Hyatt Regency Enrolls in PowerPay! WNY Energy Conservation Program

Hyatt Regency Enrolls in PowerPay! WNY Energy Conservation Program

 

Buffalo, NY, October 22- Hyatt Regency, located in Buffalo, NY, is pleased to announce its enrollment in Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.'s (ECS) demand response program, PowerPay! WNY. The Hyatt has agreed to participate in the program in order to earn extra revenue for reducing their energy usage just a few times a year. 

 

PowerPay! WNY comes into effect in times of peak demand, usually on the hottest days of the summer, in which the hotel will cut back their electricity usage to help keep demand and energy prices low, as well as avoid peak power plants from being built. ECS' program was designed in an effort to help WNY businesses earn money during the economic hardship and help them become energy conscious at the same time.      

 

"Hyatt Regency has joined the ranks of other high-end hotels by enrolling in PowerPay! WNY," said Michael Marsch, general manager for Hyatt Regency Buffalo. "We were really interested in being a part of 'green' New York and ECS' program was the best way for us to achieve that goal."

 

In order to make the most of its participation in PowerPay! WNY, when an event is called, the hotel plans to pre-cool the air conditioning in common areas, reduce lighting and enforce a housekeeping plan to turn off lights and air conditioning when rooms are unoccupied.

 

"We are excited that the Hyatt Regency has chosen to participate in PowerPay! WNY," said Paul Tyno, executive vice president, program development of ECS. "We are pleased that they have decided to give back to the community and become a part of 'green' New York."

 

About Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.

ECS offers turnkey, administrative, and a la carte demand response services. Energy Curtailment Specialists is currently serving markets in all of New York, California, New England, Kansas City, PJM territories, and Ontario, Canada. For more information, please call 877-711-5453, or visit us on the web at www.ecsgrid.com

 

About Hyatt Regency

Global Hyatt Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is one of the world's premier hotel companies. The hotels owned, operated, managed or franchised by its subsidiaries provide authentic hospitality to guests in 45 countries through a passionate commitment to personalized service, cultural relevance, and the environment. Global Hyatt subsidiaries own, operate, manage or franchise more than 365 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Resorts™, Grand Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt Summerfield Suites® and Andaz™ brands with additional properties under development on five continents. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc., operator of Hyatt Vacation Club®. The success of Global Hyatt is driven by the commitment and energy of the approximately 90,000 men and women around the world who provide exceptional service to hotel guests. From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or visiting www.hyatt.com.

Third World Steel Association Sustainability Report 2008 published

Third World Steel Association Sustainability Report 2008 published   Washington DC, 7 October 2008 – A new report released today by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) outlines the challenges faced by the industry, reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development and presents the industry's progress.    The 2008 Sustainability Report is based on a survey of 500 stakeholders located in Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Asia and Africa. The report captures indicator data from 38 companies and two regional associations in 2006, representing 520 million metric tons of steel, or 42% of world production, and US$ 410.3 billion in annual revenues. Speaking at the steel industry annual conference, Director General Ian Christmas said "We are faced with a broad range of sustainable development challenges and it is our responsibility to help meet the growing demand for steel in a sustainable way.   This report underlines the actions that we, individually and together as an industry, are taking to address these challenges". The industry's three key sustainable development priorities are:   ·        Safety and Health: the safety and health of the people who work in our industry is our top priority. All injuries and work-related illness can and must be prevented. ·        Climate Change: CO2 emissions from the steel industry will inevitably increase with projected increased volume of steel production in the future. To address the challenge of CO2 emission reduction we are developing an intensity-based global steel sector approach.     ·        Adding Value: the recyclability of steel is one of its most valuable properties. We are shifting our focus from increasing the volume of steel in use to maximising the contribution of steel over product life cycles.    "Sustainable development is aimed at improving the quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.  For the world steel industry it means valuing the interdependence of environmental, social and economic aspects in all decision-making" concluded Ian Christmas, Director General.

 

Shifting Into the Mainstream: first CaGBC summit highlights

by Sonja Persram, BSc, MBA, LEED® AP
Source: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc.

