-Considering booming urban populations, stretched environmental resources and growing income disparities a PhD student believes local food production might soon be indispensable throughout Africa.
-This week perhaps marks the first step in the fragmentation of LEEDs global green building certification empire (ok, being a little dramatic!) as Singapore's Building and Construction Authority unveiled what the world's first green building certification for eateries. Could we one day see this certification land on North American shores? Also, did you catch that McDonald's with a green roof???
-Turning military bases into farms? What a great idea! Why haven't more communities done this? Two words...Superfund sites. Oh dear.
-Minneapolis has joined the food policy club! This R.T. Rybak seems like a true supporter of green initiatives! WWHAT ELSE HAS HE DONE????
-Didn't we just talk about this earlier in the week? The Wall Street Journal weighs in on suburbian small-scale agriculture.
Showing posts with label green building. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green building. Show all posts
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Green roof events galore
Today at the University of Toronto, Jeff Licht drops in to talk new green roof media.
On October 7 the World Green Roof Congress is meeting in Mexico City...home of the latest green roof commitment.
October 12 in Toronto, at the Wychwood Art Barns the Canada Green Building Council Greater Toronto chapter is meeting.
November 1-3 - International Skyrise Greenery Conference 2010, Singapore.
On October 7 the World Green Roof Congress is meeting in Mexico City...home of the latest green roof commitment.
October 12 in Toronto, at the Wychwood Art Barns the Canada Green Building Council Greater Toronto chapter is meeting.
November 1-3 - International Skyrise Greenery Conference 2010, Singapore.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A few things...
Fantastic article which shows (and images!) which shows how various greening measures can be added to buildings. My particular favorite is the last image, showing how all the technologies discussed, and a few others everyone is familiar with, can be applied.
Speaking of retrofit, anyone know where to get updates of Dockside Green building in Vancouver? I think they still have 6 years until it's done.
Once upon a time I heard that the province of Prince Edward Island had no building codes. I couldn't believe it, but never verified Came across this article from last fall, it looks like PEI hasn't adopted province wide codes, which mean in some places the codes could be very lax. Maybe non-existent? This still isn't confirmation, I'll keep diggin' because I like to dig.
Oh, and Pittsburgh is greening their code as well.
Can artists take techniques from sustainable food production and apply that to art production?”
And the winner of today's "most misleading green story headline designed to get press" award goes to the University of California, Irvine for releasing this:
"Urban 'green' spaces may contribute to global warming, UCI study finds". Truly stunned, it was the first thing I read.
The second line reads "Turfgrass management creates more greenhouse gas than plants remove from atmosphere". Ya don't say? Lawns, not such a good thing? Management of lawns even worse? However this part is vital:
"... greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer production, mowing, leaf blowing and other lawn management practices are four times greater than the amount of carbon stored by ornamental grass in parks, a UC Irvine study shows. These emissions include nitrous oxide released from soil after fertilization. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that's 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, the Earth's most problematic climate warmer."
The rest of it, oy.
Speaking of retrofit, anyone know where to get updates of Dockside Green building in Vancouver? I think they still have 6 years until it's done.
Once upon a time I heard that the province of Prince Edward Island had no building codes. I couldn't believe it, but never verified Came across this article from last fall, it looks like PEI hasn't adopted province wide codes, which mean in some places the codes could be very lax. Maybe non-existent? This still isn't confirmation, I'll keep diggin' because I like to dig.
Oh, and Pittsburgh is greening their code as well.
Can artists take techniques from sustainable food production and apply that to art production?”
And the winner of today's "most misleading green story headline designed to get press" award goes to the University of California, Irvine for releasing this:
"Urban 'green' spaces may contribute to global warming, UCI study finds". Truly stunned, it was the first thing I read.
