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Public Comment Opens on Proposed Certified Wood LEED Credits

The USGBC has opened a 30-day Public Comment Period for proposed changes in how the LEED system awards points for the use of certified wood.

Construction Foam Market Sees Potential in Green Building

The weakened $14 billion market for polystyrene and polyurethane foam may see its resurrection in the move toward sustainable and green construction products, a report says.

DOE to Pursue Zero-Net Energy Commercial Buildings

DOE has launched its Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative by establishing the National Laboratory Collaborative on Building Technologies Collaborative.

Certification Bodies Announced for LEED Rating System

As a part of the broader vision for LEED V3, the certification bodies for the LEED Green Building Rating System were announced last week.

Alcoa's Kawneer Launches Green Web Site

Kawneer's Web site showcases Kawneer green products, explores recent LEED projects and includes a LEED Certification section.

Trilogy by Shea Homes Offers Free Solar Power

Trilogy by Shea Homes is offering free solar power systems in all of its Shea Homes Active Lifestyle Communities across four states.

Solar City Tour to Visit 50 U.S. Cities

The Solar City Tour is taking interactive educational exhibits to 50 cities in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Minnesota and Colorado.

Premier SIPs Exceed LA LEED Requirements

Used for the entire building envelope, Premier SIPs meet and exceed many of the LEED categories set in place by the USGBC and the LA building code requirements.

DOE Launches EnergySmart Hospitals Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced last week the launch of the EnergySmart Hospitals initiative.

California Sets Green Building Standards Code

Last week the California Building Standards Commission announced the unanimous adoption of the nation’s first statewide “green” building code.

Survey Findings Say Home Owners Want Green

The survey found that 78% of homeowners earning less than $50,000 per year say they would be more inclined to purchase a green home.

Oakland, CA Debuts Residential Green Building Standards

Last week, Oakland, Calif.'s first residential green building legislation was introduced.

NAHB Notes 800 Professionals Are Now Certified Green

Less than five months after its introduction, nearly 800 building professionals have earned the NAHB's Certified Green Professional designation.

AIA Debuts GreenStep Online Video Series

The AIA has debuted its GreenStep video series, which is a multipart series on the benefits of green architecture and choosing an AIA architect.

Pennsylvania Establishes $650 M Energy Fund

The $650 million package includes $92.5 million in loans, grants, reimbursements and rebates to support energy conservation and weatherization.

CCEF Marks $2.5M More for Affordable Housing Initiative

The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) board has authorized an additional $2.5 million for CCEF’s Affordable Housing Initiative.

SBIC Opens Beyond Green Awards Application Period

The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council is now accepting applications for the 2008 Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards.

DOE Headquarters Receives Energy Star Recognition from EPA

The DOE's James Forrestal Headquarters Building uses 40 percent less energy than the average office building.

MLB Rolled Out Green Carpet for 2008 All-Star Game

One of the longest—and greenest—red carpets ever created in the US was a lead-up to the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.

GREENGUARD Introduces New Certification Category

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has added the Formaldehyde Emission Reduction Technology category to its certification programs.

Callison Works with USGBC to Develop LEED for Retail

Callison has partnered with the USGBC to develop two sustainable models designed for retailers: LEED for Retail and LEED Portfolio.

Landscape Structures Gives $200K to ASLA Initiative

Landscape Structures, a manufacturer of commercial playground equipment, has committed $200,000 to support the Sustainable Sites Initiative.

Jones Lang LaSalle Acquires ECD

Jones Lang LaSalle has acquired ECD Energy, best known as the developer of technology underlying environmental rating systems for buildings.

Energy Design Guide Series Represents Energy Savings

The Energy Design Guide series includes publications on small retail and office buildings, K-12 school buildings, and warehouses.

CARB Charts Course to Reduce Global Warming

The California Air Resources Board plans to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions by 30% over the next 12 years.

New Homes With SunPower Solar Systems Sell Faster, Study Say

New homes with SunPower solar systems are selling twice as fast as new homes without solar, a study says.

