AIA Names 2005 Green Design Awards Winners 08/16/2005
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) recognizes projects demonstrating high-performance and sustainable design annually. In partnership with EPA's Energy Star Program, this year's recipients include: Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (Austin, TX), The Barn at Fallingwater (Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Mill Run, PA), Eastern Sierra House (Gardnerville, NV), Heimbold Visual Arts Center (Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY), Leslie Shao-Ming Sun Field Station (Stanford University, Woodside, CA), Pittsburgh Glass Center (Pittsburgh, PA), Rinker Hall at the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Seminar II, The Evergreen State College (Olympia, WA). Special Recognition went to Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Design Plan (Portland Development Commission, Portland, OR).
Original Story
|
Montana: Training for Building Efficiency and Comfort 08/09/2005
BetterBricks, in partnership with Northwestern Energy and the Montana Integrated Design Lab are offering two half-day training workshops in both Missoula and Billings. A session entitled Climate Responsive and Integrated Design Strategies will be held September 13th in Billings and September 14th in Missoula. Natural and Mechanical Ventilation Systems will be offered December 6th in Billings and December 7th in Missoula. Sessions are free of charge, though pre-registration is required. Attendance qualifies for AIA Learning Units in the Health, Safety, and Welfare Category.
Original Story
|
Award-Winning Software Helps Reduce Home Energy Consumption 08/05/2005
TREAT software recently won an R&D 100 award by Research and Development Magazine. The magazine recognized it as one of the most significant innovations of the year. The TREAT tool computes home energy consumption and identifies the most cost effective energy efficiency upgrades for both single-family and multifamily dwellings. The tool, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and project partners, helps building performance contractors and energy auditors accurately assess energy use and recommend the best options for improving energy effiency. Reducing home energy consumption can significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants to the environment.
Original Story
|
Application Period Open for Energy Value Housing Award 07/20/2005
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center announced that the application period for the 2006 EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) program is now open. The application deadline is August 8, 2005. The award program honors builders who voluntarily integrate energy-efficiency into the design, construction, and marketing of new homes, and educate the home building industry and the public about successful approaches to energy-efficient construction.
Original Story
|
BIA school is LEED certified 07/11/2005
Baca Dlo'ay azhi Community School, on the Navajo Nation reservation in Prewitt, New Mexico, was recently LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The 78,900 ft2 (7,330 m2) building, which employs Native American cultural concepts in its green design, serves students in kindergarten through grade six. The school received LEED certification for a number of innovations, including daylighting, low-emissivity windows, shading, air filtration, materials with recycled content, an efficient mechanical system, and a sophisticated energy-management system. The new school is expected to use 20% less energy and 30% less water than a traditionally-built school. (Source: U.S. Green Building Council.)
Original Story
|
NEW TOOL: Managing Your Environmental Responsibilities 06/10/2005
The EPA has released a new resource for the construction industry called
Managing Your Environmental Responsibilities: A Planning Guide for Construction and Development (the MYER Guide). The MYER Guide contains two different sets of checklists and detailed discussion/case studies on major environmental areas affecting the construction industry. It is designed to help the construction industry understand which environmental regulations apply to them.
Original Story
|
Tribal Radon Project Funding (EPA) 06/06/2005
EPA Regions 5 and 9 are both soliciting proposals that will reduce exposure to radon in buildings. Proposals will be accepted from federally recognized Tribes and Inter-tribal organizations in these regions and award details vary. For Region 9 the deadline is 6/24/05; contact Louise Hill at hill.louise@epa.gov, refer to Sol# EPA-GRANTS-050305-001. For Region 5 the deadline is 6/27/05; contact the Region 5 EPA at (312) 886-6026, refer to Sol# EPA-GRANTS-051105-001.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Businesses Develop Energy Saving Measures 06/03/2005
There are several businesses that are using ways to save energy. One of the businesses is the New Belgium Brewing Co. They use skylights, shady eaves and electricity generated from brewing waste, which allows them to use 40 percent less energy than the average American brewer to produce a barrel of beer. Examples of energy-efficiency improvements in other Colorado businesses include: Agilent Technologies who installed a $4,000 dew-point sensor; Boulder Community Foothills Hospital was built with high-efficiency windows and lights, occupancy sensors for turning lights on and off, carbon-dioxide detectors for building ventilation and high-efficiency fans and motors; and the new First National Bank building in Montrose also features an underground geothermal system. Other business can be found by viewing the original story.