The first summit of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) in June 2008 provided a variety of useful info and action possibilities. Some presentation highlights follow from Shifting Into the Mainstream:

CaGBC President Thomas Mueller stated that Canada’s current GHG emissions were 124% above Kyoto targets, hence the ambitious CaGBC targets for Canada, including a 50% reduction in energy and water use from 2005 baselines by 2015[1] and an estimated 50 MT reduction in GHG emissions by 2015. Using the new performance-based Canadian Rating System, the CaGBC is aiming for substantial energy and water savings from existing commercial buildings and homes. There are two major initiatives: the LEED Canada Initiative (targeting the top 25% market leaders) and the Green Building Performance Initiative which is establishing a database of building performance, and aims to improve performance of existing buildings by setting benchmarks (with continuous improvement) for energy use, GHG emissions and water use via pilot projects. This is a voluntary mechanism aimed at market transformation – that will be supported by carbon trading system[2] [3] in development.

Kevin Hydes, Chair of the World Green Building Council noted that a major challenge to implementing green buildings is the siloization[4] imposed by the regulations imposed by different segments of the construction industry, which arose independently.

Sandy Wiggins, immediate past Chair of the USGBC observed that Chapters have been overwhelmed by homeowners seeking advice and information.

Rich Coleman, the Province of British Columbia’s Minister of Housing and Social Development, discussed the province’s GHG reductions target: 33% by 2020, and 80% by 2050... and that their new BC Building Code addressing energy and water efficiency, developed in one year, comes into effect in September 2008 with ongoing aggressive upgrades.

Chris Higgins, CaGBC Coordinator of LEED Canada for Homes noted the schedule for the rating system:
o The initiation of the case study on Canada-sited US projects was Fall 2007.
o The rating system adaptation for Canada is in Summer 2008.
o The rating system goes to ballot in the Fall of 2008.
o Launch of the Canadian Rating System in Spring 2009.

Peter Busby of Busby Perkins + Will described an ecodensity method[5] of transforming the City of Vancouver, British Columbia - from regions with differing carbon footprints ranging from 1.5 to 6 tonnes CO2 per person – to a system of nodes throughout the city by 2031, which emit one-half the CO2. These nodes include proximate jobs, amenities and transit access; district energy; parks; localized water and wastewater treatment; buildings that are carbon neutral; and walkable communities within 5-10 minutes. Busby also showed other interesting national and city emissions statistics.

Joe Van Belleghem of Windmill West presented updates on Windmill West’s Victoria, BC project Dockside Green. These include:

• In combining a consideration for First Nations ancestral heritage of the Dockside Green lands - and with a concern for social equity, employment training and local economic development - First Nations cultural and job training initiatives are underway, as well as support for similar regional opportunities.
• Blackwater treatment using a GE ZENON system, with water reuse mostly for toilets and irrigation, as well as for recharging the development’s naturalized waterways… in which an otter was recently sighted.

Ryan Scott of Avalon Master Builder discussed technical details of Discovery III - their demonstration house for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s EQuilibrium Homes project– a 2,196 sf urban freehold single family dwelling that will be net zero energy:
o Significant insulation: R86 roof, R72 walls, R60 floor, R5.6 windows.
o Space Heating and district hot water load is 33,988 MJ: solar supplies 33,792 MJ, and solar pre-heating for ventilation accounts for 1,171 MJ.
o PV supplies 25,362 MJ grid-connected.

David Suzuki shared a tool for knowledge transfer about the critical state of the earth’s resources. Because economists treat nature and the benefits that natural systems provide as externalities, the economic system becomes destructive in assuming there should be no limit to economic growth, and that the economy must grow forever. Suzuki questioned: ‘how much (growth) is enough?’[6] and described a means of demonstrating this as a test tube of organisms that grows exponentially, doubling each hour. At the 59th minute the test tube is half full – and in one more minute all resources in the test tube will have been consumed. Suzuki observed we have been “using our biological capital for the past 3 decades” and now are at earth’s ‘59th minute’.

Suzuki rued the lack of policy uptake of ‘one of the most important documents of the last half-century’ from the time of its publication in 1977. This report, Canada as a Conserver Society: resource uncertainties and the need for new technologies[7] was researched by a Canada Science Council Committee chaired by eminent scientist Dr. Ursula Franklin. I recently received a rare copy of this remarkable work from a thoughtful donor and summarize below some of the recommendations, from which both Canada and the U.S. can benefit:

• Impediments to retrofitting homes with insulation should be removed and “loans, grants, interest rates and/or tax incentives should be provided to accelerate the process”.
  Adopt and enforce new energy standards (in new building codes) in all provinces; legislate sun-rights[8]
• Assist homeowners by lease financing (of energy-saving equipment).
  Transition workforces “to put the creative energies of Canadians to work on conserver problems and opportunities.”
• Research retrofits of suburbs, which “have grown as expressions of a high-energy-consumption lifestyle, with very high dependence on the private automobile. Should fuel prices become desperate, or prices rise exorbitantly, it may be useful to consider ways of modifying the typical suburban development to reduce its dependence on the automobile.”
• Solar (passive and active methods) and wind capture must be encouraged; use of storage will address intermittency. Wind has the potential to supply base load.

