Practical Eco

Welcome

Practical Eco is a source of energy efficient solutions such as:

• Lighting - Induction, LED and Fluorescents
• Insulation - spray foam
• Water recycling - gray water
• Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) - water cooled retrofits & solar air conditioning
• Solar - dual axis trackers and complete commercial installations
• More - building envelope solutions, pavers, flooring

We can help your business, school or town to save up to 50% of your energy bills, while improving indoor air quality, comfort and increasing comprehension.

Below are a series of articles on a wide variety of green building and efficiency topics. Some relate to products we offer, while some are for general interest. Please feel free to contract us to discuss anything you see here.

And you can follow me on Twitter now at www.twitter.com/practicaleco

Innovating for Better Buildings

An Opportunity Disguised as a Meltdown

I came across this report which I think might be interesting to many people in the building industry, particularly architects. It seeks to answer the question of how to innovate for better buildings. Nth Power and the Fraunhofer Institute have put it together because they believe the new construction sector in the US offers a timely opportunity to innovate. They assert that the market downturn is a favorable dynamic for the adoption of innovation.

Because the inefficient, compartmentalized construction processes so common in the US building industry (and many other countries) has consistently produced energy wasting and low quality buildings, the industry has essentially set itself up for disruption.

Now several drivers are converging to force the industry to deliver cheaper, greener, and better performing buildings. This is transforming the industry to more collaborative, efficient, and economical processes which are better suited to adopt innovation. The authors view this as a Perfect Storm which is nothing short of a revolutionary for the building industry.

Click here to download and view the full report as a PDF file.

Living Buildings

The concept of the “living building” is emerging as a new ideal. The Cascadia Region Green Building Council (CRGBC) in the Pacific Northwest defines a living building as a structure that “generates all of its own energy with renewable non-toxic resources, captures and treats all of its water, and operates efficiently and for maximum beauty.” The group has been pushing the concept and helped launch the International Living Building Institute to promote the concept internationally.

“We view our role as the organization that is meant to ask the really tough questions, to push the boundaries as far as possible,” says Jason McLennan, CEO of CRGBC. To this end, in 2006 the group launched its Living Building Challenge (LBC), a “call to the design and construction community to pursue true sustainability in the built environment.” So far 60 different projects around North America are vying to meet the high standards of the LBC, which exceed even the highest status of LEED certification.

The first building to be completed for consideration under the LBC program is the Omega Center for Sustainable Living, in Rhinebeck, NY. The 6,200 square-foot, one-level building, which serves as headquarters for the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, features a geothermal heating and cooling system, solar panels, rain gardens that direct water run-off to irrigate plantings, a 4,500-square-foot greenhouse that helps filter wastewater for reuse, “daylighting” design that brings natural light indoor to minimize electric light usage, and eco-friendly building materials all around. It was designed—per LBC criteria—to be “net-zero,” meaning it uses no more energy than it generates itself. Once the building has been in operation for a full year next summer, CRGBC will audit it to see if its performance lives up to the green hype. Dozens of other LBC contenders around North America will be audited as well.

Of course, the costs of creating a living building today are very high. Achieving net-zero can be especially costly, and stands out as one of the biggest obstacles to greater interest in the living building concept. Another challenge is finding materials that meet LBC standards, since many common building materials—such as PVC piping for wastewater transport—off-gas chemicals and have other hazardous attributes. LBC also expects builders to source locally as many materials as possible to boost local economies and make efficient use of nearby natural resources. McLennan remains confident that costs will come down as green materials, technologies and methods become more commonplace within the general building industry.

Image thanks to Omega Center for Sustainable Living.

EarthTalk®

Study Finds Increased Productivity, Lower Vacancy and Higher Rents in Green Buildings

A study conducted by the University of San Diego and CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc (CBRE) found that tenants of green buildings experience increased productivity and fewer sick days. It also found green buildings have lower vacancy and higher rental rates.

Of course, anyone involved in green building already knows this to be true. But now we have a solid and credible piece of research to underline the point. It's something we can point to for clients, partners and suppliers that need to be persuaded of the value of green building.

The report entitled "Do Green Buildings Make Dollars and Sense?" (PDF document), is the product of a year-long research effort and is the largest study of its kind to date.

The research found that tenants in green buildings are more productive, based on two measures: the average number of tenant sick days and the self-reported productivity change. Respondents reported an average of 2.88 fewer sick days in their current green office versus their previous non-green office, and about 55% of respondents indicated that employee productivity had improved. The decrease in sick days translated into a net impact of nearly $5.00 per square foot occupied, and the increase in productivity translated into a net impact of about $20 per square foot occupied.

The study also showed that green buildings have 3.5% lower vacancy rates and 13% higher rental rates than the market.

The research effort surveyed 154 buildings under CBRE’s management, totaling more than 51.6 million square feet and housing 3,000 tenants in ten markets across the U.S. The study defined a green building as those with LEED certification at any level or those that bear the EPA ENERGY STAR ® label. All of the ENERGY STAR ® buildings in the survey group had been awarded that label since 2008. Most of the buildings included in the research had also adopted other sustainable practices like recycling, green cleaning and water conservation.

The survey also indicated that 18% of tenants are willing to pay more for green space, and that tenants believe healthy indoor environments positively impact staff retention (61%) and client image (70%). Additionally, 71% of respondents felt that green lease provisions are increasingly important. According to the study, each additional point of ENERGY STAR ® rating saved 0.8-1.0% in electricity and separate metering yielded a 21% energy savings, more than any other factor. These findings are generally consistent with other research on this topic, which has determined buildings with the ENERGY STAR ® label, LEED certification or other identified sustainable programs generally perform better.

CBRE was recently ranked among Newsweek’s top 50 greenest large companies in America. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named CBRE an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for the past two years, the only commercial real estate services firm so recognized with that award. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded CB Richard Ellis its Leadership Award for Organizational Excellence and the industry group, CoreNet, recognized CBRE with a special commendation for Sustainable Leadership and Design – Development.