Original Story
|
Denver EPA Builds Green 06/02/2005
Beginning next fall, the EPA's Denver office will be moving into a new building that is designed to be environmentally friendly. The $90 million building will have features that include: A system that distributes heated and cooled air through the floor, allowing it to rise naturally into the work environment, use of recycled products and environmentally certified wood products, and designs that will allow future installation of on-site energy generation using wind turbines and solar panels. There are other features as well such as the shape of the building and location of windows, and a "green roof".
Original Story
|
NEW TOOL: Assessment Tool For Green Building 06/01/2005
Green Globes is an interactive, web-based, commercial green building assessment protocol, that actually guides the integration of green principles into a building's design. Green Globes identifies a building's environmental strengths and weaknesses, instantly recommends sustainable design improvements, and automatically generates links to engineering, design and product sources.
Original Story
|
National Green Building Awards 05/19/2005
The 2006 National Green Building Awards competition will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 12 – 14, 2006. The National Association of Home Builders hosts the annual event and is inviting individuals, companies, and organizations to enter. The awards honor those who have demonstrated a tangible commitment and contribution to the principles of residential “green building”.
Original Story
|
NEW TOOL: Gear Up for Summer Energy Savings 05/18/2005
A great summer project for your older kids is to figure out how to reduce your family's energy use. These two sites offer interactive education about saving energy in your home. The Energy Savers Virtual Home (from U.S. Dept. of Energy) offers a memory game with great tips as a reward for each match or takes you on a virtual home tour based on the type of home you live in. The Energy Adviser, from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is a do-it-yourself home energy audit. The tool calculates energy use and savings opportunities based on a detailed description of the home provided by the user. It includes energy-efficiency for heating, cooling, major appliances, lighting, and miscellaneous uses.
Original Story
|
Exploring Human Health and the Built Environment 05/16/2005
The newly published issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (the Journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) focuses on how the places we live, work and play affect our health. "Substantial scientific evidence gained in the past decade has shown that various aspects of the built environment can have profound, directly measurable effects on both physical and mental health outcomes, particularly adding to the burden of illness among ethnic minority populations and low-income communities." Articles also showcase innovative city efforts that bring health considerations into urban planning (mold, air pollution, lead, diesel, etc.) All articles in the issue are available on-line.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Student Wins Scholarship For Achitecture and Environment 05/11/2005
A University of Colorado student has recently been named a 2005 Morris K. Udall Scholar for her academic excellence and commitment to the environment. Crystal Olin is interested in sustainable architecture and sustainable urban design. She will receive the $5000 scholarship and then travel to Tucson, Arizona to meet with other Udall Scholars, policy makers, and leaders in environmental fields.
Original Story
|
2005 AIA Green Project Awards 05/02/2005
The American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (AIA/COTE) has selected the award winners of the 2005 AIA/COTE Green Project Awards. Every year, the committee invites electronic submissions of outstanding sustainable designs. This year there were eight winners and one who received special recognition.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Business Receives EPA ENERGY STAR Award 05/02/2005
The EPA presented an award for Excellence in Promoting Superior Energy Performance to the ENSAR Group. The Boulder-based ENSAR Group provides architectural and sustainable design consulting services to help clients reduce energy use and improve environmental quality. ENERGY STAR Awards honor businesses and organizations that help companies strategically manage their energy use.
Original Story
|
Colorado: University Opens Field Laboratory for Sustainable Building Practices 05/02/2005
University of Colorado's College of Engineering and Applied Science has opened the new Field Laboratory for Applied Sustainable Technologies. This laboratory will give students the opportunity to practice sustainable building techniques in an outdoor setting. The goal of the lab is to be self-sufficient, generating its own power, and collecting and processing enough rainwater to complete all on-site projects.
Original Story
|
Tribes Produce Certified Lumber 04/28/2005
(Forestry Stewardshp Council) Warm Springs Forest Products Industries (WSFPI), a tribal enterprise of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, earned FSC certification for over 400,000 acres of forest on the east side of the Cascades in Oregon in 2003. Their supply of local, high quality lumber has spurred lumberyards to sell certified lumber responding to demands of the green building industry in the state.
Original Story
|
PATH Offers New Housing Technology Tools 04/21/2005
The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) is offering "Tech Sets" to promote durable building practices. "Tech Sets" combine two or more innovative technologies together. The first "Tech Set" demonstrates how to lower construction costs integrating water distribution and used water in a recycling network. The second "Tech Set" can decrease the cost of construction and maintenance by protecting the foundation and the frame and reducing moisture infiltration.