Hilton Vancouver, Washington Earns LEED and Green Seal

Hilton Vancouver, Washington is now the first hotel in the world to earn both LEED and Green Seal certifications.

Chicago Homebuilder Advocates Obtainable Green Homebuilding

Chicago homebuilder Nick DiCosola recommends that creating an environmentally friendlier home should be the goal for every homeowner and builder.

Evaluate Efforts to Make Green Building Law, Lawyer Says

Codifying the fast-growing trend toward green buildings could lead to unforeseen consequences, warns James A. Kosch, an environmental attorney.

USGBC Re-launches Greenbuild365 Web Portal

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has relaunched its Greenbuild365 Web site.

Green Registry to Promote Eco-Friendly Product Seal

The Green Registry certification standards are designed to direct consumers to new eco-friendly products and services.

YBP to Present Unique LEED-Based Rating System

YBP’s GY-Framework was designed to help the largest, intact ecosystem in America survive demands of rapid development.

NAHB Headquarters Gets Fourth ENERGY STAR

The NAHB has earned its fourth ENERGY STAR designation for the National Housing Center, its Washington, D.C., office building headquarters.

Changes to LEED System Open for Public Comment

The USGBC has opened the first public comment period on LEED 2009, the next evolution of the LEED green building certification system.

ACEEE Releases Report on Energy Efficiency Success

The report shows that U.S. energy consumption will have been slashed by the end of 2008 to half of what it was in 1970.

Owens Corning Announces Sustainability Partnerships

Owens Corning has partnered with two green building programs.

Financial Services Executives Plan Green, Survey Says

The study found 73% of financial institutions are planning new building projects; of that group 75% are considering using green materials/practices.

Leonardo Academy Releases White Paper on LEED-EB

Leonardo Academy’s white paper reveals that there are many low-cost and no-cost sustainability actions for existing buildings.

Green Home Building Market to Double, Report Says

McGraw-Hill Construction presented this week the findings of its latest market research investigating "green" home building.

LIPA to Launch Ambitious Energy-Efficiency Program

Long Island Power Authority’s 10-year, $924 million program will sharply reduce peak demand and postpone the need to construct a new power plant.

Burt Hill Receives Revit BIM Award for Sustainable Design
Press Release Issued by Autodesk
New Literacy Center in Pennsylvania among Burt Hill project designs demonstrating value of BIM for green building.

Fort Hood Implementing LEED Criteria

Fort Hood in Texas is incorporating LEED criteria into its Comprehensive Army Master Planning System (CAMPS).

Function: Panel Finds BIM is a 'Must Have' for Architects

A recent panel of leading architects hosted by Function: revealed that the use of BIM is on the rise among architects and construction companies.

MkSolaire Opens at Museum of Science and Industry

The mkSolaire incorporates "smart" technologies, with a focus on energy efficiency, making greener choices and homeowner awareness.

AIA Releases Study of Three Green Building Rating Systems
Press Release Issued by AIA
Report examines Green Globes, LEED NC 2.2, and SBTool 07 in relation to AIA position statement on green rating systems

Perkins+Will Garners Sustainable Leadership Award

Perkins+Will will receive the 5th Annual CoreNet Global, AIA, and IIDA Sustainable Leadership Award for Sustainable Development on May 6, 2008.

Frost & Sullivan Report Looks at LEED Trend

Emphasis on LEED certification increasingly characterizes the function of the building sector in North America, a Frost & Sullivan report says.

Los Angeles Dodgers Plan to Make Stadium Green

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced a multi-faceted stadium improvement plan that will include modern amenities and LEED green building measures.

PSE Picks Five Puget Sound-Area Schools for PV Grants

Five Puget Sound-area schools in Washington state have received $100,000 in grants from PSE for the installation of PV systems and educational tools.

LA Mayor Villaraigosa Signs Green Building Law

The new law--the Private Sector Green Building Plan--plans to cut carbon emissions in Los Angeles by more than 80,000 tons by 2012.