Governor Bev Perdue Announces Federal Recovery Investments in Green Economy

Gov. Bev Perdue announced that 18 small North Carolina companies will receive grants to develop and market promising green technologies and products.  

“North Carolina continues to position itself as a leader in the emerging green economy with these kinds of smart investments in promising technologies and products,” said Gov. Perdue.  “These creative entrepreneurs and businesses are turning green into gold by growing new companies and creating jobs.”

The grants announced today were based on successful applications that also met the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act criteria.  They were reviewed on a merit basis by an external advisory committee.

The recipients are:

Algaen Corporation, Clemmons -- $52,808
Concurrent production of biodiesel and treatment of animal wastewater using oil-rich microalgae

Alganomics, LLC, Southport -- $59,500
Algae to bioproducts commercialization

American Carolina Lighting, Penrose -- $50,000
Energy-efficient electronic ballasts and commercial/industrial lighting fixtures

Biomass Marketing Associates, LLC, Hobgood -- $100,000
Development of additional renewable energy component for gasification units

Builders of Hope, Chapel Hill -- $95,000
Developing a green, affordable community of homes for low-income families in downtown Raleigh.  

Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, Wilmington -- $79,368
Building Performance Workshop Series: Hands-on approach to professional training

Carolina Solar Farms, Raleigh -- $50,000
Large-scale localized power generation development in North Carolina

EcoMaintenance LLC, Elizabeth City -- $75,000
Providing green consulting, seminars, training, janitorial services

FLS Energy, Inc., Asheville -- $95,000
Commercializing a do-it-yourself solar hot water kit

Haywood Landfill Gas LLC, Matthews -- $100,000
Developing a landfill gas energy facility in Haywood County

High Country Green Box LLC, Boone -- $97,989
Repurposing Standard International Shipping Units into energy-efficient modular housing

Highland Craftsmen Inc., Spruce Pine -- $31,985
Encouraging the use of bark shingles from local, sustainably managed forests

Holloman Investing LLC, Wilmington -- $60,000
Commercializing vertical axis wind turbines

North Carolina's Northeast Economic Development Foundation Inc., Edenton -- $100,000
Building a LEED-certified business incubator facility for plant biotechnology businesses

PureLux Inc., Winston Salem -- $100,000
Commercializing an energy-efficient lighting system and fixtures

SBM Solar, Inc., Concord -- $100,000
Producing a non-glass integrated solar roofing module

SunQest, Inc., Newton -- $50,718
Commercializing a solar thermal system for medium-temperature applications

WindLift, LLC, Durham -- $82,100
Commercializing a kite engine system that generates and delivers energy from wind power

For more details see the Governor's Press Release here

NC Team wins 2nd place in USGBC Natural Design Competition

A team of students from Cape Fear Community College earned 2nd place the USGBC's natural talent design competition. They were the only community college to qualify, and they competed against 22 other teams from across the country.

The competition, now in its seventh year, gives students and young professionals the
opportunity to apply sustainable design concepts to local community building projects. Design teams compete in local competitions held by the participating chapters and host committees in USGBC’s national chapter network. The winning team from each local competition moves on to compete for a national award at Greenbuild. This year, 23 chapters hosted local competitions and sent their winning project teams to Greenbuild to compete for the national prize. The winners were chosen at Greenbuild by a jury of design professionals and were announced at the “Student and Young Professional Master Speaker Session.”

CFCC student Larry Carr represented the college at the conference and reworked the design from the state level into the format to compete nationally.

A new format for the 2010 Natural Design Competition was also revealed. In partnership with Salvation Army’s EnviRenew Initiative, the 2010 competition will focus its sights on the rebuilding effort in New Orleans, Louisiana. Competitors will be divided into students and young professionals groups and will design a LEED for Homes project that is priced affordably and is functional for elderly occupants. Up to four designs will be selected from the local competition finalists to be showcased at Greenbuild 2010 and, for the first time, the designers will see their projects built in New Orleans’ Broadmoor neighborhood.

Once the homes are built, they will enter a measurement and verification phase in which they will be graded on energy efficiency, water reuse and indoor air quality among other categories. The design team whose home performs best during measurement and verification will be awarded the final grand prize. See www.usgbc.org/naturaltalent for more details.

“The vision of USGBC to engage students and young professionals in the mission of making homeownership a financially sustainable solution through energy-efficiency, and quality of life improvements through design" said Captain Frizzell, Area Commander for New Orleans, "will develop better social  equity considerations and meet the defined needs of a recovering population”

Free Materials Re-use Workshop Nov 17 at CCCC Pittsboro NC

Orange and Chatham Counties are sponsoring a free Building Material Re-Use Workshop on the evening of Tuesday November 17th at Central Carolina Community College. The event requires pre-registration which you can do here.

AGENDA

5:45 pm Exhibit hall opens featuring representatives from: Habitat for Humanity, The Green Door, Builders of Hope, Barnstar,The Reuse Alliance and others.
6:15 pm Builders of Hope: A unique nonprofit that rescues “homes from demolition, rehabilitates them using green building standards, and sells them at cost to working families and individuals.”
7:00 pm ReUse panel featuring area deconstruction, recycling and waste diversion professionals.
 
November 17 , 2009
5:30pm to 8 pm
Central Carolina Community College
Multipurpose Room
764 West Street
Pittsboro, NC

Nielsen Green Energy Trends Study

A recent report by Nielsen evaluates households across the country tallying how many were signed up to local green energy programs and their various views on energy. Overall only 3% of households are participating in a green energy program. The map to left shows the distribution of those households across nine regions, with the South Atlantic states coming in at 14%, or fourth place.

However, 8% of households have taken advantage of the Energy Star tax credit program which offers up to $1500 for tax payers who purchase energy efficient products. And a further 21% of the households claimed that they intend to take advantage of the incentive before its expiration next year, on Dec 31 2010.

