Articles for May 18, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the
Washington State University Extension Energy Program Library and written
by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy Library Manager, to assist users in tracking
developments in the energy field. To view past issues or to subscribe
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to change. Further, servers sometimes fail to connect to working URLs.
AMERICAN REINVESTMENT and RECOVERY ACT
"Stimulus Plan Gives First Aid to Buildings," by Brandon Lorenz, Senior
Editor, Building Operating Management, is an eight-part article
in the April 2009 issue of Building Operating Management, which
shows the extent to which the Act will affect buildings, new or existing,
in all sectors:
Part 1: Stimulus Bill Funds New Energy Grant Programs. This covers two
programs: the block grants made available to states and cities and another
grant to states that agree to adopt the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 standard. See
Part 1 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Bill-Funds-New-Energy-Grant-Programs--10703.
Part 2: Stimulus Offers Path to School Modernization Funding. This explains
how to take this difficult path and qualify for modernization projects.
See Part 2 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Offers-Path-to-School-Modernization-Funding--10704.
This Part 2 is closely connected to Part 7, below.
Part 3: Stimulus Gives Billions to GSA [the federal General Services Administration]
for Greening. Federal buildings will be even greater role models than
they already are, given the financial opportunities in the Act. See Part
3 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Gives-Billions-to-GSA-for-Greening--10705.
Part 4: Stimulus Aims to Pop Up [sic; likely, should be "Prop Up"]
Real Estate with Tax Credits. Two actions help real estate: the cancellation
of debt (a kind of tax deferment) and a tax credit called a "bonus depreciation."
See Part 4 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Aims-to-Pop-Up-Real-Estate-with-Tax-Credits--10706.
Part 5: Stimulus Builds Surge in Military Construction. This will affect
the Veterans Administration as well as branches of the military service
(including the Army and Air Force national guards). See Part 5 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Builds-Surge-in-Military-Construction--10707.
Part 6: Stimulus Gives Credit for Efficient Cars. Vehicle fleets can qualify
for this tax credit. See Part 6 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Stimulus-Gives-Credit-For-Efficient-Cars--10708.
Part 7: School Modernization Funding Breakdown by State. The breakdown
is shown in tabular form. See Part 7 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/School-Modernization-Funding-Breakdown-by-State--10709.
This Part 7 is related to Part 2, above.
Part 8: Track State Spending of Stimulus Funds. A table includes descriptions
of each state's activity as well as a link to each state's Recovery Act
website and, for those that have them, a link to each state's Transparency
website. The last row on the table enables the viewer to track spending
at the federal level. See Part 8 at
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Track-State-Spending-of-Stimulus-Funds--10710.
BUILDINGS
"Architect Group Names Top Ten Green Buildings for 2009" describes the
annual awards given by AIA/COTE (American Institute of Architects' Committee
on the Environment). It links to the web page, AIA/COTE Top Ten Green
Projects, which includes all ten case studies. See the article at
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12451.
"DOE Launches the Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance [CREEA]" highlights
how this new partnership between CREEA and the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) will work to save energy and greenhouse gas emissions in the commercial
buildings sector. It includes information about another partnership between
DOE and a number of retailers and about an energy modeling software program,
EnergyPlus. The article links to several related information resources.
See the article at
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12450.
"The Real Cost of LEED: Building a LEED Gold Facility on a Budget" was
written by Chuck Vaciliou, President of Operations, Erland Construction.
This is a case study of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy which earned
Gold LEED EB (existing building) certification for a 150-bed expansion
of its residents' hall. See this case study in ED+C (Environmental
Design + Construction), April 2009, at
http://www.edcmag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000560769.
POLICY
"NYSERDA Awards $1.5 million to University at Buffalo to Establish Clean
Energy Business Incubator Program" is a May 15, 2009, press release from
NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority). NYSERDA
is taking an interesting approach to developing clean energy options for
the state that will avoid a major pitfall that prevents new products and
technologies from entering the market place. See this press release at
http://www.nyserda.org/Press_Releases/2009/PressRelease20091405.asp.
"Solar News from Washington State: It's Another Mike Nelson Production,"
by staff is a brief interview with Mike Nelson, of the Northwest Solar
Center and Washington State University. It covers Washington State Senate
Bill 5136 and the establishment of a bond-financed state energy trust
program for the residential sector. See this article at
http://www.irecusa.org/index.php?id=68&tx_ttnews%5bpS%5d=1242025882&tx_ttnews%5bpointer%5d=1&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=1405&tx_ttnews%5bbackPid%5d=70&cHash=44460b20bb.
RECYCLING
The following two articles were published in the April 2009 issue of ED+C
(Environmental Design + Construction):
- "Heads Up Recycling," was jointly written by Kyle Watts, Plant Manager,
and Alan Boyd, Director of Technical Development, both of CertainTeed
Ceilings. They discuss recycling programs developed for destruction/construction
site waste, specifically noting the ceiling recycling programs of CertainTeed
Ceilings and other companies. See this article at
http://www.edcmag.com/CDA/Articles/Column/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000560522.
- "Lost and Found" was co-authored by Mike Burns, assistant manager for
Real Estate Construction and Leasing with Hobbs Brook Management, and
Monica Moreira, LEED AP, associate at Margulies Perruzzi Architects. The
authors describe the effort to reuse, onsite, the lion's share of material
from a demolished structure for two new buildings. Material unused was
largely recycled for other uses. The effort was a success financially
as well as environmentally. See this case study at
http://www.hobbsbrook.com/6ee8d292-ada1-4e3d-a458-edd3d50e616f/whats-new-in-the-news-detail.htm.
RENEWABLES
"Growth of Renewables Transforms Global Energy Picture," by staff, describes
the increases in the development and deployment of renewable sources of
energy in several specific places including Europe, the United States,
and India, as well, generally, around the world. This article can be read
in ENS (Environmental News Service) , May 13, 2009, at
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2009/2009-05-13-01.asp.
Past issues of
Energy Newsbriefs are available at
http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Generally, subscription information for the journals cited above can be
found at the home page of their web sites.
© 2009 Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This
publication contains material written and produced for public distribution.
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and that each is referenced by title with credit to the Washington State
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