Original Story
|
Montana: Company Receives Good Cents/Energy Star Award 04/12/2005
Montana Homes of Helena received EPA's 2005 Gold Achievement Award for sales of energy efficient manufactured homes. The award was presented in Salem, Oregon by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Montana Homes of Helena was presented the award for their commitment to energy conservation, by selling the most ENERGY STAR manufactured homes in 2004.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Denver Green Building Conference 04/06/2005
The Denver Green Building Conference is being held in Lakewood, Colorado April 27-29, 2005. The conference lets developers, real-estate
professionals, architects, designers, engineers, and builders learn about green building applications.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Students Help Design Environmentally Friendly Village 04/05/2005
Students at Colorado State University are submitting ideas for a new environmentally friendly Academic Village. The students will submit designs that incorporate resource awareness, sustainability and decreased resource consumption that will be a model for future campus construction. Students have also presented ideas for other construction projects including three green classrooms that are currently seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.
Original Story
|
Colorado: University Offers Green Building Certificate Program 03/21/2005
Colorado State University is now offering, through their Construction Management Department, a program to earn a Green Building Certificate. This 12 week program will start this spring with classes held during the evening. It will provide instruction on sustainable building tools and strategy. The program is designed for people who work in the construction and design industries.
Original Story
|
New Subdivision Plans To Use Rainwater Management System 03/18/2005
A new community development in Wilsonville, Oregon is making plans on "green" development that would include rainwater management systems, using natural ventilation and ecological roofing. The cost could be high, but residents are considering the long-term benefits. The development is using standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council at the master-plan level.
Original Story
|
EPA and DOE Recognizes Two Businesses in Region 8 03/14/2005
Ence Homes of St. George, UT, and the Colorado Springs School District 11 in Colorado Springs, CO, along with 48 other businesses won EPA and DOE recognition for outstanding contributions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Ence Homes was recognized in the Sustained Excellence category while Colorado Springs School District 11 was recognized in the Excellence in Energy Management category.
Original Story
|
Navajos Invest in Green Building Material Manufacture 03/14/2005
The Navajo Nation has decided to invest in manufacturing Flexcrete, a green building material, after rejecting an idea to build a freight aircraft. Flexcrete is similar to autoclave aerated concrete except it uses fly ash, a waste produced by power generating plants. They expect to recycle nearly 30,000 tons of fly ash per shift from the nearby Salt River Generating Plant. The use of Flexcrete can reduce dependence on lumber for building. It is fireproof, has energy-efficient characteristics, and is light and easy to use. The plant, located in an existing tribally-owned facility in Page Utah, will produce FlexCrete building blocks, floor and roof panels.
Original Story
|
New Integrated Design Lab Opens 03/11/2005
A new integrated design lab whose purpose is to be a resource for architects and engineers has opened in Boise. The lab will offer help in using high performance building practices in commercial building designs. The lab will help designers to take advantage of energy efficiency to create more comfortable and productive working environments.
Original Story
|
Montana: Sustainable Business Council Lecture Series 03/09/2005
Home Resource Co-Director Matt Hisel will present a brief history and a vision for the store's future role in the community, followed by a group discussion about ways to collaboratively advance Missoula's sustainability efforts. The lecture will be held at MCAT, in Missoula, MT, on March 15, 2005 from 5pm-7pm. Home Resource www.homeresource.org/ is a non-profit materials re-use center that collects and sells reusable building material.
Original Story
|
Montana: New Green Building Store in Bozeman Launches Web Site
03/07/2005
Refuge Sustainable Building Center in Bozeman is a new store that carries a range of environmentally sustainable building materials, non-toxic paints, flooring, roofing, adhesives, and toilets to meet the needs of area residents who wish to incorporate “green” practices into their homes and offices. A lot of materials sold are recycled products or materials that do not have the dangerous preservatives and solvents that conventional materials have.
Original Story
|
New Green Home Building Guidelines 02/15/2005
NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines were recently unveiled at the January 2005 International Builder’s Show in Orlando, Florida. The largest trade organization in the world, NAHB involved stakeholders from the green building industry, including architects, manufacturers, home builders, environmentalists, government agencies, suppliers and trade associations. The guidelines offer voluntary, builder- and market-driven green solutions.