The report also shows that nationwide, 27% of households use 10 or more compact fluorescent lightbulbs and about 60% use at least 4 CFLs.

It concludes that there is a real need to educate the public about its options to reduce demand and save money. But the real challenge, the report says, is to convert people from being passive users to taking a more active role in demand management.

To view the complete report click here.

Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday This Weekend in North Carolina

Starting Friday November 6th and all through Sunday November 8th NC residents will be able to buy Energy Star qualified products with not sales tax. Of course you continue to save money for years with any of these products which typically use at least 15% less energy that other models. 
 
The many items which are exempt for state and local sales tax during the Energy Star sales tax holiday, include:

• Washing machines (clothes)
• Refrigerators and Freezers
• Central air conditioners and room air conditioners
• Air-source heat pumps and geothermal heat pumps
• Ceiling fans
• Dehumidifiers
• Programmable thermostats

So if you've been putting off a replacement, now could be the time to act.

Duke University Aims to be Climate Neutral by 2024

Duke University announced its intention to become "climate neutral" by the year 2024. The university’s current inventory is about 300,000 metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Most of this comes from energy and transportation uses, and includes commuter travel, air travel and the campus fleet of buses.

The plan means making reductions by making smarter choices about energy use, transportation, among other daily actions.  Duke said it will mitigate the impact of emissions it cannot reduce by investing in “carbon credits.” Projects such as methane capture and specialized forest management to avoid, reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. But they will "specifically target regional offsets rather than distant ones,” said Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III of the Nicholas School of the Environment.

Trask said. “This will help us address our carbon footprint as well as improve the local environment and quality of life here in North Carolina.”

Duke has launched its Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative and officials hope the venture will spur innovation and further research in this emerging market. These offset projects will provide academic opportunities for faculty and students. 

As one of its first major actions, Duke will soon reopen its historic East Campus steam plant, which has been converted from coal to natural gas. This cleaner fuel will mean Duke can reduce its coal consumption by 70%.

View the complete plan and further details here.

21 finalists announced for Sustainable NC awards

The Sustainable NC Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals who have demonstrated leadership and long-term commitment to a sustainable economy and communities in the state. There were over 60 nominations and now 21 finalists have been selected across five award categories. See the website here for the full listing and for comments about each nominee.

Winners will be revealed and presented on November 11 at the Sustainable NC Awards ceremony to be held at the Marbles Museum in Raleigh. At the half-day event where finalists will share their sustainability stories Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda features as the keynote speaker.

Vast Permeable Pavers win EcoHome magazine's 2009 Editor's Choice

I've been representing Vast locally for a couple months now and love this product for its double whammy of using recycled materials and reducing storm water run off.

The pavers come in permeable and non-permeable varieties. And, they offer both commercial and residential landscapers an excellent choice that can provide more LEED points than any other paving solution.

The speed and ease of installation also means installers can satisfy clients better while profiting more from a job. Though the pavers are made from 95% recycled materials, they look and feel like traditional pavers. In fact, most professionals can't tell the difference once they're in place.

Typical applications include driveways, parking lots, patios, sidewalks, pool areas, decks, flat roofs and other Green Building applications. VAST Composite Pavers are incredibly durable and withstand even the harshest environments. Unlike concrete, they are not affected by salt and are guaranteed not to crack. Residential applications are backed by a 10-year limited warranty and a LIFETIME warranty against cracking.

I'm delighted that Eco Home Magazine chose this as one of their ten best green building products.

Contact me anytime to discuss permeable pavers, energy efficient lighting or insulation for commercial and residential jobs.

Cape Fear Solar and Green Building Tour Sat 10/10

If you're on the NC Atlantic coast or near Wilimington, you can attend the Solar & Green Building tour tomorrow, Saturday Oct 10th. It's being put on by the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance - CFGBA.org. 

The Tour provides you an opportunity to check out the application of green building techniques, products, and technologies.  There is also a scavenger hunt for the kids & adults.

The 6 homes will feature:

• Energy Conservation & Onsite Energy Production
• Site Stewardship & Preservation
• Material Reuse & Recycling
• Natural & Rapidly Renewable Building Materials
• Enhanced Ventilation
• Water Use Reduction & Water Reuse
• Natural Landscape Design

The CFGBA is running a promotional ticket Price of just $15. 
Buy tickets online (CFGBA.org) or on the day at the City's Street Sweeper Facility (1110 S. 17th Street).

Upcoming CFGBA Events:

October 14 – General Meeting, Greening Our Cities with various Elected Officials
October 21 – Green Living EXPO at Hilton Riverside
November 11 – General Meeting, Overview of Green Certifications
Note: general meetings are open to the public and start at 7PM

UNC Chapel Hill scores an A- in the College Sustainability Report Card

The College Sustainability Report Card was released earlier today with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC.edu) showing with a score of A minus.

See the UNC details here at GreenReportcard.org.

The Ten Most Useless Energy-Related Products - excellent

Cheers to Martin Holladay for his excellent article in Green Building Advisor, unmasking the top ten bad products relating to home energy. The article is a "must read" but the list is made up of:

• Tyvek ThermaWrap
• Fafco plastic solar collectors
• Passive fresh air inlets
• Vinyl siding laminated to rigid foam
• Powered attic ventilators
• Programmable thermostats
• Inexpensive LED lamps
• Foil-faced bubble wrap
• Power factor correction devices
• Vent-free gas space heaters

See his full post here.

NC Solar Homes Tours - Oct 3, 10, 17

The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) will once again host its annual Green Building & Solar Tour. This tour of homes allows anyone to get a first-hand up-close view high performance solar homes around the state.

The tours are self-guided and feature over 80 sites across the state. Homeowners, builders and green experts are available to answer questions about the latest renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency solutions and green building techniques.

Tour dates are October 3, 10 and 17.

