Monthly Archives: December 2010

Building Green and Healthy Building Network

Building Green and Healthy Building Network have announced a new strategic partnership.  Part of that partnership is the formation of the Materials Research Collaborative which will investigate and evaluate building material claims.  The purpose of the collaborative is to serve … Continue reading

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DOE has finalized a $400 million loan guarantee

DOE has finalized a $400 million loan guarantee for Abound Solar Manufacturing, LLC to manufacture state-of-the-art thin-film solar panels, the agency announced on December 14. The Abound Solar project represents the fifth America Recovery and Reinvestment Act project to close … Continue reading

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Tax Credit Extensions

On December 17 President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.  Most of us recognize this as the Bush era tax rate extension bill.  Included in that legislation were a variety … Continue reading

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Cool Roof Installation

A new cool white roof installation on the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Headquarters West Building has been completed. There was no incremental cost to adding the cool roof as part of the roof replacement project and it will save taxpayers … Continue reading

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HUD Financing

Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced a new pilot program that will offer credit-worthy borrowers low-cost loans to make energy-saving improvements to their homes. Backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), … Continue reading

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Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) announcement

The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) announced that it has been named an EPA-recognized Certification Body for roofing products for the ENERGY STAR program.  The CRRC will now offer ENERGY STAR certification as an additional service to its Product Rating … Continue reading

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24 states to receive a total of $7 million

The Department of Energy (DOE), Washington, DC, announced today that it has selected 24 states to receive a total of $7 million to support the adoption of updated, energy-efficient building codes. The funding will expand the existing partnerships between states … Continue reading

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Green Outlook 2011

McGraw Hill Construction has published a special report titled “Green Outlook 2011”.  It points to green buildings as one of construction’s fastest growing sectors. Between 2008 and 2010 green building starts increased 50%.  In 2011 McGraw Hill estimates that green … Continue reading

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Green Building Practices in the Public Sector

At a recent U.S. House Subcommittee meeting on “Green Building Practices in the Public Sector”, the National Institute of Building Sciences stated that federal projects should continue to go high performance but should also look beyond sustainability.  NIBS also stressed … Continue reading

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New EPA Regulations

The EPA has introduced new guidelines for states and local jurisdictions to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using the best available control technologies.  The guidance is aimed at air-permitting authorities in identifying cost-effective options under the Clean Air Act … Continue reading

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