Cutting Costs with Solar Walls
from The New York Times
 Amidst the general gloom in the renewable energy sector, one energy company based in Toronto is discovering a renewed appetite for a low-cost, low-tech solar air heating system based on one of the immutable laws of physics: hot air rises. Conserval Engineering, which has offices in Buffalo and Paris, is responsible for Solar Wall panels, made from corrugated and perforated galvanized steel. The cladding is affixed to south-facing walls of industrial and commercial buildings, creating a cavity in which sun-warmed air is vented up and into heating ducts. More
National Guard Taking Energy Efficiency Seriously
from Washington Energy Services
The National Guard is becoming a larger player in the drive for greater energy efficiency and renewable fuel use. A recent Associated Press report notes that every building in the military construction program must merit a silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, with two percent of a building's cost to be spent on meeting standards and investing in efficient windows and energy systems. More
Archives of AFE Webinars
from AFE
If you’re like most AFE members, your daily schedule can be erratic. Sometimes you can’t juggle everything and still attend an AFE live, educational webinar. No problem! You can always access archives of webinar handouts, Powerpoints and audio – including participants’ questions and answers – from the association’s web site. They’re on the same page as the listings of upcoming webinars; just scroll down this page: and click. Valuable resources from about two years worth of presentations are there, covering topics such as green and sustainable buildings, mold in ductwork, ductless heat pumps, trends and technology in facility management, in-house snow removal vs. hiring private contractors, lighting, exit doors, monitoring and remote facility systems analysis, standby generators, roofing, asbestos diseases, dry ice blast cleaning, water treatment, construction, alarm management, fuel-fired equipment standards and codes, maintenance planning and scheduling, and building automation.
Beijing's Olympic Building Boom Becomes a Bust
from Los Angeles Times
"Empty," says Jack Rodman, an expert in distressed real estate, as he points from the window of his 40th-floor office toward a silver-skinned prism rising out of the Beijing skyline. "Beautiful building, but not a single tenant. Beijing went through a building boom before the 2008 Summer Olympics that filled a staid communist capital with angular architectural feats that grace the covers of glossy design magazines. Now, six months after the Games ended, the city continues to dazzle by night, with neon and floodlights dancing across the skyline. By day, though, it is obvious that many are "see-through" buildings, to use the term coined during the Texas real estate bust of the 1980s. More
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Corporate Office's New Address, Phone
from AFE
CEO Laurence Gration and the staff of AFE will be relocating soon. The new space, Gration says, has numerous advantages but most importantly, improves operating efficiency. Effective March 1, you can reach AFE at 12801 Worldgate Dr., Suite 500, Herndon, VA 20170. The new phone number is (571) 203-7171. E-mails will not change.
Want LEED® Credits for Your Lights? Plan Early
from Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce
The vast majority of the building industry agrees that sustainable design is the right thing to do, and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification process has become a main tool to certify buildings that meet stringent sustainability requirements.
Whether it’s due to environmental stewardship, government mandates, market drivers or peer pressure, owners are choosing more than ever to “go LEED.” But when the decision to go LEED comes late in the design process, it can bring on major design challenges for lighting designers and other consultants. More
Spiraling Skyscraper Farms for a Future Manhattan
from Inhabitat
As the world’s population continues to skyrocket and cities strain under the increased demand for resources, skyscraper farms offer an inspired approach towards creating sustainable vertical density. More
Conserve Energy for Buildings with Low-cost Steps
from Buildings.com
Welcome to 2009 – with a recession, a federal government stimulus package, reductions in capital budgets, and increases in utility costs. While this may not be the perfect storm, it will certainly be an interesting, challenging year. We can pull the covers over our heads and hope for good news, or we can get back to basics and do something about our energy consumption. More
Cost and Environmental Concerns Push U.S. Business Leaders to Become More Energy Efficient
from CNN
As U.S. business leaders strive to be more energy-efficient in order to save money and reduce their companies' impact on the environment, a majority believe information technology products can help their businesses become "more green," according to a recent survey conducted by Zogby International for Cisco. The survey also found that nearly one in three U.S. business leaders believe their environmental strategies will be unaffected by the current economic downturn. More
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