Visit the NCSEA website to find a tour and the dates in your local area.

J.D. Power study now out

A new study by J.D. Power and Associates indicates that buyers of new homes don't believe their builders told them about many of the green features of their home. Apparently 31% of new-home owners surveyed said they thought their house was environmentally friendly, yet 65% of these said their builder did not identify the home's green features.

According to the survey, "2009 U.S. New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study,"  The main reasons homeowners build or buy a green home are to save money on power and heating; to reduce water consumption; and generally to reducing their environmental impact. Basically, if the homes had energy-efficient HVAC systems, lighting, and appliances the owners feel they are "green" homes.

In addition, the study indicates that overall customer satisfaction with new-home builders and new-home quality improved for the second year in a row. In now averages 811 out of a 1,000-point scale compared to 779 for last year.  The 2009 study, is based on responses from 26,231 buyers of newly built single-family homes who provided feedback after living in their dwellings for four to 18 months. The study was fielded between March and July 2009.

For builder rankings for all 24 U.S. markets, visit www.jdpower.com/homes.

US government pushing a boom in green retrofits, according to the Pike Research

Pike Research has released a study called "Energy Efficient Retrofits for Commerical and Public Buildings." It shows that the business of greening commercial buildings is booming. This is driven mainly by strong activity in the federal sector. The report predicts growth will continue at least up to 2013, and emphasises that high-performance buildings command premium rental and sales prices.

According to the report, commercial building retrofits range from less than $1 per square foot up to $40 per sf. At the low end owners gain a simple energy efficiency program that can save 10% of their energy costs. At the high end, from $10 to $40 per sf owners can get up to 40% savings on energy costs and also performance enhancement for the occupants.

For more information on the report see Pike Research here.

It Pays to Install Green Roofs

Nate Kline's post on The Green Economy Post summarizes the many tax credits and incentives available for the installation of a green roof. Several locations including NYC, Chicago, LA, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. Plus, there are proposed programs for Boston and the state of Pennsylvania as well as a Federal bill that proposes a 30% tax credit for green roofs that cover at least 50% of the roof area.

A study by a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, from last year suggests that white roofs across all major cites would curb climate change. See the story here on the Christian Science Monitor.

Clearly, either greater use of both white and green roofs has major benefits and is comparatively inexpensive. Of all the things that can be done with the tops of buildings, it's a shame that black is such a prevalent choice. There are several green roofs here in the Raleigh/Durham area and a few people I know have gone with white for their home roofs. One person I've spoken with has painted black shingles with white acrylic paint and is very happy with that. I'd love to hear from anyone planning a green roof in the area.

I also noticed in Nate's own GreenDldgBlog.com a recent story that neatly lists all the various tax incentives already in place for energy efficiency measures. This is useful for anyone considering energy efficiency renovations.

NC Biotech Center adding a LEED Silver addition of 20,000 sf

The N.C. Biotechnology Center (BioTech Center) is starting a $10.4 million addition to its headquarters in Research Triangle Park, adding 20,000 sf of office and conference space. The expansion is aiming for a LEED Silver certification.

The original 47,000-square-foot center was built to house 50 employees. It's now pushing 65.

Construction is planned to begin in October and is expected to be completed in fall 2010. The job is being managed by Skanska, which also built the Durham Performing Arts Center. The designers are Charlotte architectural firm Perkins+Will, which designed the original building.

From the Herald Sun.
Press Release

"A Crude Awakening" Screening Friday 9/11 6:30pm at ERUUF

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash, will be screened on Friday September 11th, 6:30 pm at ERUUF* in Durham.

This award winning film tells the story of how our civilization's addiction to oil puts it on a collision course with geology. Compelling, intelligent, and highly entertaining, the film visits with the world's top experts and comes to a startling, but logical conclusion - our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely re-imagined and overhauled.

The 90 minute documentary is followed by a discussion of its message and what we can do.
Light refreshments are provided.

So come watch the film (again) and engage in some dialog.

see: www.oilcrashmovie.com

*ERUUF is
Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
4907 Garrett Road
Durham, NC 27707

*Photo: Henri Bureau/Sygma/Corbis

New Chapel Hill Botanical Garden to host free Environmental Summit - 9/12

The Commission for the Environment will hold its third Orange County Environmental Summit on Saturday, September 12 from 10 am to 12 noon at the Education Center for the North Carolina Botanical Garden. The event is free and open to the public.

The summit will feature keynote speaker Dr. Larry Band, who will discuss storm water sustainability in Orange County watersheds. Dr. Band is the Director of the UNC Institute for the Environment and a professor in the Geography Department. There will also be a panel of experts who will discuss issues pertaining to the quality and quantity of water resources in the County followed by questions from the audience.

Following the summit there will be an optional tour of the Botanical Garden’s brand new education center. This will be the first public event held at the center, which is intended to achieve LEED-Platinum certification.

From The Carrboro Citizen.

Induction Street Lighting Evolved

I posted an item a few weeks ago about induction lighting with a video that explains the technology.  Click here to see that post.

Everlast Lighting now has its newest generation of Cobra Head fixtures (the ones you often see on street lights) which is exciting on many levels.

Energy savings are incredible at about 50-70 percent lower than the typical metal halide bulbs.

Lamp life is the next big benefit. At 100,000 hours you're looking at 5 times the life of a metal halide - or more. So, if it runs for 12 hours per day, every day, it will last for 23 years before someone has to get the bucket truck out to go up and replace the bulb.

Light quality is also a major benefit. They bulbs put out a light at 5000 Kelvin and 85 CRI,  which is much whiter than other street lights and enables clearer vision, rendering colors more like natural sunlight does.

Some of the major improvements in this new type III fixture include a lightweight polycarbonate housing for better durability, a specular reflector optimized for induction lamp geometry, an integrated heat sink system for extended life, an acrylic lens with Type III, medium throw prescription and an electronic ballast with flicker free instant re-strike.   

