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Lee Company Inaugurates Solar Installation
Westbrook, Conn., June 29 - The Lee Company has inaugurated its new solar energy system. With 1,760 photovoltaic panels on the roof, the 308-kilowatt solar electric system is one the largest of its kind to be installed in New England. More on this and other green news...
Starwood Energy Closes $433m Infrastructure Fund
Bloomfield, Conn., June 29 - Energy private equity firm Starwood Energy Group Global, based in Greenwich, CT has closed its first fund, Starwood Energy Infrastructure Fund, targeting investments in generation and transmission assets. More about Starwood ...
2008 Statewide Minority Construction Expo
This event on July 2, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville will bring Architects, Engineers, and General Contractors with Construction Professionals together to promote the growth of Minority Construction Companies in Connecticut.
More about the Expo...
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Auggie V's Connecticut Green Blog
"Welcome to the greenest blog in Connecticut. Here you'll read about a person, place or thing that has a connection to green building. Every now and then I might stray and discuss something outside our 500 mile sustainable region and it might just be about green business or green lifestyles but it will leave you with something to think about and hopefully make your day a little greener."
-Augustus "Auggie" Victorious
2005 Green Blog Archives
December 2005, November 2005, October 2005
October 28, 2005
Turner Construction Releases Green Building Survey Results; Educational Buildings are becoming the rage in Green Building
Smart schools breed smart students. Turner Construction Company has announced the findings of its annual survey of building owners, developers, architects, engineers, corporate owner-occupants, consultants, and educational institutions on green building issues. This year's survey placed a special focus on green educational facilities -- both K-12 and higher educational facilities. The findings of the survey found that interest in green buildings for educational institutions was growing. Many college campuses around Connecticut are already green and several towns in Connecticut have green K-12 schools, some even LEED registered. A majority of respondents found numerous benefits of green schools and believe the practice will enhance learning and increase student and teacher productivity. However, the one area that still is a concern, is the perceived higher cost of building green.
The self-administered survey was conducted over the Internet by Bayer Consulting from Aug. 12-26, 2005. For the purposes of the survey, green buildings were defined as buildings, which use design and construction practices to significantly reduce or eliminate negative effects on the environment and building occupants. For a complete review of the survey click here.
October 26, 2005
Growing Number of Retailers are Building Green
In an article in today's Pittsburgh Gazzette, more and more retailers are building green stores. For instance Wal-Mart this summer opened its first experimental green supercenter in McKinney, Texas, and a second will open in Aurora, Colo., in the next few weeks. The drivers to why these stores build green are based on high energy usage, how their viewed by the consumers and the productivity of their own employees. The retail industry really has come to the conclusion that the consumer will enjoy the purchase experience more if done in an enjoyable and healthy environment. By the way, the article chronicles several retailers in the Pittsburgh area. For the record, Pittsburgh is one of the greenest cities in the country. Yes, shocking but true. To read the full article, click here
October 24, 2005
Americans are Purchasing More Green Power Says The U.S. Department of Energy
Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report that indicated Americans were voluntarily purchasing more renewable energy then they had five years ago. Purchases of "green power" topped 2,200 megawatts by the end of 2004, up from only 167 megawatts in 2000. The report also finds that roughly 600 utilities were offering green power programs in 34 states in 2004, and more than 330,000 utility customers were participating in such programs, a fivefold increase since 1999. In CT, the Clean Energy Options Program, a renewable energy option for NU and UI residential and commercial customers, has 3,721 residential participants and 54 total businesses. The CT Department of Public Utility Control estimates that the 100% costs about $5 more a month and the 50%, $3 more a month. More info here. Some say these are good numbers. Come on Connecticut, we can do better than that. For a copy of the DOE Report, click here (PDF, 2.5 MB)
October 21, 2005
Store Sells Cradle to Cradle Wood; Embraces "Green Earth Concept"
Though it may be a bit of a drive for some Connecticut residents, just across the border in New York about a half-hour northwest of the Cornwall Bridge is Antique and Vintage Woods. "We attempt to salvage all types of woods," says Dale Mitchell, who started Antique and Vintage Woods in 1997 with his partner in life and business, Marilyn Miklau. "Before people like us came along, all of this wood would have been thrown into a dump and become part of a landfill. Now, when we salvage the wood, it can become a beautiful floor or piece of furniture. We give a second life to materials rather than throw them away. Essentially, we're saving trees. We reduce the need to cut trees and waste them." Antiques and Vintage embrace the "Green Earth Concept," a term used by the lumber and building industry to promote the recycling of old and historically significant materials. By salvaging and reclaiming the wood from abandoned barns and bowling alleys-and other disused structures-fewer trees are cut down and fewer building materials are added to landfills or burned. " If your thinking about re-doing your kitchen and are looking for a cutting block, this might be the place.