Ecobuild America/AEC-ST Conference Hosts SG Blocks
Press Release from Ecobuild America
SG (Safe Green) Blocks will display a partially finished, re-purposed steel cargo shipping container at the Ecobuild America/AEC Conference.

NAHB Asks Congress to Extend Tax Incentives

NAHB told Congress today that the way to help small home builders promote residential energy efficiency in construction is by extending tax incentives.

Special Offer for Ecobuild America
Press Release Issued by Ecobuild America
Special Offer for Community Members for Ecobuild America Conference and Exhibit--Education, Networking, and New Products!

National Green Jobs for America Campaign Begins

The Green Jobs for America campaign will demonstrate that investing in clean, renewable energy is the best way to fight global warming.

ASLA Announces 2008 Professional Awards

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has announced the recipients of its 2008 Professional Awards.

Special Offer for AEC Science & Technology Conference
Press Release Issued by EcoBuild America
Special Offer for Community Members for AEC Science & Technology Conference and Exhibit

ASLA Announces 2008 Professional Awards
Press Release Issued by ASLA
Prestigious landscape jury selects 29 projects for honors.

ConnectPress Launches Revit Community
By ConnectPress
ConnectPress launches new website for Revit Architecture users and AEC professionals. Join the Revit Community today!

Green Building Digest and Sun-Enews Move to Monday

Beginning Monday, April 7, 2008, Green Building Digest and Sun-Enews will start going out on Mondays, instead of Fridays.

DuPont and TERI Sign MOU on Green Building Design in India

DuPont and The Energy and Resources Institute have signed an MOU to promote the cause of green building design and certification in India.

California State Health Buildings Earn LEED Gold

The California Department of General Services announced this week that four state-owned health services buildings have earned a LEED Gold rating.

DOE Announces Criteria for ENERGY STAR Water Heaters

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week new ENERGY STAR criteria for water heaters, the first in the history of the program.

AIA Picks 2008 Sustainable Design Program Cities

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Center for Communities by Design has selected 10 communities to receive technical assistance in 2008.

LEED, ENERGY STAR Buildings Save Energy, Study Says

Two recently released studies confirm that third-party certified buildings outperform their conventional counterparts.

DELL Global Headquarters Going 100 Percent Green
Press Release Issued by DELL
Dell is now powering 100 percent of its 2.1 million square-foot global headquarters campus with 100 percent green power.

AIA Announces 19 Recipients of the 2008 Housing Awards

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the 19 recipients of the 2008 Housing Awards.

U.S. CAD is 2008 Autodesk Platinum Club Award Winner

Over the last few years, U.S. CAD has worked to increase clients' understanding of how Autodesk technologies relate to sustainable design and LEED.

Chicago's Merchandise Mart Picks TAC for Energy Savings

TAC will implement energy reduction initiatives as part of the Clinton Climate Initiative’s global Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program.

Habitat for Humanity and Home Depot Announce Initiative

Habitat for Humanity and The Home Depot Foundation have announced a national green building initiative--Partners in Sustainable Building.

Washington's Governor Signs Bill to Fight Climate Change

Washington Governor Gregoire has signed legislation that will lead to reduced greenhouse gas pollution and increase the state’s energy independence.

Green Residential Remodeling Guidelines Launched

The American Society of Interior Designers Foundation and the USGBC have launched the nation’s first green residential remodeling guidelines.

GSA Office of High-Performance Green Buildings Created

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has established an Office of High-Performance Green Buildings.

Countrywide Offers Discounted Rates for Green Homes

Countrywide Home Loans has announced the launch of its Green Incentive Program, which will initially be available to qualified home buyers in 13 states.

Clean Energy Grows to $77B in 2007, Clean Edge Reports

Revenues in biofuels, wind power, solar photovoltaics and fuel cells are up 40 percent, from $55 billion in 2006 to $77.3 billion in 2007.

Wal-Mart Launches Web-Based Tool to Aid Sustainability

Wal-Mart and the Cleantech Group have launched a Web-based tool to identify technologies to help Wal-Mart move toward its sustainability goals.