It also includes a ballast that can dim to 50% power for greater energy savings.

So while LED lights at street level are making headlines everywhere for now, their inherent weaknesses like low usable light output, overstated longevity, pin-point bright spots, sensitivity to heat and high cost will surely impede their wider implementation. Meanwhile, the recent improvements in Induction lighting like their superior longevity, incredible lumen/watt efficiency and outstanding value will mean they start outshining LEDs, HIDs and all other types of lights for a wide range of applications.

See the full spec on the new Everlast cobra head lights here.

10 important green building studies

Tracey de Morcella, writing for The Green Economy Post summarized 10 relevant studies relating to green building.

The various studies referenced address issues such as:
- social and psychological barriers to green building
- the use of impact fees to encourage green building
- the use of mandates and incentives
- the risks that come with green building
- global green building trends
- green practices by facilities management professionals
- reshaping municipal and county laws

To read the full round up click here.

Also see my older post on the Costar Group study that shows the better financial performance of green commercial buildings.

Southern Energy and Environment Expo this weekend in Fletcher NC

The Southern Energy and Environment Expo 2009 (www.SEEExpo.com) is this weekend, August 21-23rd, at The Western N.C. Agricultural Center.

This is the 9th Annual S.E.E. Expo and features information, speakers and exhibitors that focus on action.

It's all about the actions you can take now to be a part of the needed change for a more secure, stable future.  Investments in local agriculture, green building, energy and transportation are the basic elements that we, as individuals and a community, can directly and positively develop and support.

So if you're up in the Asheville area or want a short trek up to the mountains to get away from the heat down in the Piedmont, Sandhills and coastal regions, here's a good excuse to make a trip.

Homeowners Check Your Crawlspaces

Local home inspector Jamey Tippens puts out a newsletter that I subscribe to and recommend. Not only is Jamey thorough and easy to work with, but he's an ex-contractor who really knows homes.  His latest recommendation mentioned in his last two newsletters is to check your home's crawlspace for moisture at this time of year.

Both articles are an excellent read and good information for any home owner in this warm humid climate with a crawlspace foundation.

Part one - Check Your Crawlspace This Week
Part two - Check Your Crawlspace (Again!) This Week

The bottom line is to be sure your home isn't being compromised by its number one enemy - moisture.

Central Carolina Community College to build two new centers to LEED standards

Central Carolina Community College plans to build two new centers that meet LEED silver standards. One is a new 24,500 sf Siler City Center which was awarded to Monteith Construction of Monroe, and was designed by Hobbs Architects, of Pittsboro and is expected to cost $4.16 million. Construction is set to start within the month.

The county is also building a 25,000 sf Chatham Community Library on the Chatham Campus. The Library was designed by Cherry Huffman Associates, of Raleigh, and will built by Barnhill Construction, of Tarboro. Construction is scheduled to begin in August on this county-college joint-use facility.

CCCC President Bud Marchant said, “We have the programs and we have people interested in enrolling. Now, we will have the space to accommodate many more and deliver the educational services that will benefit the residents, communities and businesses of a thriving Chatham County.”

For the full news release click here.

NC Green Business Grants awards go to 14 companies

$950,000 in grants was awarded through the “Green Business Fund” to 14 companies. The biggest single grant goes to Semprius in Durham for a system to concentrate solar energy through a lens to a small, high-efficiency gallium arsenide solar cell. The result should be an order of magnitude increase in efficiency by requiring 0.1% of the solar material to get the same power.

Innova Homes LLC of Asheville got just over $50,000 for development of a hybrid green modular home that combines a new, energy- and material-efficient structural insulated panel with traditional modular home components.

Vesture Corp. in Asheboro was awarded $75,000 for increasing production of a new home insulation product that uses phase-change materials. These materials are solid at room temperature, but liquefy and absorb and store heat when the temperature becomes warmer. When the temperature drops, the material will solidify and give off heat, warming the house and reducing consumer energy costs.

VisibleEnergy Inc. of Durham got $40,000 to develop their "Home Energy Dashboard," which monitors overall energy use and specific appliances and behaviors that directly affect energy consumption.

Other grants went to companies working on biofuel, battery solar energy and a variety of other green technologies.

For a detailed list of the grants click here.

More Green Building Could Save U.S. Economy $1.2 Trillion

If you read this site much you probably already know that there is huge opportunity to save energy through efficiency improvements in buildings. The recent McKinsey report, "Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy," indicates that increased green building along with efficiency improvements could save the US $1.2 Trillion. 

The report examines how to increase energy efficiency in buildings and sectors using existing technology and methods.  It also looks at barriers to progress and what can be done to get through them.

It concludes that a targeted investment of $50 billion per year for 10 years would produce these savings and create almost 900,000 jobs.

"This confirms a critical path forward that we have long championed. Harnessing the engine of green, energy efficient buildings can cost-effectively drive tremendous improvements in our economy and environment,"  USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi said in statement.

"Green building can stimulate the economy at a level one and a half times larger than the federal stimulus bill. In terms of climate change, a commitment to energy efficiency would be the equivalent to taking the entire U.S. fleet of passenger cars and light trucks -- more than 200 million vehicles -- off the road."

See the full 165 page report as a PDF document here.
Or read the related Greener Buildings story "Americans Waste $130 billion a Year on Energy."

*The image is of an energy auditor showing air leaks that waste energy.

NC Utilities Buying Texas Wind Farm Green Certificates

The renewable portfolio standard in NC requires utilities to have up to 12.5% of their electricity come from renewable sources. The standard kicks in in 2012 but utilities are already purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates from Texas wind farms. Utilities may meet up to 25% of their obligation through buying in credits from out of state.

See the full story on the Charlotte Observer here.

Fundraising Event for Clean Energy Durham - Aug 6th

Downtown Wine-Down is what they're calling it. On Thursday August 6th from 5-8pm at the West End Wine Bar at 601 West Main Street in downtown Durham, Clean Energy Durham will be holding a green party and fund raising event.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. All proceeds go to support the excellent work of CED as they promote energy efficiency and renewable energy use in the local area.