A farsighted work, indeed. Other useful quotes are found here. Suzuki wryly observed that instead of action on this report, if Canadians see a problem, they form a committee: since the report was produced, “during 20 years, 5 commissions were set up to deal with energy.”[9]

I conducted an interview with Karel Valk, who is Programme Manager, Construction, in the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) about sustainable buildings in the Netherlands. He noted:

• Every building that is new or renovated will use 50% less energy in 2020
  NC in 2012 will be net zero energy
• A comparative analysis conducted of Netherlands standards and LEED found that current practice for office buildings in the Netherlands is equivalent to LEED Silver.

A question overheard at the conference: should those already committed to greening take full advantage of (large) incentives?

The 2008 CaGBC summit was a great success. Next year’s summit dates (currently unconfirmed) will be June 9-12, 2009. See the Canada Green Building Council’s website and Shifting into the Mainstream for updates.

Green Syndicated Columnist Sonja Persram is co-author with lead author David Eisenberg (of DCAT), of a forthcoming publication on code, regulatory and other systemic barriers to Living Building projects, conducted for Cascadia Region Green Building Council. She is lead author of Marketing Green Buildings to Owners/Tenants of Leased Properties for the Canada Green Building Council (2007) with co-authors Nils Larsson (MRAIC) and Mark Lucuik (P.Eng, LEED AP). Ms. Persram wrote: Green Buildings: A Strategic Analysis of North American Markets for Frost & Sullivan (published 2006) addressing Energy, Water and Facilities Management; and the U.S.A. portion of International Sustainable Building Policy Initiatives which was a 2007 study for Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation whose project lead was Nils Larsson. She is a member of the CaGBC Greater Toronto Chapter’s Business Development Committee and the USGBC’s Social Equity Task Force. Contact: Sustainable Alternatives Consulting Inc: sonja@sustainable-alternatives.ca

[1] See article by Sonja Persram on the WorldGBC International Congress: http://www.igreenbuild.com/cd_2926.aspx
[2] Several provinces and U.S. states are working to develop a cap-and-trade system for 2012: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2350125820080724
[3] Carbon trading in The Province of British Columbia is phasing in a revenue-neutral carbon tax with provision for lower-income residents
[4] Discussed in detail in an upcoming publication authored by David Eisenberg (of DCAT) & Sonja Persram, conducted for the Cascadia Region Green Building Council on code, regulatory and other systemic barriers to Living Building projects.
[5] Described in “Advancing the Sustainable Region: Issues for the Liveable Region Strategic Planning Review, Greater Vancouver Regional District 2005.
[6] Suzuki, David, presentation to Canada Green Building Council summit Shifting Into the Mainstream, June 12, 2008
[7] Science Council of Canada Report No. 27, Canada as a Conserver Society: Resource Uncertainties and the Need for New Technologies, September 1977, Minister of Supply and Services Canada. Researched by Science Council Committee on the Implications of a Conserver Society. Committee Chair: Dr. Ursula Franklin (from December 1975); John Pollock (March 1975 to December 1975). Members: Dr. Ursula Franklin, Dr. Gabriel Filteau, Dr. Ran Ide, John Pollock. Report Staff: Dr. Arthur J. Cordell (Project Manager), Dr. R. W. Jackson, Dr. J-A. Potworowski, Bruce Henry, Andrea Gerber.
[8] Issues also covered for the Canadian ‘scene’ – with more emphasis on the U.S., in the upcoming publication by David Eisenberg (of DCAT) & Sonja Persram, conducted for Cascadia Region Green Building Council.
[9] Suzuki, David, op. cit.

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www.gbmmarketing.com

 

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New Report: Green Building is Growing Despite Down Market

Green Building is Growing Despite Down Market, According to Report from McGraw-Hill Construction

Report compares initial 2006 study to 2008 findings for residential housing market

 

New York – October 7, 2008 – McGraw-Hill Construction, a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Program, today released the full update[1] to its 2006 study with 2008 green home building data. The new SmartMarket^® Report, The Green Home Builder: Navigating for Success in a Down Economy, covers market opportunities, key triggers and obstacles, and trends in green home building practices from 2001 to 2007, such as the impact of the down market on this sector. Major findings include:

• Forty percent of builders find “building green” makes it easier to market in a down economy; 16% find it makes it much easier.