Original Story
|
Region 8: EPA Releases List of Most Energy Efficient Buildings 01/26/2005
The EPA has released a list of the most energy efficient buildings in the U.S. All states in Region 8 are represented. The total in the U.S. is 1,964 buildings that qualify as ENERGY STAR. The total for Region 8 is 140. Buildings earn the ENERGY STAR by scoring a 75 or higher on EPA’s 100-point national energy rating scale.
Original Story
|
Voluntary Green Building Guidelines Aimed at Home Building 01/26/2005
Voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines were introduced during the January 13th International Builders trade show. They are designed to help builders construct more energy efficient homes. The guidelines explain how a builder can incorporate green building concepts into a project in six primary areas.
Original Story
|
New NIST/EPA Study Released 01/24/2005
A study conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)and the EPA, has concluded that vintilation conditions of newly built buildings are often different than what the building was designed for. The EPA Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) study was conducted to assess indoor air quality, including ventilation, in a large number of randomly selected office buildings throughout the U.S.
Original Story
|
Montana: Energy STAR Homes Now In Missoula 01/18/2005
Missoula contractors are beginning to offer Energy Star homes that are guaranteed to cut the cost of heating prices during Montana's cold winter season. So far, Kingdom Builders of Missoula has built two Energy Star townhouses. The homes are expected to save $25 - $40 a month in gas and electricity. Although the homes cost about 2 percent more to build, the homeowner is expected to recoup the savings from energy prices in five years. Also, Montana offers a $500 tax credit for Energy Star homes.
Original Story
|
National Tribal Conference on Environmental Managment 01/18/2005
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) is sponsoring the 7th National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management (NTCEM) in Traverse City, Michigan June 7 - 10, 2005. The conference theme is "Sacred Ground: Sustainability for Indian Country and the Earth." The conference will be held at the tribally owned Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. The organizing committee is seeking presentation proposals (to be submitted by February 15, 2005).
Original Story
|
Student Design Competition for 2005-2006 01/07/2005
The Leading Edge Student Design Competition is offering architectural students a way to demonstrate their skills in the areas of sustainable and energy efficiency design. Students and instructors explore the use of new materials and strategies for building high-performance architecture in a practical, real-world setting. Five Montana State University students had winning entries in the 2003-2004 contest.
Original Story
|
Are PVC and Vinyl Green? 12/27/2004
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is seeking public comment on a report concerning the use of vinyl and PVC in construction materials. The task group that wrote the report used over 2400 pieces of scientific documents and stakeholder submissions and conducted their own research on major PVC or vinyl products compared to common alternatives. The task group's finding are now posted for public comment.
Original Story
|
Seattle Biotech Building Leads by Example 12/23/2004
A 2000 city ordinance in Seattle requires that all new buildings involving city funding be developed to sustainable design standards. But private developers have lagged behind this trend. Douglas Howe of Touchstone Corp recently built the 9th and Stewart Life Sciences Building, the city's newest green building. Howe is trying to lead and educate his colleagues in the private sector about the benefits of building "green".
Original Story
|
Study Shows Widely Diverging Views On Vinyl as a Sustainable Material 12/21/2004
A new study indicates that architects working on sustainable design may have more misperceptions about vinyl than about any other building material. According to the study, vinyl has energy and environmental benefits that offset it's reputation as a "non-green" material.
Original Story
|
Wyoming: Additional Coal Bid Pushes Total to More Than $1 Billion 12/17/2004
Kennecott Energy Co has won another bid worth $139 million for additional coal in the Powder River Basin. This brings the total for Wyoming's coal leases to more than $1 billion, half of which comes back to the state. The money will be split among colleges and universities, local governments and k-12 school construction.
Original Story
|
2005 Top Ten Green Projects Competition 12/03/2004
The Committee on the Environment's (COTE) 2005 Top Ten Green Projects
will begin accepting submissions the second week of December 2004. December 31 is the early registration and project submittal deadline. Winners will be announced on April 22nd and winning projects will be highlighted in a lecture at the National Building Museum. The committee invites licensed architects to submit high-performance, sustainable designs.
Original Story
|
Marketing for Energy Star Builders 12/03/2004
The Northwest Energy Star certification program is funding a promotional effort to cover the cost of applying ENERGY STAR logos to builder's vehicles. Until December 31st, builders can receive up to $100 per vehicle (maximum of 5) to have the logo affixed. This is a great tool to help builders who have completed the Energy Star builder's training stand out in the market. For more information on the promotion and on becoming a building partner contact Beth Shuck at 877-298-2172 or bshuck@peci.org.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Green Products More Popular in Construction 12/01/2004
Construction companies and home remodelers who once shied away from using environmentally friendly products, are now using them more often. Reasons cited are their low cost in relation to similar conventional products, and their quality. Examples given, are savings from carpet and flooring that can be used in other areas of the home.