The second line reads "Turfgrass management creates more greenhouse gas than plants remove from atmosphere". Ya don't say? Lawns, not such a good thing? Management of lawns even worse? However this part is vital:
"... greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer production, mowing, leaf blowing and other lawn management practices are four times greater than the amount of carbon stored by ornamental grass in parks, a UC Irvine study shows. These emissions include nitrous oxide released from soil after fertilization. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that's 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, the Earth's most problematic climate warmer."
The rest of it, oy.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Good to go
A few days ago, I saw this press release, about a new mall concept called ECOnvenience Center.
'Good to Go' Centers Benefit from Tax Credits, Grants
A new concept, the Good to Go ECOnvenience Center, offers small businesses government financial incentives and consumers green, 24/7 convenience centers for fuel, car wash, and merchandise
Milwaukee (PRWEB) January 12, 2010 -- The surge in ‘Green-built’ business opportunities has special impact for owners of ecologically designed ‘Good to Go’ convenience fuel and shopping outlets, according to Steve Nikolas, President of Good to Go ECOnvenience Centers.
“Recognizing the accelerating public demand for conservation and the preservation of the environment, Uncle Sam has already thrown his stars-and-striped hat into the mix to support higher profit margins for ‘Green-built’ business enterprises and to achieve their energy mandates,” stated Nikolas who heads a Wisconsin-based firm that is developing the first 24/7 centers for environmentally-conscious consumers.
More than 150 ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers are targeted for future development; all built to United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
“Beyond the intrinsic environmental values are multiple options for increasing ownership profit margins, over and above conventional outlets,” he said. “Those advantages are due to specialized government grants and funding, already in place to encourage conservation of resources intrinsic to ‘Good to Go’ construction and operations.”
Among existing programs:
- A U. S. Small Business Association (SBA) 504 Loan Program offering special funding for renewable, alternative energy and sustainable design features, applicable to new ‘Green’ building typical of ECOnvenience construction, including retro-fitted structures.
- Qualified applicants through SBA 504 are eligible for a 30 percent Federal Tax Credit or Grant for renewable energy project participation, applicable towards a down payment or equity participation in center ownership.
“When applied to ‘Good to Go’ ownership, up to 90 percent of total purchase cost translates into only 10 percent down payments by qualified owner-operators,” Nikolas said.
- The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 provides tax credits for the blending of ethanol fuel, which, at a below-average rate of 150,000 gallons per month, could mean an annual tax credit of $384,750, according to an estimate of volume in high-traffic locations.
“Providing ethanol and other renewable fuels is a prime product feature of ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers,” noted Nikolas who cited additional federal tax credits for the cost of installing renewable fueling equipment, effective as of January 1, 2006, as well as on-site blender tax credits.
“The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 goes a step further, authorizing grants for infrastructure development for renewable fuel blends incorporating 10 to 85 percent ethanol, and the program extends to both technical and marketing assistance,” he added.
Originally adopted to provide tax credits of up to 30 percent for equipment and installation, the 2007 revised act, through federal stimulus funding, upped that figures to 50 percent (not to exceed $50,000), obtainable through submission of three IRS forms.
Infrastructure credits for construction established by the U. S. Green Building Council for LEED certification include panelized construction with Green Roof control of water runoff, 100 percent LED energy-efficient lighting, use of pervious concrete and rain garden installations minimizing storm water runoff and recharging ground water at each Center site.
Even without tax credits, the unique environmental product-emphasis of ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers offers a variety of renewable fuel alternatives that provide exceptional cost savings with a 24-hour automated merchandising system of 220 staples products, staffed by a single employee to increase operating profitability through lower overhead costs.
In addition, the Center car washing system, utilizing recycled water, consumes two gallons of new water per wash, compared to 50-150 gallons in standard facilities, with an annual cost savings of more than 2 million gallons of fresh water.
For more information, contact Larry Heck, VR Business Sales Mergers & Acquisitions, at 262-347-2083 or larryh(at)vrbizlakes(dot)com.
