Florida Announces World's First Solar-Powered City
from Inhabitat
 Florida’s next big community isn’t for retirees — it’s for solar energy buffs. Florida Power & Light and development firm Kitson & Partners are collaborating on Babcock Ranch, a 17,000 acre solar-powered city near Fort Myers. The community will run entirely on a 75 megawatt, $300 million solar-powered generator, and will also use smart grid technology to let all inhabitants of the community monitor their power consumption. More
Deciphering California’s Efficiency Successes
from The New York Times
Talk to any California utility or environmental advocate, and at some point they are bound to cite – with pride – the flattening out of the state’s per-capita electricity use. Since 1975, the amount of electricity per person has grown by almost 50 percent in the rest of the country; California’s numbers have stayed nearly level. Advocates often credit energy-efficiency measures taken by utilities, at the behest of the state. Yet a new study suggests that the reasons behind California’s leveling off of electricity use are complex, and go well beyond energy efficiency.
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AFE 2009 Member-Get-A-Member Campaign: Who Do You Know That Could Benefit from Membership in AFE?
from AFE
Only you can best communicate the value of AFE membership. AFE provides the tools and information you need for day-to-day success as well as the long-term support for advancing your career. With more members comes a stronger Association, stronger products and services… a stronger profession! And a strong word-of-mouth marketing campaign is the surest way to promote AFE’s continued growth. Click here
for the Member-Get-A-Member flyer to forward to your network of colleagues – Get the word out about AFE!
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Construction Starts on London's Shard of Glass Tower
from New Civil Engineer
From Chicago to Dubai, a raft of iconic record breaking skyscrapers have been axed or mothballed. Nowhere has the global financial crisis been felt more than in the high rise sector where the bottom has fallen out of commercial development market. But despite the credit crunch, a new tower is starting to emerge in central London. The 80-story pyramidal Shard of Glass at London Bridge will be the highest skyscraper in the U.K. at 310m when it is completed in 2012. It will also be one of the highest in Europe. More
AFE Webinars: Top-Notch Facilities Training
Click here.
Wind Industry in the U.S. Still Strong
from redOrbit
In the burgeoning industry of wind energy, Texas remains the undisputed leader, but competition in other areas of the country is growing fierce. According to a new report released by the American Wind Energy Association, the state of Iowa has recently unseated California for the number two spot, This year the Renewable Electricity Standard act will be up for a vote in Congress which, if passed, would require utility companies to obtain at least a quarter of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. More
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Product Showcase:
ASTEC Re-Ply™ Roofing Systems
 It’s no secret; sooner or later every building will need a new roof. The truth is, not all failing roofs need to be torn off and replaced, adding wasteful cost to your budget and to our environment. Let Astec show you 5 ways to save on your next roofing project, with a free webinar or roof survey. Visit www.whyreplace.com.
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AIA Releases Its Top 10 List of Green Building Projects
from GreenerBuildings
The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment have selected the organization's Top 10 List of outstanding examples of environmentally responsible architecture and design for 2009. More
Call for Speakers - Facilities America 2009, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, Greenville, SC
from AFE
AFE is now soliciting abstracts for presentations from knowledgeable professionals in industry, government, military, public education and academia for a comprehensive conference program on the latest facilities management topics at Facilities America 2009. Submissions should be in the form of individual presentations or panel discussions. Sessions are 1 ˝ hours in length. More
Horizontal Super Skyscraper in Shenzhen Set to Finish in 2010
from Shanghai Daily
The new Vanke Center in China's Shenzhen, Guandong Province, is a "horizontal skyscraper" designed by maverick architect Steven Holl. The maverick architect Steven Holl is turning the traditional idea of a skyscraper on its head - or rather on its side. If it was stood up vertically, it would be as tall as the Empire State Building, but lying horizontally it stands just 35 meters. Due to be finished in 2010, the building will be the new headquarters for China Vanke, one of the country's largest real estate developers. It will also house apartments, condos and a hotel.
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Energy and Climate Bill Advances
from Technology Review Online
Congress is moving forward on legislation that would address both energy efficiency and climate change in a single bill, creating requirements for the use of renewable energy and introducing a cap on carbon dioxide emissions. A draft of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was released at the end of March. Congressman Edward Markey from Massachusetts, one of the sponsors of the bill, said that hearings on the legislation will begin today to help shape the bill into its final form. More
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