Articles for October 5, 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.
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GREEN BUILDINGS
The following two articles appeared in the September 2009 issue of Sustainable Industries; the first suggests what might occur, the second, how what has happened has exceeded expectations:
1. "Can an Eco-Community Revitalize a Hard-Hit City?" by Sara Stroud, Correspondent, Sustainable Industries, asks the question of Stockton, California. Stockton seems to be responding to the recession with a grand effort. A large-scale sustainable project, Stockton Preserve, is planned that will encompass 1800 acres. It will include attention to all areas that affect traveling within the Preserve to reduce the need for cars. The Preserve will include wetlands, parks, agricultural space, a hospital, and residential and commercial buildings. The development will feature very low emissions, high energy efficiencies, water recycling, and more. See this article at http://www.sustainableindustries.com/greenbuilding/59239742.html.
2. "New Office Tower Beats Energy Estimates" was written by Charles Redell, Associate Editor, Sustainable Industries. It describes the new LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council), 20-storey, office building in Bellevue, Washington. The high rise is amazingly energy efficient. See this article at http://www.sustainableindustries.com/greenbuilding/59275112.html.
HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"High-IQ HVAC" was written by Don Talend, Write Results, Publicity and Communications Project Manager. The author shows how intelligent HVAC controls can increase energy savings and, ultimately, ensure an appropriate return on the initial investment (ROI). He includes four case studies to illustrate the point. See this five-web-page article in the September-October issue of Distributed Energy beginning at http://www.distributedenergy.com/september-october-2009/high-iq-hvac.aspx.
LIGHTING
"Smart Urban Density Requires Smart Lighting" was authored by Denise Fong, IALD, LEED AP, and Principal, Candela. This article addresses the importance of attending to the "walkability" of a city after dark with as much attention to lighting design as is normally given to other kinds of design for daytime in the city. See this article in Sustainable Industries, September 2009, at http://www.sustainableindustries.com/commentary/57009372.html?viewAll=y.
POLICY -- CLIMATE CHANGE
"A Clean Energy Bargain: More Jobs, Less Global Warming Pollution, and Greater Security for Less Than the Cost of a Postage Stamp a Day" is a four-page policy brief from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). It urges passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) and supports that position with detailed discussion of what NRDC sees as the advantages of the legislation. See this September 2009 policy brief at http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/cap2.0/files/bargain.pdf.
"State Action Reveals U.S. to Be Leader on Climate" is a September 24, 2009, announcement on the Center for Climate Strategies website. It describes the Center’s State Climate Policy Tracker database -- there is a link to the database at the top of the left frame of the web page. The database, according to the announcement, reveals that a number of individual states in the U.S. have been very actively engaged with mitigating climate change, but the states’ actions haven’t been "sufficiently appreciated." The database, it is hoped, will inform policy makers as they discuss and evaluate policy efforts regarding climate change. See this announcement at http://tinyurl.com/y86xkp4.
POLICY -- LIGHTING
"Build a Better Bulb for a $10 Million Prize" was written by Eric A. Taub and Leora Broydo Vestel. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made a conscious effort to speed up the development of LEDs (light emitting diodes) without compromising quality. Measures are in place to prevent LEDs from suffering the fate of CFLs (compact fluorescents). Early CFLs, in many cases, failed to meet manufactures’ advertised claims, claims that were never tested and validated by independent third parties. See this article in the NY Times, September 24, 2009, at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/technology/25bulb.html?_r=1 -- free registration may be required to see the article.
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS (PVs)
"9 Rooftop Photovoltaic Installation Tips," by Dave Barista, Managing Editor, Building Design and Construction are offered by PV roofing experts. They cover various topics including fire rating, flashing, marking the roof for emergency workers, protecting the current roof system, and more. Read this article in Building Design and Construction, September 2009, at http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6687393.html.
"Getting the Price Right on PVs," by Brent Barker, explains a number of variables that affect the cost of a PV system. Some variables are easily considered now such as high initial costs mitigated by rebates, near-zero maintenance costs for decades, and payback periods which are largely dependent on the local cost of power. Other variables are more difficult to consider; they include the future technologies, the development of third party ownership of leased commercial roofs fitted for PV, and more. See this article in Public Power Magazine, September 2009, at http://www.appanet.org/newsletters/ppmagazinedetail.cfm?ItemNumber=25396&sn.ItemNumber=0.
WATER
"Agencies Find Unique Solutions for Water Upgrades across the Region," by Lia Steakley Dicker, highlights three innovative upgrades. The first, a gravity-based sewer removal system in Lake Oswego, saves a great deal of energy by avoiding the use of pumps. This article appeared in Northwest Construction, September 2009, at http://northwest.construction.com/features/archive/2009/0909_F3_WaterProjects.asp.
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Newsbriefs are available at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
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for the journals cited above can be found at the home page of their web
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© 2009
Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This publication
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