greentechmedia Archives - Green Businesses

U.S. Federal Buildings Brace For Deep Energy Retrofits

Beth Buczynski for Earthtechling Actions speak louder than words. At long last, solar panels are returning to the White House–a symbolic endorsement of renewable energy if nothing else. At the same time, a National Deep Energy Retrofits program (NDER) is poised for implementation in federal buildings around the country. Congressional bickering aside, our revenue strapped government can’t deny that efficiency goes a long way when money is tight…something they’ve been telling the rest of us for years. NDER is a collaboration of the General Services Administration (GSA), the nation’s largest public real estate organization, and the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). It aims to speed up deep energy retrofits on federal properties, putting the U.S. in a better position to meet its energy-use-reduction targets (yeah, we have those!). Image via US Gov. The GSA manages more than 7,000 properties that provide workspace for some 1.2 million federal employees. T…

Financing Kicks Off for New York’s $1B Green Bank

Katherine Tweed for Greentechmedia Governor Andrew Cuomo just announced $165 million financing for New York State’s $1 billion Green Bank. Once the initial funds are approved by the public service commission, the Green Bank will look for private sector financing to join the bank to fund clean energy projects. The Bank is expected to be open for business in early 2014. Governor Cuomo said the money will be used “to build a more cost-effective, resilient and clean energy system in New York,” although the specifics of which projects will be able to take advantage of the Bank have yet to be determined. The money will go to technologies that are ready to be deployed, and could include everything from more efficient chillers and voltage control devices to solar PV and combined heat and power systems. “As a public-private partnership, the Green Bank will implement a pioneering approach that strategically and efficiently uses limited state resources to drive investment into…

Microsoft Research Shows How To Save 60% Of Earth’s Plants

Beth Buczynski for Earthtechling Biodiversity is one of Planet Earth’s greatest strengths. Ecosystems depend on many different plants and animals to stay healthy. When species go extinct, it’s like removing links from a chain. Too many weaknesses, and the entire system could fall apart. New research from Microsoft aims to show that while it’s an immense challenge, it’s possible to protect over 60 percent of Earth’s plant species from vanishing into the ether. In partnership with Duke University and North Carolina State University, Microsoft researchers used computer algorithms to identify the smallest set of regions worldwide that could contain the largest numbers of plant species. The result, they say, is a model showing how putting just 17 percent of the planet’s land surface off limits to human contamination could save a huge number of important plant species. Image via Microsoft Research According to study results published recently in the journal Science, a more …

20-Story Vienna Office Building Is Certified as First Passive High Rise

Beth Buczynski for Earthtechling In order for a structure to be considered “passive“, it’s got to be buttoned up tight. Leaky windows or insufficient insulation means wasted energy, something that’s unacceptable in a passive house design. Normally, this would prevent glass-covered skyscrapers from even being considered (windows shed a lot of energy in both directions) but a new high-rise in Vienna has bucked the trend. The RHW.2 building–home to the Austrian Raiffeisen-Holding Group–features a glass facade that’s nearly 300 feet high. Inside, 900 employees enjoy superior air quality while the building’s owners enjoy tiny energy bills. As such, the building was recently certified as the first Passive House high rise in the city–a feat that wasn’t all that surprising to those affiliated with the Passive House Institute. Image via MVAHA So how does such an edifice achieve the energy-efficiency required for Passive House status? With determination and very carefully…

Better Biofuels Coming Along, But Slowly

Pete Danko for Earthtechling Advanced biofuels aren’t where U.S. lawmakers expected them to be, but that failure is in the rear-view mirror. The question now is about the road ahead, and the pro-renewables group E2 is forecasting steady growth – but whether that growth will come fast enough to meet the growing requirements of the U.S. renewable fuel standard seems doubtful. Advanced biofuels are important because unlike corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel, cellulosic and hydrocarbon-based fuels made from nonfood feedstocks as well as waste materials and algae might be able to directly replace gasoline and other fuels in gas tanks and refineries without warping food markets. Ineos Florida plant during construction (image via Ineos Bio) E2, in its 2013 Advanced Biofuels Market Report [PDF], sees “technical” compliance with the U.S. RFS possible in 2016 with some growth and with refiners using accumulated credits to offset production shortfalls, but mandates fu…

EPA’s 2013 Battle Of The Buildings Draws Over 3,000 Entries

Is your commercial building on an energy-efficient diet? If you've cut back the consumption, you may just be qualified for a one-of-a-kind contest sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency. Here's the scoop from Beth Buczynski for Earthtechling. In a world of reality show competitions, it’s no surprise that the EPA has chosen to turn energy efficiency into a survival of the fittest contest. The 2013 “Battle of the Buildings” will pit commercial buildings against each other to save energy and fight climate change. All buildings and tenants that submit complete energy use data for calendar year 2013 (January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013) using EPA’s custom report are invited to compete. This year, around 3,200 buildings qualified by monitoring and reporting monthly energy consumption using EPA’s online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. Image via EPA In order to do well in the competition, property owners must get creative. Technologies that cut energy waste…