Articles for June 1, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the
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APPLIANCES
"Foodservice Efficiencies," by Yaling Lee, describes the commercial appliances that are driving efficiencies that are coupled with high productivity. See this article in Appliance, April 2009, at http://www.appliancemagazine.com/editorial.php?article=2196&zone=1&first=1.
BIOFUELS
The following three articles appeared in the April 2009 issue of Biodiesel Magazine:
"A Sober Look at Biofuels from Algae" was written by Martin Tampier, Energy Consultant, Envint Consulting, Montreal. The author defines first-, second-, and third-generation biofuels. Focusing on biofuels from algae, a third-generation biofuel, he states the apparent advantages of this fuel and analyses its costs of production. These costs are, according to the research he cites, prohibitively high. See this article in Biodiesel Magazine, April 2009, at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3313&q=&page=all.
"The Search for Sustainable Solutions" was authored by Susanne Retka Schill, Staff Writer, Biodiesel Magazine. This is a very interesting article reviewing the efforts of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) to develop sustainability guidelines for the U.S. biodiesel production industry. The NBB guidelines were informed by those developed by the International Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels and the U.S. non-profit Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance. Read this article at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3312&q=&page=all.
" 'World's Greenest Building' to Use Biodiesel," by Kris Bevill, is a short article about a mixed use building in Independence, Oregon, where on-site generators will use biodiesel with waste heat stored for peak-times use. Solar will be employed in the summer. See this article at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3318.
BUILDINGS
"Athletic Center Aims High" is a case study, written by staff, of a geothermal-energy focused expansion of a university sports center. The expansion includes energy-saving approaches that are described. See this case study in Consulting-Specifying Engineer, April 2009, at http://www.csemag.com/article/196309-Athletic_center_aims_high.php.
"Serving Up Green without Seeing Red," by Pauline Harris, owner/principal of SPIN, shows the developing attention given to the greening of smaller chain stores by highlighting one in particular. See this article in ED+C (Environmental Design + Construction), April 22, 2009, at http://www.edcmag.com/CDA/Articles/Web_Exclusive/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000575835.
"Visual Tour of a LEED Gold Office Building," by Rick Tinucci, Bick Group, shows how a new corporate headquarters, in St. Louis, Missouri, for a design-build firm, makes the grade for Gold Certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Green Building Council. The new headquarters was fashioned from the newly-insulated and renovated shell of an older building. See this article in Consulting-Specifying Engineer, April 2009, at http://www.csemag.com/article/196331-Visual_tour_of_a_LEED_Gold_office_building.php.
CLIMATE CHANGE
"How Solid Is Concrete's Carbon Footprint?" by staff, reports on the research at Washington State University that indicates concrete, the world's most common building material, absorbs CO2 in the course of its lifetime and even after it is broken up and reused. There are implications for climate change which more research may discover. See this short article in WSU Today Online, May 18, 2009, at http://wsutoday.wsu.edu/Pages/Publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14588&PageID=
GREEN ROOFING
"A Top 10 List for Vegetative Roofing Systems" was authored by Helene Hardy Pierce, Vice President, Technical Services, Codes, & Industry Relations, GAF Materials Corporation. As the author emphasizes, the purpose of a roof is to keep its building dry. A vegetative roof is new to most builders and designers. Therefore, some education on what not to do and why not is necessary to ensure success, first and foremost, in preventing water from entering the building through a faulty roof. The article includes 10 things to avoid and explains why they are each included. See this article in ED+C (Environmental Design + Construction), May 2009, at http://www.edcmag.com/CDA/Articles/Cool_Roof/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000574893.
"What's Cool about Garden Roofing" was written by Riaz Hasan, Accessories Product Manager, Firestone Building Products. This article well describes the three general types of vegetative roofs - intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive - and addresses the option of using tray systems for the extensive type. The author emphasizes the importance of a building's ability to bear the extra weight of water, the growing medium, and plants. The lightweight tray systems for extensive roofs have improved in terms of aesthetics. See this article in Sustainable Facility, May 2009, at http://www.sustainablefacility.com/Articles/Article_Rotation/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000560006.
POLICY
"About the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Ordinance" is the title of a web page on the website of the City of Austin, Texas. This ordinance, effective as of June 1, 2009, requires a conservation audit to take place before any residential or commercial building that is 10 years old or more is sold if it uses electricity from the local public utility, Austin Energy. The results of the audit must be made available to the prospective buyer. The aim of the ordinance is to save energy on buildings throughout the city. The web page explains the ordinance further and links to detailed information for building owners. See this web page at http://www.austinenergy.com/About%20Us/Environmental%20Initiatives/ordinance/index.htm.
Past issues of Energy Newsbriefs are available at
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found at the home page of their web sites.
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