October 19, 2005
And Speaking of Fuel Cells
The Hartford Courant reports today that UTC Power and Fuel Cell Energy, who we mentioned yesterday, are the only competing bids to building the worlds largest fuel cell power plant on Long Island. The two Connecticut based companies will be competing to be chosen by the Long Island Power Authority to build a 10-megawatt plant. As Michael Kujawae, editor of Fuel Cell technology News states " There are only two companies that can fufill that right now, and that's UTC Power and Fuel Cell Energy. By default they are the only two bidders." This is no small piece of cheese. It's worth a huge chunk of swiss. For more on the article click here.
October 18, 2005
Fuel Cell Summit to be Held Next Week at the Green Mohegan Sun
Connecticut is the leader in fuel cell research and production. Fuel Cell Energy headquartered in Danbury with offices in Torrington, UTC Power in South Windsor and Distributed Energy (Formally Proton Energy), Wallingford lead the way in fuel cell development. The Mohegan Sun is one of the greenest casinos in the world and next week, from October 23-25 and hosted by The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will host the 2005 Fuel Cell Summit. In case you didn't know, the Mohegan Sun is very green and in fact is powered by two UTC Power fuel Cells. How fitting. Furthermore, in the Summer issue of Legends the casino's quarterly publication, an article entitled The Mohegan Tribe Thinks Green, outlines the different ways the casino has embraced many of the principles of green building such as reduced emissions, pollution-free heating and cooling, an aggressive recycling program, and many more.October 16, 2005
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Seeking Proposals for Operational Demonstration Program
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund has announced that it is accepting applications for it's new $4 million Operational Demonstration Program. The funding, up to $500,000, will allow early stage companies to demonstrate the effectiveness of products they are developing that are close to being available to the public. The program would help to develop Connecticut's growing renewable energy industry. As Lise Dondy stated in this months issue of CT Business Magazine, " New inovations in clean energy can be a driver in creating and expanding the renewable energy industry in CT." She goes on to say, " It will increase the potential production and use of clean energy through technology advancements and enhance Connecticut's growing reputation as the international leader in clean energy innovation." It's all about yankee ingenuity.
October 15, 2005
Democratic Candidate For Governor Embraces Sustainable Design
The Stamford Advocate reports that Stamford Mayor and democratic candidate for Governor Dan Malloy announced at a program on high performance buildings his offices efforts to create an Energy Improvement District, in which businesses mutually purchase, conserve and generate electric power while providing affordable and reliable energy. The program was co-hosted by the city of Stamford, The Business Council of Fairfield County and the nonprofit organization Clean Air-Cool Planet.
Malloy also stated that Fairfield County needs to take this issue seriously, because ignoring it will further hurt its competitiveness in attracting and retaining businesses. Citing the August 2003 blackout, the Stamford Town Center's blackout last holiday season and the series of power outages in downtown Stamford this summer, Malloy urged the audience not to delay implementing new energy strategies.
The conference also featured Bob Fox (yeah the same guy who spoke in Hartford last month) of Cook + Fox who discussed the Bank of America headquarters project in NYC and Metro Center II, a "green" building which is being built on speculation near the train station in Stamford.
October 13, 2005
We Need To Do A Better Job Recycling both at Home and in the Office
Recently, Hewlett Packard polled business executives with purchasing authority and found that 66% are not aware of environmental regulations when they dispose of IT equipment. Many homeowners just leave computer equipment at the curb, which eventually wind up in at the dump. In Meriden a small recycling firm wants to change that. WeRecycle! will actually pick-up computers, electronics and used light bulbs. WeRecycle! then breaks-down the components and sells the parts to businesses around the country that take the used material and make it into something else. Very sustainable company. Cradle to cradle supply chain at it's best.
