Monthly Archives: October 2009

LEED Pilot Credit Library

The USGBC has launched their LEED Pilot Credit Library, a new tool that will add to the flexibility of the continuous improvement process for LEED. The Pilot Credit concept allows the LEED program to introduce new ideas without having to … Continue reading

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LEED Guarantee

Energy Ace, an Atlanta based consulting firm, is now offering a money back guarantee that their clients will become LEED certified when the company supervises administration, fundamental commissioning and energy modeling to meet LEED standards. If a refund is granted … Continue reading

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Film production

DuPont announced plans to invest more than $120 million to expand production of chemical films for photovoltaic modules.

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Government sustainability

NASA is investing $20.6 million in a new building that is expected to be the most sustainably built project the federal government has ever constructed.  The building will have 20,000 square feet of rooftop mounted photovoltaic panels.

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Solar Farm

The US Army is moving forward with plans to build a solar farm in the Mojave Desert.  The Army hired Clark Energy Group and Acciona Solar Power to install photovoltaics and concentrating solar technology. Construction costs are expected to reach … Continue reading

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Solar Roads

Solar Roadways, an Idaho-based startup, has received a $100,000 contract from the US Department of Transportation to build a prototype of structurally engineered solar panels that can be driven on. This is in response to Energy Secretary Chu’s call for … Continue reading

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Lower Costs for PV

The Associated Press reports that solar panel prices have declined over 30% from 1998 to 2008 because of lower manufacturing nd installation costs. State and local incentives have helped in this as well. Analysis are forecasting a 8-10% drop in … Continue reading

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Regulating Greenhouse Gases

On September 30 the EPA announced it might use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases.  On that same day, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced their version of a global warming bill.  The EPA plans … Continue reading

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New Executive Order

On October 5, 2009 President Obama signed an Executive Order 13423 that sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 … Continue reading

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Green Building Consortiums

The High Performance Commercial Green Building Partnership, chaired by ASHRAE, was formed earlier this year to advise the DOE about high-performance buildings in response to a DOE request for such an organization. The partnership is comprised of professional organizations, trade … Continue reading

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