Sustainable Development Focus
WAMU - Aug 31 The U.S. Green Building Council named Washington, D.C. the world's first LEED Platinum city last week, a newly-established accreditation for environmental sustainability. The LEED for Cities Platinum certification recognizes the city as a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, innovating around clean energy, and other environmental metrics. To receive the Platinum certification, D.C. had to create a set of sustainability goals and submit performance data to the Green Building Council. On the green building front in particular, the District leads the way within the United States. The city has more LEED-certified projects per capita than any state.
Pomona College - Sep 7 Pomona College has committed itself to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, a bold move known as CN 2030. The college is taking significant steps toward sustainability today, and more campus environmental measures are on the way. The college aspires to reach net-zero carbon emissions without purchasing carbon credits, a strategy that few other institutions and companies have adopted. This requires Pomona to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero – and then “offsetting” an equivalent amount of any remaining emissions by retrofitting buildings, installing solar panels, investing in off-site renewables, and promoting alternative transportation programs.
Bisnow - Aug 31 Illumina's new i3 campus in the University Towne Center submarket leverages technology and open floor plans to create an environment where employees can work wherever they are most comfortable and inspired, and gives the company room to grow. Designed to LEED Platinum Core and LEED Silver for Interiors standards, buildings on the 316,000-square-foot i3 campus feature wall-to-ceiling glass that infuses the interior with natural light. Building systems reduce energy use by 56 percent and water use by 36 percent. Illumina Director of Global Facilities Operations Leizl Jones said the buildings have a 200 kW Bloom Energy Fuel Cell, a “little power plant-in-the-box” invented by Silicon Valley startup Bloom Energy.
Utility Dive - Sep 6 Arizona Public Service (APS) has proposed a slate of new energy programs and rates that will help customers conserve energy and control their usage, including energy storage, demand response, and load management programs. The proposals include incentives for smart thermostats, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, electric school buses and charging infrastructure, energy storage, and water heater timers. The plan also calls for an increase in funding for APS' energy storage program, from $4 million to $6 million. The utility is also proposing an educational component to ensure customers know best how to utilize the programs, including rate structures that encourage home pre-cooling, shifting the use of appliances to off-peak hours, and staggering the use of major appliances.
WAMU - Aug 31 The U.S. Green Building Council named Washington, D.C. the world's first LEED Platinum city last week, a newly-established accreditation for environmental sustainability. The LEED for Cities Platinum certification recognizes the city as a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, innovating around clean energy, and other environmental metrics. To receive the Platinum certification, D.C. had to create a set of sustainability goals and submit performance data to the Green Building Council. On the green building front in particular, the District leads the way within the United States. The city has more LEED-certified projects per capita than any state.
Atlanta Journal Constitution - Aug 29 Atlanta has strengthened its sustainable design guidelines for municipal facilities as part of the Sustainable Building Ordinance. Under the ordinance, all major renovations and new construction of city-owned facilities larger than 5,000 square feet are required to gain LEED New Construction Silver Certification or greater. All existing city-owned facilities larger than 25,000 square feet are required to gain the LEED Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Certification. The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously on July 17 to approve the Sustainable Building Ordinance.
Solar Industry Magazine - Aug 31 Like many other businesses, auto dealerships across the U.S. are increasingly adopting solar, and SunPower recently highlighted how its network of solar dealers has helped auto companies make the transition. Citing the National Auto Dealers Association, the vertically integrated solar company says energy costs can be a car dealership’s third-highest operating expense. With lighted parking lots, electric-tool-filled repair shops, and technology-enhanced showrooms, auto dealers on average consume 18 percent more energy than a typical office building, collectively facing nearly $2 billion in electricity costs annually – a hefty price for local, family-owned businesses that make up roughly 80 percent of the industry. Across the country, SunPower solar dealers have helped auto dealerships put empty rooftops and expansive parking lots to better use with solar energy systems. While generating enough energy to significantly reduce an auto dealership’s electricity costs, they also offer protection to whatever is underneath – be it a newly constructed roof or a fleet of new cars.