The event will feature:

• Free Wine, Coffee & Hors d’oeuvres
• Live Music
• Silent Auction plus Raffles throughout the evening

You can purchase tickets through their website at www.cleanenergydurham.org or at Regulator Bookshop 720 Ninth St. Or call 919-428-4321 for more information.

Show up to support local green efforts.

NC at Lucky 13 in Greenopia Ranks of Governors' Environmental Responsibility

Greenopia recently released a comprehensive ranking state governors comparing policies, transparency, and interest group ratings. At the top of the list is Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado, followed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.  North Carolina's Beverly Perdue comes in a fairly respectable 13th place, making NC the highest ranking state in the South.

See the entire ranking results here on the Greenopia website.

Fresh - the movie, screening on Friday 31st at 7pm at ERUUF

The members of the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (ERUUF) invite you to a free screening of FRESH -- the movie.

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system, including Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, Will Allen, George Naylor, and Andrew Kimbrell. As the reviewer at Eco Salon said, "If Food Inc. was your wake up call, FRESH is your call to action."

Scott Marlow will lead a discussion following the film. Scott is the Director of the Farm Sustainability project at RAFI-USA (www.rafiusa.org). RAFI -- the Rural Advancement Foundation International -- cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just, and environmentally sound family farms.

Refreshments will be served from 6:30. The program will begin at 7pm sharp. The movie is just over an hour long and we expect the discussion afterwards to last about 30 minutes.

This screening is being sponsored by the sustainability committee at the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (www.ERUUF.org) . We will show FRESH on the big screen in our Fellowship Hall at 4907 Garrett Road, Durham.

Finally, please consider supporting ERUUF's and RAFI's efforts to promote sustainable agriculture by inviting lots of friends. 

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover the film licensing fees and other costs. Any amount collected in excess of our costs will be shared with the Rural Advancement Foundation International to help promote environmentally sound and local farming.

2-day Green Building for Professionals course in Chapel Hill August 31

Michael Chandler, Owner of Chandler Design-Build, will be teaching a two-day class, "Green Building for Building Professionals," in Chapel Hill on August 31 and September 1.

Michael has been building solar and green homes in the region for over thirty years. His company's projects have drawn national recognition -– receiving first place in 2005 for "Aging in Place Design for a New Custom Home" at the NAHB International Building Show and second place in 2006 at the NAHB National Green Building Awards for "Custom Home of the Year." Michael also writes for Fine Homebuilding Magazine on structural, plumbing, and aging-in-place design topics, and he is one of the advisors on GreenBuildingAdvisor.com.

This course, which is one of two classes required for the Certified Green Professional designation from the National Association of Home Builders, discusses strategies for incorporating green building techniques into homes without driving up the cost of construction. Fees for the two-day Green Building for Building Professionals class are: $325 for members of the Green Home Bldrs of the Triangle; $350 for HBA members; and $425 for nonmembers. Pre-registration is required. Contact Leigh Scott (leigh (at) hbadoc.com; 919-493-8899) to get a registration form or click here for details.

We've written about Chandler more than once here on Practical Eco, as he's one of the original green heroes in the Triangle area. Our first posting here was 2 years ago.

New FBI field office in Charlotte NC to be LEED certified

Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE: HIW), announced their joint venture with USAA Real Estate has been awarded a build-to-suit lease by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to develop an approximate $45 million field office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 171,000 square foot, five-story Class A office building and annex, with structured parking, will be built on an 11.6-acre parcel of land they are acquiring. This building will be LEED certified. Construction is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2010 and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2011.

Read the full press release here.

Green Make-over for a 3 bed Wilmington NC home

A Wilmington home is about to get a green gut rehab and expects to be the first LEED certified gut rehab in the state and only the 31st in the country.

Some of the strategies they aim to employ include:

• Harvesting rain from the roof for irrigation and flushing toilets.
• Using ground-mounted photovoltaic panels to generate 3 kilowatts for a net zero energy home.
• Eliminating the garage in favor of a carport to avoid the potential contamination of indoor air.
• Preparing an operating manual for the home.

Read the full story here on Star News.

Water-cooled Commercial AC Retrofit Delivers 50% savings

This Energy Efficiency retrofit delivers reductions of of 30% - 60% on peak kW demand. A Thermal~Flow Demand-Buster HVAC Retrofit can double the operating efficiency at half the cost of replacing existing equipment, and it can qualify for utility demand reduction program incentives.

In a recent installation for a big-box retailer, the engineers observed a 55% overall reduction in energy demand, with a 30% reduction in peak demand. Payback from energy savings is expected within three years.

The Thermal~Flow evaporative fluid cooler tower is the only closed circuit tower that is also lightweight enough to be installed on a roof with out the need for structural upgrades.

The Thermal~Flow Demand-Buster Evaporative Condenser Retrofit system be fitted to utilize the existing AC compressor, or a new high efficiency Thermal~Flow compressor module can be installed.

The unique design of the Demand-Buster Thermal-Loop system allows one fluid cooler to service a number of roof top HVAC systems. The largest amount of savings occurs during the heat of the day thereby offsetting expensive peak demand charges that many utilities charge their commercial customers.

Many utilities offer rebate or financial incentive programs aimed at commercial users of peak kW demand.