• In 2009, 21% of builders expect to be building 90% of projects green.

• Sixty percent of builders claim homebuyers are willing to pay more for green homes. This is greater than the opinion in 2006 (56%).

• “Quality” is the top driver behind green home building, which is a shift from the top driver in 2006, “doing the right thing.” This seems to indicate that green homebuyers in today’s market are not just “green consumers,” but are also buying a green home for investment and performance reasons.

• Fourteen percent of builders find today’s homes overall more than 30% more environmentally friendly than two years ago. 85% think that energy-efficient features are the ones making these homes more environmentally friendly.

• Builders use products that lead to energy efficiency far more than other elements. In particular, they focus on air sealing/tight construction, increased insulation, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, and Energy Star products.

• The region in the U.S. with the best growth in green building is the Pacific, followed by the South Atlantic and Mountain regions. The East South Central region has the lowest growth.

“Green building has definitely reached its upper tipping point,” said Harvey M. Bernstein, McGraw-Hill Construction vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances and Strategic Initiatives. “Builders can no longer ignore the benefits and market advantages of green building. Especially considering today’s market and current economic situation, builders need to differentiate themselves from their competitors and hold steady or prosper in the down economy. Green building gives builders that opportunity to expand their market share and ride out this economic slump.”

 

“Education, training, advocacy and other services that NAHB offers its members help ensure that home builders and remodelers are prepared to go green,” said Bob Jones, NAHB vice chairman/treasurer and a Michigan home builder. “This survey clearly indicates that the market is moving toward more sustainable home building practices, and our members are ready.”

 

The report also features special sections detailing government regulations, NAHB Green Home Rating Systems, and case studies on different types of green homes (e.g., customized, affordable, and large productions). Commentary on green-washing, product availability, brand awareness, and certification provides further background data and analysis of the market.

To order a copy of The Green Home Builder: Navigating for Success in a Down Economy, visit http://greensource.construction.com/resources/smartMarket.asp. Previous SmartMarket Reports also available online include Global Green Building Trends, Greening of Corporate America, The Green Homeowner, Green Building: Health Care, and Green Building: Education. In addition, McGraw-Hill Construction will release several reports at GreenBuild (booth #1410), including the first-ever 2009 Green Outlook Report, The Green Home Consumer SmartMarket Report, and Commercial and Institutional Green Buildings SmartMarket Report.

 

For more information on NAHB, visit www.nahb.org or www.nahbgreen.org.

 

About McGraw-Hill Construction

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has remained North America’s leading provider of construction project information, plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers’ workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record (ENR), GreenSource and 11 regional publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

 

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

World's largest solar-powered winery

 

PACIFIC POWER MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES WORLD’S LARGEST

SOLAR INSTALLATION AT A WINERY

 

Solar System using Mitsubishi Solar Panels to be installed at Gonzales Winery in Monterey County to be the largest in the County

           

Gonzales, Calif. (October 8, 2008)  – Pacific Power Management, LLC announced today that it has begun the installation of the largest solar system at a winery in the world at Constellation Wines U.S. (CWUS) Gonzales Winery, located in Monterey County, Calif.  The 1.2 megawatt solar system will cover approximately 170,000 square feet of the main winery warehouse roof and will produce more than 1,700,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, providing approximately 50 percent of the winery’s total energy requirements.   This project is being financed and built by Pacific Power Management and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. 

 

Managing Partner of Pacific Power Management, Mark Frederick, commenting on the CWUS installation, said: “Constellation Wines has again shown their industry leadership by going solar.  They have a system that now sets the green standard in the wine industry and gives them a competitive advantage that will only grow as electricity prices increase.”

 

The environmental benefits from this project include a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an annually reduced carbon footprint equal to planting 2,500 acres of trees, not driving an average automobile 25 million miles, or taking about 2,083 cars off the road.  

 

Clean renewable energy such as solar power helps to protect the environment, lowers energy and consumer product prices, and reduces strain on the electric utility system grid by generating electricity when demand is high during the summer.  California, in particular, benefits from solar power due to its high number of annual sunlight hours.   

