standard incandescent bulb, developed for the mass market more than 125 years ago, consists of a metal filament glowing white-hot in a vacuum. They have become a target of advocates for energy efficiency because they lose most of their energy as heat.
Turnbull said the switch to florescent bulbs would lower household lighting costs by 66 per cent.

Lawmakers in two U.S. states — California and New Jersey — and in the United Kingdom have also proposed bills to ban incandescent bulbs.

One Change, an Ottawa-based not-for-profit organization, is among those spearheading the move to florescent bulbs in Canada with a program called Project Porchlight.

The group is working with volunteers and community groups to give one florescent light bulb to every household in Canada. The group, with the backing of Hydro Ottawa, has replaced 250,000 bulbs in Ottawa. They've also begun similar campaigns in Whitehorse, Thunder Bay and Guelph.

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Federal Government Must Lead The Way to More Energy Efficient Buildings

AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA, called on Congress this week to take the lead in the fight against global warming by establishing new energy consumption standards for federal buildings.

AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA, second from left, testifies February 12 before a congressional subcommittee on energy efficiency.

In testimony February 12 before a subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Stewart said buildings are the most overlooked sector in the greenhouse gas debate. “The building sector alone accounts for 39 percent of total U.S. energy consumption, more than either the transportation or industry sectors. Buildings consume 71 percent of the U.S. electricity production, and buildings in the United States account for 9.8 percent of the carbon dioxide production emissions worldwide,” Stewart told the Energy Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND).

“As Congress has jurisdiction over all federal buildings, Congress can literally show the way for the private sector to attain energy consumption reductions by the built environment,” Stewart added. “The AIA believes strongly that now is the time to act to address climate change by tackling energy use in buildings. Our nation needs to begin making significant reductions in the amount of fossil-fuel generated energy our buildings consume.”

To that end, Stewart said, “The AIA recommends that federal agencies be required to immediately ensure that new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations consume no more than half the fossil fuel energy that a similar federal building consumed in 2003.”

Stewart asked lawmakers to pass a combination of regulations and incentives to reduce fossil fuel generation and improve energy efficiency. Noting the AIA’s official position on establishing energy reduction targets in buildings, Stewart promoted the 2030 Challenge: by 2010, new and significantly renovated federal buildings be required to reduce fossil fuel generated energy by 60 percent; by 2015, by 70 percent; and continuing until 2030, when a 100 percent reduction in fossil fuel generated energy in all new federal buildings would be achieved.

Stewart told the senators and the packed committee room that architects across the country have embraced the 2030 Challenge and are expanding the use of design practices that enhance design quality as they increase the environmental performance of buildings. He offered that clients are often concerned about “first costs,” but in testimony and in response to a question from subcommittee ranking Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reiterated that the payback is when the “long-tem tale of the building is written.”

Dorgan thanked Stewart for his contributions to the conversation and called the architects’ views “a very important perspective.”

Stewart submitted written testimony on behalf of the AIA. Read it on the Subcommittee on Energy: Energy Efficiency Programs' Web site or view the archived Web cast.

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A step in the right direction

President George W. Bush has issued an Executive Order that calls on the federal government to reduce the use of greenhouse gas-producing energy in public buildings and bolsters sustainable design, construction, and acquisition practices. Issued on January 24, the Executive Order requires agencies to reduce energy use by almost a third over a 2003 baseline by 2015, reduce water consumption by 16 percent by 2015, and implement “sustainable practices” that include: Energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions avoidance or reduction, and petroleum products use reduction Renewable energy, including bioenergy Water conservation Pollution and waste prevention and recycling Reduction or elimination of acquisition and use of toxic or hazardous chemicals High-performance construction, lease, operation, and maintenance of buildings.

The announcement comes on the heels of the president’s call in his State of the Union address for the country to reduce gasoline usage by 20 percent over the next decade. Meanwhile, both the House and the Senate are gearing up to take action on reducing energy usage and addressing climate change. The AIA is advocating legislation that would require agencies to reduce fossil fuel energy usage in federal facilities by 50 percent immediately, and 100 percent by 2030. (Read the issue brief.) Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, manager of AIA federal regulatory affairs, noted that while the reductions in energy usage outlined by the president are not as far-reaching as those supported by the AIA and others, it is a step in the right direction. “This shows that more and more policymakers recognize the impact of the built environment on climate change and energy consumption, and agree that the federal government should be taking a lead role by making its own facilities greener,” Goldberg said. “But it’s up to the design community to lead the way in showing that much more can and should be done.”

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