Original Story
|
Green Communities Fund to Help Homes Across The Country 11/30/2004
The Green Communities Initiative offers grants to help cover the costs
of planning and implementing green components of affordable housing
projects. The $550 million fund will help people build more than 8,500 homes across the country. These homes will provide significant health, economic and environmental benefits to low-income families and communities.
Original Story
|
Tribe Honored for Balancing Growth, Environment, Quality of Life 11/17/2004
(EPA) The San Juan Pueblo Tribe, north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, received one of five 2004 National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement for a housing project exhibiting culturally appropriate, affordable design. The 40-unit, mixed income, rental housing project is part of their Master Land Use Plan that honors Native American heritage while encouraging economic growth and providing needed housing. The first of its kind for a Native American community, the plan and process by which it was developed are a valuable model for tribes and communities around the country.
Original Story
|
Green Building Guidelines: Comment Period Extended 11/08/2004
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, and members of the Whole Building Design Guide, have extended the public review period for the Draft Federal Guide for Green Construction Specs until January 14, 2005. The on-line tool was developed to allow Federal building professionals to meet various mandates for greener office, residential, laboratory, and other buildings.
Original Story
|
Nominations Needed For 2005 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards 11/08/2004
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challange Awards recognize innovative chemical technologies that incorporate green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture and use and that have broad applications in industry. Self-nominations are welcomed and expected. Typically, five awards are given: one to an academic researcher, one to a small business, and the rest in specific areas of green chemistry.
Original Story
|
P3 Award Winners Announced 10/22/2004
EPA announced the winners of its second annual P3 Awards: $660,000 will go to 66 student teams to research and develop sustainable designs through the People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3)
competition. More than $100,000 was given to 7 programs in Utah and Colorado schools. Project focus areas include: green buildings and sustainable construction materials, biodiesel production and use, drinking water quality and supply, alternative energy sources and fuel cells, urban redevelopment and green chemistry. Complete list of awardees. The agency also announced next year's competition. Applications are due by January 27, 2005.
Original Story
|
Journal of Green Building -- Call for Papers 10/21/2004
A brand new peer-reviewed journal aiming to "provide a high-quality, interdisciplinary forum for advancing the state of knowledge about green building and high performance" will release its inaugural issue in Spring 2005. Published by College Publishing, the deadline to submit full papers for review for this first edition is December 31, 2004.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Development Receives National Award 10/20/2004
Denver-based Continuum Partners and the City of Lakewood have received the internationally recognized Phoenix Award for their work cleaning up and redeveloping the former Villa Italia Mall in Lakewood into a new downtown district now known as Belmar. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award at its recent Brownfields Conference in St. Louis, MO. The award was based on the successful cleanup of contamination from dry cleaning and automotive facilities.
Original Story
|
EPA And The Urban League Join Forces to Protect Children 10/11/2004
The EPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Urban League to work together on protecting children in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities from environmental health risks. This action will help the Urban League gain access to information and to work collaboratively with the EPA to safeguard the nation's resources and protecting children's health.
Original Story
|
Colorado: Environmental Achievement Awards Given 09/24/2004
More than 30 Colorado individuals, businesses and organizations were recognized at an annual awards ceremony for improving environmental performance through a variety of activities. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has given these awards annually since 1997.
Original Story
|
New NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual Available 09/13/2004
The recently updated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) Compliance Inspection Manual is now on the public EPA website.
It is a guide for EPA inspectors and serves as a reference on compliance with NPDES regulations. For those interested in storm water and construction, see Chapter 11, and Appendix S.
Original Story
|
New Stormwater Resources for Construction Sites Now Available 08/19/2004
Two new EPA resources will help contractors know how to deal with new stormwater regulations. Does Your Construction Site Need a Stormwater Permit? is guide for construction site managers affecting parcels of one acre or more. It includes an overview of filing the electronic Construction General Permit (CPG). Resource List for Stormwater Management Programs helps managers start developing or improve their stormwater programs including sections about construction and post-construction site runoff control.
Original Story
|
NAHB Offers Fire Resistant Home Tips 07/23/2004
As fires season begins, the National Association of Home Builders Resource Center offers practical construction suggestions to provide fire protection for homes. Tips are from their ToolBase Services, a source of technical information for the home building industry.
Original Story
|