 

Exporting Electricity from the Winery to California Homes

 

"During the summer months, when the winery is not processing grapes, the system will export enough electricity onto PG&E's power lines to supply all of the electrical needs for about 25 percent of the roughly 1,695 households in Gonzales.", said Kelly McMahon, Director of Sales for Pacific Power Management.

           

 “We are proud and excited about this solar project,” said José Fernandez, CEO, Constellation Wines North America.  “We are committed to investing in technologies that will allow us to produce our wines in the most sustainable way possible, from our vineyards through the entire winemaking process.  This installation is one of the most significant environmental projects undertaken to date by the wine industry, and will have a positive impact on the environment, as well as being cost effective.”

 

 

Solar Project Details:

 

§         The system will provide approximately 60 percent of the winery’s average energy needs,

§         When more energy is produced than required on-site, excess will be sent 'back to the grid',

§         The system will be capable of generating 1,176,230 watts of D.C. power and delivering 1,000,040 watts of A.C. power to the grid,

§         The installation will include a total of 6,358 Mitsubishi 185 watt solar panels

§         Pacific Power Management, based in Auburn, Calif., is financing and building the system.

 

§         The annual offsets (pollution avoided) are as follows:

o       Carbon Dioxide CO2 - 1.6 million pounds annually

o       Sulfur Dioxide -  1,636 pounds annually

o       Nitrogen Oxides – 2,909  pounds annually

 

About Pacific Power Management, LLC

 

Pacific Power Management is a full service commercial solar provider.  Their services include assessment, financing support, design, engineering, installation, web-based monitoring, maintenance and public relations support to promote their customer’s environmental leadership.  The company emphasizes making solar power easy-to-buy through their Power Purchase Agreement Program, efficient, high-quality systems and complete project management.  The company’s proprietary, flat-roof racking systems are designed for a 50-year life and high solar panel output efficiency.  For more information, visit: www.pacpower.biz.

 

About Constellation Wines U.S.

 

Constellation Wines U.S. (www.cwinesus.com) is the largest wine company in the U.S. based upon sales dollar value and encompasses three wine businesses: VineOne, Icon Estates, and Centerra Wine Company. The company’s portfolio includes such brands such as Clos du Bois, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Blackstone, Robert Mondavi Winery, Simi, Estancia, Wild Horse, Arbor Mist and Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy. Constellation Wines U.S. is an operating division of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ) a leading international producer and marketer of beverage alcohol in the wine, spirits and imported beer categories. www.cbrands.com.

 

The Gonzales Winery, (formerly known as the Blackstone Winery), is located in Gonzales, Calif.,  and produces wines distributed by VineOne, the premium and super premium wine division of CWUS. Wine brands produced there include, Black Box, Blackstone Winemakers Select, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Solaire by Robert Mondavi and Hayman & Hill. The winery is ISO:9001:2000 and HACCP certified and has a 23.4 million gallon storage capacity.  It is also home to the Blackstone Monterey Tasting Room.

 

About Mitsubishi Electric, Photovoltaic Division

 

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of solar power technology, including PV cells, modules and inverters.  The company’s eco-friendly photovoltaic systems are used throughout the world to bring clean, reliable energy to residences, business, power generation plants, schools, factories and areas without access to electricity, as well as other applications such as highway and stadium lighting.  In the United States, Mitsubishi Electric photovoltaic panels are marketed by Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., and sold only through authorized distributors and installers. For more information visit www.mitsubishielectricsolar.com or call 714.220.2500.

 

Net-Zero Energy Buildings

Architectural Record’s Popular Innovation 2008 Conference Explores Progress in Race for High-Tech and Cost-Effective Zero-Energy Buildings

 

New York – October 10, 2008 – Architectural Record welcomed a record number of 380 architects, engineers, scientists and students to Innovation 2008: The Net-Zero Energy Buildings Conference at the McGraw-Hill Headquarters in New York this week on October 7-8. Attendees filled every seat and spilled into the aisles, anxious to learn about the latest technologies and best practices in super-energy efficient building from industry experts.

 

Innovations such as MIT Professor Daniel Nocera’s photosynthesis approach—using Cobalt, Co(III), as a catalyst and enabler for efficient energy storage in homes—will create homes that can be both power generators and gas stations. The latest high-performance glass and photovoltaic coverings were also presented, and there was a strong call to action for change in the way buildings are designed and used in light of global warming, greenhouse gases and the imposing carbon footprint created by buildings around the world.