Engineered for Commercial Roof-Top Retrofit Applications:

• Light Weight, Modular, Durable, Low Maintenance requiring no Structural Upgrades 140mph Tie-Down Engineering PDF
• 30%-60% Reduction in Peak kW
• Up to 17 EER Performance
• Proven Commercial Water Cooled Technology with a Record of Operational Success
• 15 Year Limited Warranty

Patented Evaporative Fluid Cooler features:

• Construction: All fiberglass cabinet, cannot corrode. High quality materials throughout. High Efficiency evaporative design allows one tower to service multiple HVAC systems in Thermal-Loop.
• Water Spray Nozzles: Durable plastic, non-corrosive and non-fouling.
• Fans: Aluminum, epoxy coated frame, and precision balanced plastic blades for quiet, trouble-free service.
• Service: Easy access for routine maintenance

LEED Project Software

Staying on top of a LEED registered project can be challenging, particularly a big commercial job. One of the big issues is keeping track of all of the documents relating to obtaining various LEED credits. Submittal documentation can include drawings, MSDS spec sheets, photos, commission plans and more. Plus, you might have many different project members seeking to view or edit these documents.

The website SoftwareAdvice recently ran an interesting blog article on project management software for LEED projects. They review a couple of the top solutions EADOC and Procore giving some helpful tips.

See the full article here.

Make It Right Introduces Pioneering Duplex Designs for New Orleans 9th Ward

Make It Right, the foundation founded by Brad Pitt to help rebuild the Lower 9th Ward, released its green, affordable duplex home designs by fourteen acclaimed local, national and international architects. 

While each of the 14 duplex designs is unique, the architects tackled some common problems and arrived at innovative solutions that could change the way multi-family homes are built:        

Flexibility – A number of the designs feature interchangeable floor plans that allow the families to change the size and configuration of the two homes as their family size, needs or economic situations change.

Integration with the Street – Increasing the elevation of the homes made them safer from flooding, but interrupted the connectedness between the porch and life on the street –a relationship valued by the Lower 9th Ward community.  A number of architects offered solutions to this problem, including creating landings or stoops in the stairways where the family can gather.  

Landscaping as a design and energy element – Several architects incorporated landscaping into their design of these solar-powered, highly energy efficient homes to maximize exposure to sun and shade and cut heating and cooling costs.  And because outdoor living is such a core part of living in the Lower 9th Ward, many of the designs include courtyards, interior gardens, and social use of the area under the elevated house.

Affordability —To cut the cost, but not the quality of these duplexes, several of the architects stacked the houses one on top of the other to reduce the “footprint” of the home and simplify construction.  One of the designs cuts construction costs dramatically by stacking the core of the home and aligning all of the electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems in the center of the structure, much like an elevator shaft in the center of an office building.

The first two Make It Right duplexes are expected to break ground by mid-August. For an in-depth look at the designs for Make It Right duplexes and to learn more about the architects, go to: www.makeitrightnola.org.

Induction Lighting Explained

Everlast Induction lights offer incredible return on investment, energy savings and a superior light source for almost any application. The bulbs last an incredible 100,000 hours while using 50-55% less energy than a comparable Metal Halide bulb. The light emitted is also a "full spectrum" light which means the color of the light is more similar to sunlight.

I'm now representing Everlast in North Carolina and and the surrounding states so would be delighted to talk to anyone with commercial, university or municipal lighting requirements.

Warren Wilson's EcoDorm earns LEED Platinum

Warren Wilson College has earned a LEED Platinum rating for its "EcoDorm" which was opened in 2003.

This is the first college campus building to achieve LEED Platinum in the Existing Buildings (EB) rating category. And this is the fourth LEED certified building on the Warren Wilson campus. The others are Orr Cottage and the Village South and Village North residences which all have LEED Gold ratings.

The EcoDorm was designed by Samsel Architects of Asheville. It's a the two-story structure that houses 36 residents. Warren Wilson students were involved in the planning, research and design of the building, and helped set its four green priorities: energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality and use of local and recyclable materials.

All wood used in the EcoDorm was either recycled or timber milled and finished on campus. The building's energy-saving technologies include solar hot water, photovoltaic panels, high-efficiency boilers and radiant floor heating. Plus, a web-based energy-monitoring system keeps tabs on it all.

One of the more unusual features students came up with is a salvaged 10,000-gallon railroad tanker car; fed by roof runoff, the underground cistern provides water for flushing toilets and irrigating the dorm's permaculture landscaping.

Their full press release is here.

Chapel Hill Subway Earns LEED Certification

North Carolina's first stand-alone LEED-certified restaurant is a Subway on Market Street in Southern Village, Chapel Hill. There will be a ceremony next Monday, June 29 at the store. It will be only the second LEED-certified store in the entire Subway system (which totals more than 30,000 stores) and the first of some 740 Subways in North Carolina.

Franchisee Mike Abdallat, who owns two other Subways, said, "I am sold on 'green' and will definitely do another eco-friendly store." Subway and Abdallat have been working with Cary-based Green Tech Consulting Inc. to earn a LEED certification for the Chapel Hill store.

The eco elements for the restaurant include recycled floor tile, high-efficiency Energy Star-rated HVAC systems, low flow and flush fixtures in public restrooms, less lighting power, and more natural light for seated customers. Overall, the new Subway store was renovated within its existing shell, thus avoiding a new building footprint.

Other eco-friendly elements include: building materials used from sustainable sources and extensive use of recycled products and furnishings; LED interior and exterior signage; remote condensing units for refrigeration and ice-making equipment; Energy Star-rated kitchen equipment; low VOC adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings; recycling collection of post-consumer recyclable waste generated in-store; and Forest Stewardship Certified (FSC) wood.

Demand Buster reduces air conditioning energy demand by up to 60%

Here in the Southeast we spend an extraordinary amount of energy (and dollars) keeping cool during the hot humid Summers. And it's doubly painful since for many commercial customers utilities charge higher rates at the hottest times of the day.

But businesses, hospitals, hotels and big box stores can double the operating efficiency of their HVAC units at half the cost of replacing equipment by installing a Thermal~Flow Demand-Buster Evaporative Condenser Retrofit system. This energy efficiency retrofit will yield reductions of peak kW demand of 30% - 60%.  And with many utilities offering financial incentive programs to commercial customers to reduce peak demand, the system can be very reasonable to implement, paying for itself in just a few years in savings.