'Good to Go' Centers Benefit from Tax Credits, Grants
A new concept, the Good to Go ECOnvenience Center, offers small businesses government financial incentives and consumers green, 24/7 convenience centers for fuel, car wash, and merchandise
Milwaukee (PRWEB) January 12, 2010 -- The surge in ‘Green-built’ business opportunities has special impact for owners of ecologically designed ‘Good to Go’ convenience fuel and shopping outlets, according to Steve Nikolas, President of Good to Go ECOnvenience Centers.
“Recognizing the accelerating public demand for conservation and the preservation of the environment, Uncle Sam has already thrown his stars-and-striped hat into the mix to support higher profit margins for ‘Green-built’ business enterprises and to achieve their energy mandates,” stated Nikolas who heads a Wisconsin-based firm that is developing the first 24/7 centers for environmentally-conscious consumers.
More than 150 ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers are targeted for future development; all built to United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
“Beyond the intrinsic environmental values are multiple options for increasing ownership profit margins, over and above conventional outlets,” he said. “Those advantages are due to specialized government grants and funding, already in place to encourage conservation of resources intrinsic to ‘Good to Go’ construction and operations.”
Among existing programs:
- A U. S. Small Business Association (SBA) 504 Loan Program offering special funding for renewable, alternative energy and sustainable design features, applicable to new ‘Green’ building typical of ECOnvenience construction, including retro-fitted structures.
- Qualified applicants through SBA 504 are eligible for a 30 percent Federal Tax Credit or Grant for renewable energy project participation, applicable towards a down payment or equity participation in center ownership.
“When applied to ‘Good to Go’ ownership, up to 90 percent of total purchase cost translates into only 10 percent down payments by qualified owner-operators,” Nikolas said.
- The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 provides tax credits for the blending of ethanol fuel, which, at a below-average rate of 150,000 gallons per month, could mean an annual tax credit of $384,750, according to an estimate of volume in high-traffic locations.
“Providing ethanol and other renewable fuels is a prime product feature of ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers,” noted Nikolas who cited additional federal tax credits for the cost of installing renewable fueling equipment, effective as of January 1, 2006, as well as on-site blender tax credits.
“The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 goes a step further, authorizing grants for infrastructure development for renewable fuel blends incorporating 10 to 85 percent ethanol, and the program extends to both technical and marketing assistance,” he added.
Originally adopted to provide tax credits of up to 30 percent for equipment and installation, the 2007 revised act, through federal stimulus funding, upped that figures to 50 percent (not to exceed $50,000), obtainable through submission of three IRS forms.
Infrastructure credits for construction established by the U. S. Green Building Council for LEED certification include panelized construction with Green Roof control of water runoff, 100 percent LED energy-efficient lighting, use of pervious concrete and rain garden installations minimizing storm water runoff and recharging ground water at each Center site.
Even without tax credits, the unique environmental product-emphasis of ‘Good to Go’ ECOnvenience Centers offers a variety of renewable fuel alternatives that provide exceptional cost savings with a 24-hour automated merchandising system of 220 staples products, staffed by a single employee to increase operating profitability through lower overhead costs.
In addition, the Center car washing system, utilizing recycled water, consumes two gallons of new water per wash, compared to 50-150 gallons in standard facilities, with an annual cost savings of more than 2 million gallons of fresh water.
For more information, contact Larry Heck, VR Business Sales Mergers & Acquisitions, at 262-347-2083 or larryh(at)vrbizlakes(dot)com.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Calgreen take me away...
Hot off the presses, California adopts the greenest building code in the USA...and by the looks of it, all of North America.
Strangely, those speaking out against it include the U.S. Green Building Council...some say protecting it's turf. Turf war in the green building world. Sorry, couldn't resist.
UPDATE: A broader perspective on Calgreen.
Strangely, those speaking out against it include the U.S. Green Building Council...some say protecting it's turf. Turf war in the green building world. Sorry, couldn't resist.
UPDATE: A broader perspective on Calgreen.
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