Business-Consumer Coalition Asks for Tax Credit Extension

A coalition of more than 100 business, trade and advocacy groups is asking for passage of legislation to extend renewable energy tax credits.

CertainTeed Enters PV Roofing Market with SRS Energy

CertainTeed has entered into a partnership with SRS Energy to advance the development of photovoltaic roofing products.

Interest in Green Materials for Kitchens and Baths Increases

Renewable materials and energy-efficient products for kitchens and baths have risen in popularity, according to an AIA Home Design Trends Survey.

Wal-Mart, NGA Start Greening State Capitols Partnership

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the National Governors Association (NGA) have announced the formation of the “Greening State Capitols” partnership.

NeighborWorks America Reveals Green Building Initiative

NeighborWorks America's national green building initiative is being supported by a $750,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation.

W.P. Hickman Systems Wins Award for Green Roof Work

W.P. Hickman Systems received the award for work on the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, one of the country’s most environmentally friendly buildings.

USGBC Doubles Local LEED for Homes Network

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has doubled its network of LEED for Homes Providers across the United States.

DOE Launches Builders Challenge Program

The DOE's Builders Challenge is a voluntary national energy savings program calling for 220,000 high-performance, energy efficient homes by 2012.

NAHB National Green Building Program Commences

The National Association of Home Builders has launched its National Green Building Program, an education, verification and certification program.

Number of Energy Star Commercial Buildings Increases

The number of commercial buildings and manufacturing plants to earn the Energy Star increased by more than 25% in the past year.

Autodesk Expands Sustainable Design Product Portfolio

Autodesk has signed an agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of Green Building Studio and Carmel Software Corporation.

Frank Harmon Architect to Design Green AIA/NC Building

Frank Harmon Architect PA has won the AIA/NC's design competition to design the organization's new headquarters in downtown Raleigh, N.C.

USGBC Commits $1 Million for Green Building Research

The USGBC has doubled its funding commitment for green building research grants to be awarded in 2008 to a grand total of $2 million.

Greensburg, KS First City to Commit to LEED Platinum

Greensburg, Kan., has passed a resolution to certify all city-owned buildings LEED Platinum; it is the first U.S. city to pass such a resolution.

Energy Design Guide Series Available for Free Download

ASHRAE and its partnering organizations are making available for free the Advanced Energy Design Guide series.

Austin, TX Joins LED Cities Using Energy-Efficient Lighting

The city of Austin, Texas, has joined the LED City program, an international initiative to deploy and promote energy-efficient LED lighting.

DOE Picks Teams to Compete in 2009 Solar Decathlon

The U.S. DOE has selected the 20 university teams to compete in the fourth Solar Decathlon, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in fall 2009.

Green Builders Homes Receive Energy Star Rating

Green Builders, a developer of sustainable homes based in Austin, Texas, has received ENERGY STAR certification on all of its green-built homes.

Bay Area Builders Support Green Building Standards

The Home Builders Association of Northern California is supporting mandatory green building standards in San Francisco Bay Area cities/counties.

Grren Manufacturing a Major Feature
By Canon Communications LLC
Canon Communications will introduce major exposition features in all four of its principal manufacturing trade events facilitating “Green” or sustainable manufacturing practices for U.S. manufacturers.

Dominion Homes Offers New Green Building Alternatives

Dominion Homes, a central Ohio homebuilder, is using environmentally friendly green building techniques in building new homes.

San Diego Nonprofits Receive Green Grants From B of A

San Diego nonprofits working to improve the environment have received grants from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in California.

Bialecki Builds USA Green Home at 2008 Beijing Olympics

Bialecki will represent the U.S. at the Beijing Olympics for the Future House Community project (10 houses, each built by a different country).

SBIC Announces Beyond Green 2007 Award Winners

The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) has announced the winners of the Beyond Green 2007 High Performance Building Awards Program.

