AIA Asks for Carbon Neutral Action Plans

This sounds like a smart program for AIA members, Energy Engineers, Facility Managers and Plant Managers to implement today! Thanks to AIA for reaching out to its membership. This type of action plan should reach a wide audience of commercial and residential building owners and managers. For businesses it may be a good first step to assign a team to the task. Empower this group to analyze current energy usage and then develop the multi-year action plans for owners, managers and employees to follow with the carbon neutral goal always in mind. Read below and start your action plan!
AIA Announces Results of First Year of Projected Energy Use Data from Firms Participating in 2030 Commitment Program
For immediate release:
New Orleans – May 12, 2011 –In 2009 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) introduced the 2030 Commitment Program, a voluntary initiative for AIA member firms and other entities in the built environment that asks these organizations to make a pledge, develop multi-year action plans, and implement steps that can advance AIA's goal of carbon neutral buildings by the year 2030.  At the end of the 2010 calendar year, firms were asked to submit an assessment of their 2010 design work using a toolreleased by the AIA last year.

"The findings are a good first step to see where we are as an industry in reaching the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality in buildings by 2030.  It is encouraging to see the number of participating firms in this program and the large amount of real estate that their projects account for," said AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer, Robert Ivy, FAIA.  "That said it is also a wake-up call for the profession that we need to be more steadfast in the prediction of energy usage in design projects, as well as collecting actual post-occupancy performance data."

A new report, Measuring Industry Progress towards AIA 2030 Carbon Reduction Goal, includes data from 56 firms accounting for nearly 385 million gross square feet (GSF) nationwide.  The key findings include:

• Firms reported a combined average 35.1% predicted energy use intensity (PEUI) reduction from the national average EUI.
• The largest PEUI reduction reported by a firm is 70.6%
• The smallest PEUI reduction reported by a firm is 11.6%
• The combined firms design portfolio that is meeting the current goal of a 60% reduction in carbon emissions reduction from the national average is 12.1%
• The largest percentage of GSF of active projects meeting goal reported by one firm is 69.8%
• The smallest percentage of GSF of active projects meeting goal reported by one firm is 0% (reported by multiple firms)
• GSF of projects currently being energy modeled is 58%
• The percentage of projects that will collect actual data is 38%

The full report also contains participating firm demographics, energy reduction initiatives undertaken by firms and anecdotal accounts of the challenges and lessons learned through participating in the 2030 Commitment Program.
About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit http://www.aia.org/.

This blog post was approved by http://www.igreenbuild.com/, a New Venture Communications web property.

Seven Simple Steps to 'Go Green' on St. Patrick's Day

While for some, St. Patrick's Day invokes thoughts of shamrocks and leprechauns, one ever-present theme for all is the color green. This year, SCA's Tork® brand is encouraging you to embrace another type of green by giving our planet a bit o' Irish good luck and making more environmentally responsible choices leading up to Earth Day, and beyond.

Joshua Radoff, Tork® Green Hygiene Council^™ Member and founder of YRG Sustainability, encourages individuals to make their household more sustainable starting on St. Patrick's Day, the most famous green holiday of the year.

"Our lifestyle choices, methods of transportation and everyday routines play an important role in the condition of the environment," Radoff said.

Radoff suggests the following easy steps to "Erin Go Green!" your routine and support the effort to recycle, reuse and conserve for a lifetime of sustainable living.  

Erin Go Green! Your Routine: 7 Steps to a Greener Life

1. Reduce waste at home Hopefully you're already recycling at home, but how about being more proactive by buying fewer items that you can't either recycle or compost? You can go green by buying products that can be recycled and feature minimal packaging, or bringing your own reusable bags to the store. For those who already have the basics of recycling down, try out a compost bin and start keeping your food waste out of the landfill as well.
2. Kick plastic water bottles to the curb Although plastic bottles can be recycled, they typically end up in landfills. And even when they are recycled, it takes enormous amounts of energy and water to convert them back to a usable plastic. Fortunately, we have municipal water that is safe to drink. In fact, some studies have shown that municipal water has less bacteria content than bottled water. Go green by using reusable metal water bottles, which are cheaper and can be healthier than purchasing expensive bottled water.
3. Re-think "green" when it comes to your lawn This spring, give your lawn a makeover. Turf grass is both water and fertilizer hungry, and lawn irrigation is one of the leading uses of water in certain regions. Consequently, water scarcity is becoming a major problem. So, as you plan for and develop your home's landscape, look for region-specific plants that don't need as much irrigation or start a vegetable garden that will use water more efficiently.
4. Warmer weather means less car time What is good for you is usually good for the planet. Walking, biking, ride-sharing, taking public transportation are some of the most impactful ways to lessen your footprint. As gas prices continue to rise, using the above methods to get from place to place should become a better alternative.
5. Buy local! St. Patrick's Day means that springtime is around the corner and local farmers will have more goods for you to enjoy. Try buying 50 percent of your produce, dairy and meat from local sources either direct from a local farmer, a farmers market or even grocery stores that carry local produce in season. Go to http://www.localharvest.org/ to find a local food resource near you. Also, when going out to eat, look for restaurants that source local, organic food. Meals are likely to be tastier and healthier.
6. Do you know where your home's energy comes from? It takes quite a bit of energy to keep all of your electronics running, your lights on, and your appliances working. Be conscious of when you're using your heat, air conditioner and energy-sucking appliances. There are a myriad of ways to go green and lessen your ecological imprint by responsibly limiting energy consumption.  For example, use cold water to wash your clothes or unplug appliances when not in use.
7. Understand your footprint Want to learn more about your own impact? Visit the Global Footprint Network to use the Footprint Calculator and determine how your choices are affecting the planet. This helpful tool allows you to input details about daily habits and routine to evaluate how your lifestyle or business decisions are impacting the environment.  

For more sustainability tips from Joshua Radoff and the Tork Green Hygiene Council, please visit www.torkgreenhygienecouncil.com. For more information on Tork products, visit www.torkusa.com.

Greening Technology

Today I learned how the information technology industry plans on reducing the enormous carbon footprint it leaves behind through the use of servers computers and other energy hungry equipment. Watch this informative video on iGreenBuild.com and consider some of the facts and solutions major firms like Microsoft will be implementing for years to come.