October 10, 2005
Representative Roy the Cell Phone Guy, Is Also a Green Guy
State Representative Richard Roy, (D) Milford, CT, who's claim to fame is authoring and championing the 2004 CT Cell Phone Bill, which basically restricts the use of cell phones while driving, is also a leading force in green building initiatives in Connecticut's state legislature. In an article in today's Stamford Advocate which looks at Green Building, Roy stated that when the state's legislature goes into session in early February, 2006, regarding a public-building LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) bill "I'm going to make it a priority." In past years, bills would be introduced requiring LEED standards for new, state-owned or state-funded buildings, but each time the bills died. Roy, chairman of the Environment Committee, was on the floor of the house this past year with a public building LEED bill in hand when the session ended. Had it passed, CT would have been the first state to have such a law. It took Roy several sessions before the Cell Phone Bill passed. Note to Represenntative Roy, keep up the good work but be careful what you ask for. To read the article, click here.
October 8, 2005
US Green Building Council Introduces LEED for Homes
During the past several months the US Green Building Council (USGBC) has piloted a new LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system for homes. The USGBC developed and currently administers the LEED rating system for new construction (LEED-NC) and existing buildings (LEED-EB). The pilot program is a voluntary program that will recognize and reward the top 25 percent of green home builders. New homes built to LEED standards will be look at water use, energy efficiency and how much and what materials are used. Homebuilders interested in taking part should submit an application on line. For more information click here.
October 6, 2005
Lots of Home Products To Help With Soaring Heating Bills
The Farmers Almanac has predicted that this year's winter will be cold. That's all New Englanders need to hear considering the rise in heating costs. But in today's Wall Street Journal's Personal Journal Section Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan writes about affordable products that home owners can purchase; in most cases right around the corner at our local supply dealer. Cheryl reports that popular products include Energy Star light bulbs, ceiling fans with built-in heater's and caulking and insulating foam. Many national retailers have also caught on to these rising heating costs and are aggressivly stocking the shelves with energy efficient products and materials. In fact Home Depot goes one step further and holds workshops at stores for homeowners to learn more about how to save on energy costs.
October 5, 2005
Yale Students Seek Sustainability
According to the yaledailynews.com The Yale College Council passed a resolution encouraging President Richard Levin and the University administration to implement the Yale Energy Task Force's recommendations, which were endorsed by the Yale Student Environmental Coalition, Yale Climate Campaign, Student Taskforce for Environmental Partnership and the Office of Sustainability. The students are recommending the purchase of 20 percent renewable energy by 2010 and the goal of a 10 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction below 1990 levels by 2020. The New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers made the long-term goal of a 10 percent reduction in GHGs in August 2001, while New Haven has already committed to 20 percent renewable energy by 2010. Yale is following Mayor DeStephano's lead in committing the city to the same standards. For more on the recommendations click here.
October 2005
Heating billing scaring you to death? Do something about it!
American's have been living on cheap energy for decades while other advanced economies of the world have been paying two to three times what we pay and as a result have learned the simplest of lessons: conservation. These are lessons you might remember from your parents: "Turn the lights off when you leave the room!"; Don't stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open!"; "Turn the water off while you brush your teeth!" So if you're like me, you grew up doing the complete opposite of what your parents told you and while the simple thought of it might kill you, you've got to come to terms with the fact that they were right. My first piece of advice it to get over it quickly or get a therapist because otherwise this winter you could end up in the poor house. My second piece of advice is don't tell them you've taken some their early advice and definitely don't tell them they were right because you will never hear the end of it!. The good news is that there are a number of products already on the market that can help you tackle that heating bill immediately. Today's Wall Street Journal's Personal Journal outlines a few products that can help. So can a few workshops at your local Home Depot. And if after this you also need a good therapist, check the yellow pages.
2005 Green Blog Archives
December 2005, November 2005, October 2005