AIA Launches 'Walk the Walk' Sustainability Campaign

The AIA's "Walk the Walk" campaign will educate, promote and encourage sustainable design among consumers, business owners and architects.

GE Unit Partners with SunPower on California Solar Projects

GE Energy Financial Services is partnering with SunPower to provide financing for five California solar power projects.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Keynote Greenbuild Expo

Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be the opening keynote speaker for USGBC’s annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo, November 17-19, 2008, in Boston.

DOE Regulations to Increase Energy Efficiency by 30%

The DOE has established regulations requiring new federal buildings to achieve at least 30% greater energy efficiency over prevailing building codes.

Landscape Architects Name Landscape Trends for 2008

Conducted in December 2007, the informal poll asked leading landscape architects about the top residential and commercial trends for 2008.

Alliance to Save Energy Praises Energy-Saving Law

The Alliance to Save Energy has hailed the recent enactment of H.R. 6 as the most significant energy-efficiency legislation in three decades.

Modtech Announces Agreement with LivingHomes

Modtech will be the exclusive manufacturer of LivingHomes' Ray Kappe-designed steel-framed modular single-family homes.

AIA Report Looks at Cities with Green Building Programs

The report analyzes 661 communities’ best practices and strategies, and gives recommendations for cities looking to implement green building programs.

Google Announces Renewable Energy Initiative

The initiative will focus on advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential technologies.

PeopleCube Releases Key Green Predictions for 2008

PeopleCube recently issued its business trends and predictions for green initiatives in 2008.

ON Networks Goes Green with Digital TV Show

The video-on-demand series is designed to be an online green resource for consumers buying or building a home, as well as existing home owners.

Renewable Energy Becoming Mainstream, Report Says

Renewable energy has evolved from an ‘alternative’ source of energy to a mainstream option, according to the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report 2007.

USGBC Launches Education Provider Program

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the launch of the Education Provider Program (EPP).

SRI Consulting Publishes Green Building Materials Report

SRI Consulting's new report, Green Building Materials, explains how the use of green building technology can be incorporated into construction.

Report Looks at Financial Benefits of Green Office Buildings

Green buildings have higher occupancy rates and lower operating expenses than non-green buildings, according to the new report.

Call for Papers for Greenbuild 2008 Now Open

The USGBC has opened the call for papers for educational sessions at the 2008 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo.

ASID Foundation and USGBC Plan REGREEN Program

The ASID Foundation and the USGBC have partnered to create the first nationwide green residential remodeling guidelines for existing homes.

GBCI Launched for Green Building Professionals

GBCI was created to develop and administer credentialing programs aimed at improving green building practice.

USGBC Launches Green Home Guide Web Site

The Green Home Guide details the ways green homes can benefit health, the environment and homeowners' personal finances.

Perkins+Will Announces Support of 2030 Challenge

Perkins+Will, a leader in sustainable architecture and design, has announced its support of the 2030 Challenge.

DOE To Invest $21 M for Next-Gen Solar Energy Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy will invest $21.7 million in next-generation PV technology to help accelerate the use of advanced solar power.

KTRB-AM 860 and GBE Present Green Seed Radio

KTRB-AM 860 and Green Building Exchange have teamed up to present Green Seed Radio, an environmental talk radio program.

Green Building to Grow $2B in Construction, Report Says

The market for green building materials is expected to grow from almost $2.2 billion in 2006 to $4.7 billion in 2011, according to a new SBI report.

BOMA Study Looks at Commercial Real Estate Industry

The survey of the commercial real estate sector reveals that nearly two-thirds of respondents have allocated funds to green initiatives.

NAHB Green Program Targets Home Buyer Demands

The NAHB's National Green Building Program, based on the three-year-old NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, is set to launch February 14.

California Clean Tech Open 2007 Winners Announced

The California Clean Tech Open, a national clean technology business contest, has announced the six category winners of the 2007 competition.