One of our contractor clients installed a unit for a Home Depot store with a nearly new 20 ton air conditioner and realized significant savings immediately. Rick Bofinger of Jerico Mechanical said, "We achieved a 28.9% reduction in peak demand, and a 55% reduction in kWh, while actually INCREASING the capacity of the a/c unit."

Engineered for Commercial Roof-Top Retrofit Applications:

• Light Weight, Modular, Durable, Low Maintenance requiring no Structural Upgrades
• 30%-60% Reduction in Peak kW
• Up to 17 EER Performance
• Proven Commercial Water Cooled Technology with a Record of Operational Success
• 15 Year Limited Warranty

Patented Evaporative Fluid Cooler features:

• Construction: All fiberglass cabinet, cannot corrode. High quality materials throughout. High Efficiency evaporative design allows one tower to service multiple HVAC systems in Thermal-Loop.
• Water Spray Nozzles: Durable plastic, non-corrosive and non-fouling.
• Fans: Aluminum, epoxy coated frame, and precision balanced plastic blades for quiet, trouble-free service.
• Service: Easy access for routine maintenance

HID Retrofit with LEDs

I'm representing LED retrofit kits now that replace Metal Halide and other HID lights, saving 75% of the energy cost and lasting 3 or more time longer.
This video shows how easy they are to install.

Optima Engineering earns a LEED Platinum for their Charlotte offices

Optima Engineering, earned LEED® Platinum certification for its 16,000 square-foot South End office at 1927 South Tryon St. in Charlotte NC.  Optima Engineering is the first in the Charlotte area to have achieved this designation.

Some of the features of the office which helped it to achieve the rating include the use of rapidly bamboo flooring, reclaimed sorghum straw wood, skylights with daylighting sensors for the lighting, a highly efficient HVAC system and the dense urban location close to clients, light rail, and restaurants and retail.

Optima Engineering’s office building also features a rooftop solar photovoltaic array, producing electricity that is sold to Duke Energy, and a solar thermal system to boot.

Deltec Homes’ Model built to “NC Healthy Built” Standards

Deltec Homes is a family run business that has been building energy efficient, hurricane resistant, circular homes for 40 years, based in Asheville NC.

Their new model home in Mars Hill, NC (near Asheville,NC) was completed as a North Carolina Healthy Built Home in October 2008. A Grand Opening Celebration is planned for Sunday June 28, 1-5PM and Monday June 29, 10am-4pm in Mars Hill, NC. It will feature:

    * Tours of the New Round, Energy Efficient, 3800 sq ft home
    * Visit Exhibitor Booths
    * Talk with Green Experts
    * Educational Seminars (Designing a Green Home (20-30 min), Introduction to Solar Energy (20-30 min),Understanding Financial Incentives for Building Green (20 min))

The new Deltec Homes’ model home promotes a comprehensive approach to sustainability by integrating the key components of green building design and construction
This includes site selection and development, energy and water efficiency, materials selection, resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and homeowner education.

The 3800 square foot model home is projected to use 50% less energy than homes of similar size.

It also focused on indoor environmental quality with continually circulating fresh air, a sealed crawlspace, low VOC finishes and formaldehyde free cabinets.

The home promotes exceptional durability through mold and termite resistant framing, fiber cement siding, and a structural shell that was built in a controlled factory environment to limit exposure to building materials during construction.

Deltec produces all of its homes with 100% renewable energy. The prefabricated, panelized structural shell is built with 78% less waste than a typical stick-built home through Deltec’s extensive recycling and reuse program.

LEED certified Ritz-Carlton hotel to open in Charlotte this October

Ritz-Carlton has announced plans to open its first LEED-certified hotel right here in North Carolina. Opening in October, the 147-room Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte Hotel will be located at the Bank of America Center in downtown Charlotte. 

The green design elements include a reflective roof vegetated with living plants, an air transfer system that circulates large amounts of outside air into the rooms and suites, and use of the Natura Water Purification System rather than bottled water.

The hotel will offer complimentary hybrid-vehicle transportation to guests and storage spaces for guest bicycles will be provided to encourage their use throughout the city. Some hotel staff will even wear uniforms made of fabric created from recycled plastic bottles.

It will be the first Ritz-Carlton hotel to receive LEED certification and the first building in Charlotte to be certified too. The hotel will offer over 12,000 square-feet of meeting space with eco-friendly furniture and supplies such as recycled aluminum tables and recycled leather furniture.

Habitat of Durham Information Session on June 13th

The Triangle area has the highest per-capita income in North Carolina and the most expensive rental market in the state. But Durham has the region's lowest home ownership rate, so many hard-working families live in substandard and overcrowded rentals.

Habitat of Durham offers these families an alternative by building affordable homes with no-interest mortgages, for qualified working families who contribute time to the building of their homes. 

Habitat of Durham is hosting an information session for potential homeowners on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at the Habitat office in Trinity United Methodist Church (215 N. Church Street, Durham). 

Share this flyer with friends, fellow employees and church members or call 682-0516 ext. 104 for more information.

Growing Green Wood Markets: A forum on FSC certified forest product markets

A forum on expanding FSC certified wood products in the South, takes place on June 23rd in Greensboro at the Embassy Suites Hotel.  

Join forest products companies, TIMOs, landowners, green builders, FSC staff and others in discussion about current markets and opportunities to expand markets for FSC certified forest products in the South.

Event Schedule:
09:30 FSC Chain-of-Custody Certification Workshop
11:00 FSC Markets Overview
12:30 Market Opportunity Panel Discussions
4:30p Reception

Cost: $35 (includes lunch)

Sponsors include:
The Community Forestry Business Alliance, Southern Forests Network, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc, NCSU Extension Forestry- Forestry & Environmental Outreach Program,  NCWoodlands, Rainforest Alliance, Sustainable Furnishings Council  and others

For more information, call 828-277-9008