Autodesk Is Greenbuild Silver Sponsor

Autodesk, Inc. will be a Silver sponsor of the 2007 Greenbuild Conference Expo, November 7-9, 2007, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

U.S. and Spain To Develop Solar Decathlon Europe

Spain’s Housing Ministry will establish a framework for a European edition of Solar Decathlon in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Debuts Green Amendments

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company is introducing new green amendments to its Builders Risk insurance policy.

West Hollywood Unveils Green Building Ordinance

The City of West Hollywood has implemented one of the nation’s first Mandatory Green Building Programs for Private Development.

Homeowners Skeptical of Green Products, Survey Says

A poll of 1,200 U.S. homeowners found more than 70% agree that when companies call a home building product green it is just a marketing tactic.

Solar Homes Arrive for Third Solar Decathlon

This week, students from 20 universities are arriving in Washington, D.C., to transform the National Mall into a solar village.

National Solar Tour Day Is This Saturday

Solar homes and buildings in almost every state will be open to visitors for the National Solar Tour this Saturday, October 6.

Skanska Ranks No. 1 in ENR Green Survey

Skanska USA ranked as the No. 1 green builder out of 50 companies in Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) first-ever Top Green Contractors survey.

Survey Looks at Consumers' Green Concerns

Yankelovich's survey found that one-third of consumers feel much more concerned about environmental issues today than a year ago.

PV Manufacturers, Installers Form The Solar Alliance

A number of leading U.S. solar electricity module manufacturers and systems integrators have joined forces to form The Solar Alliance.

Green Building Gives Architects Edge, Report Say

Adoption of low-emission building technology has given some architects and developers a competitive edge in the marketplace, according to a new report.

OCR Has Free PV Workshops for Builders, Architects

Old Country Roofing, in association with BP Solar, is sponsoring a series of free solar workshops throughout Central and Northern California.

NGA Launches Securing a Clean Energy Future

The National Governors Association (NGA) is promoting clean energy policies with the launch of the Securing a Clean Energy Future initiative.

New Jersey BPU Approves NJ Solar Market Change

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has now established a solar market that focuses on the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs).

Homeowners Split on Green Building Ideals, Survey

Homeowners say green building is important to them and more than just a fad, but are split when it comes to acting on those ideals, a survey reports.

Sokol Blosser Wins Sunset Magazine Green Award

Sokol Blosser Winery's founder and president Susan Sokol Blosser has been awarded Sunset Magazine's prestigious "Green Award."

New Green Chamber Serves U.S. Green Businesses

The Green Chamber is the first national business organization created to serve the practical and legislative needs of “green” businesses.

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CBIA Encourages Buyers to Go Green

California homebuilders are reminding prospective buyers that today's new homes use far less energy than homes built 15 to 20 years ago.

Honeywell To Help DOE Meet Energy Efficiency Mandates

Honeywell will help the U.S. DOE meet stringent federal requirements for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Former President Bill Clinton to Keynote at Greenbuild

Former President Bill Clinton will deliver the keynote speech of the opening plenary of Greenbuild (November 7-9, 2007) in Chicago.

USGBC Opens LEED for Homes Second Comment Period

The second public comment period will be open for 16 days from Friday, August 24, 2007, to Sunday, September 9, 2007, closing at midnight PDT.

Solar Power Expo Planners Anticipate Record Crowds

The 2007 Solar Power Conference and Expo will take place September 24-27, 2007, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

DOE Launches TEAM Initiative for Energy Savings

The DOE's TEAM Initiative is a department-wide effort aimed at reducing energy intensity across the nationwide DOE complex by 30 percent.

Survey Reveals Homeowners Eco-Buying Behaviors

A recent market research survey on U.S. residential awning usage looks at homeowners' energy cost concerns versus their buying behaviors.

Report Looks at Zero/Low Emission Buildings Market

Research and Markets has announced the addition of a new report, "Zero and Low Emission Buildings," to its report offerings.

New Homes in Gilroy, CA Feature Solar

Casa Del Sol with eight homes and Northpoint with 12 homes are each outfitted with a BP Solar solar electric system.