 

“There’s a tremendous amount of energy wasted because we’re not exactly sure how we work,” said Charles Linn, deputy editor at Architectural Record, citing the example that his building among many others leave the lights on in empty or sparsely used workspaces.

 

Dr. Andrew Laing, managing director for DEGW North America challenged attending architects and developers with “creating the right workplace that will attract the kind of people who will want to work there in a new way.” Laing’s proposed “new way” of working and thinking about workspaces involves reinventing the office to take advantage of mobile, shared and flexible workplace options, which can reduce space needs by 20-30% and significantly affect a building’s carbon footprint. “On average, we let our assets be used only 30% of the workday,” he added.

 

“It’s not just about the tools that we use, it’s how we use them, and we need to change the process,” said Denzil Gallagher, partner and MEP regional discipline leader at Buro Happhold North America. “We have tools, we have codes, we have standards, but someone has to set the goals early in the process.”

 

For more information, articles, blog posts, videos and photos, visit ArchitecturalRecord.com or http://construction.com/events/innovation2008/. B-roll and a video news release are also available by contacting Lisa Jaycox at +1 212-512-3272 or lisa_jaycox@mcgraw-hill.com.

About McGraw-Hill Construction

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has remained North America’s leading provider of construction project information, plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers’ workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record,Engineering News-Record (ENR) , GreenSource and 11 regional publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

 

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

 

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

 

 

New York, NY, September 29 – The New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council (NYHTC) in New York City has enrolled in Energy Curtailment Specialists' (ECS) PowerPay! New York demand response program as an effort to become energy efficient. The NYHTC will receive payments in return for agreeing to reduce its load when the electric grid is overloaded and in trouble. PowerPay! New York is an energy conservation program that helps prevent blackouts and rolling brownouts, along with eliminating the need to build new power plants.

 

The building, which is home to the NYHTC as well as to the Hotel, Restaurant & Club Employees and Bartenders Union Local 6, and to the NYHTC and Hotel Association of New York Benefit Funds, will develop its own customized plan that will maximize demand reduction while minimizing any impact on its employees and visitors. Some curtailment efforts for the building include turning down public area and office lights, reducing cooling in unused areas, and shutting down some elevators. 

 

"We are glad to be a part of PowerPay! New York and look forward to making our building more energy efficient," said John Ruben, chief officer of operations for the Hotel Trades Council. "Since it's a no-risk program, I wanted to see what kind of impact cutting back on our electricity usage for an hour will have and what kind of savings we can expect if we implement an hourly cutback each day."

 

Members of PowerPay! New York are usually large energy users who receive notice the day prior to an event, allowing them time to devise a plan and prepare for the curtailment effort. 

 

"We are pleased to welcome the Hotel Trades Council to our program," said Stephen Lynch, principal and co-founder of ECS. "As energy efficiency becomes a staple in our society, its involvement in demand response is a huge step in educating the hotel and hospitality industry on the importance and simplicity of going green."

 

About Energy Curtailment Specialists

ECS offers turnkey, administrative and a la carte demand response services. Energy Curtailment Specialists is currently serving markets in all of New York, California, New England, Kansas City, PJM territories and Ontario, Canada. For more information, call 877-711-5453 or visit them on the web at www.ecsgrid.com

 

About the New York Hotel Trades Council

The New York Hotel Trades Council is the union for workers in the hotel industry in New York City.

Green Building Festival

Registration for the Sept 9-10, 2008 Green Building Festival ends this week:
Session topics will include: Malmö Sweden, Carbon Benchmarking, Sustainable Buildings in the Netherlands, Bio-Filters, Innovative Building Materials, EQuilibrium Homes update, Design for Disassembly and Adaptability, the Vancouver Olympic Village, Biomimicry, an update on the WorldGBC, and much more…

The Trade Show is free to the public on Sept. 10 only (not including Festival Sessions, though!)

A lot to choose from and enjoy. Hope to see you there!

Stay tuned for my upcoming article on the Canada Green Building Council’s summertime summit, Shifting Into the Mainstream.

New Ecological Footprint Calculator from Earth Day Network

 

EARTH DAY NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW, IMPROVED ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

 

Washington, DC – Earth Day Network, an international environmental advocacy organization and a recognized leader in the field of carbon footprint measurement, has just released its newest tool to combat climate change: The Ecological Footprint Calculator. Set to debut on August 25, 2008, the Footprint Calculator is intended to raise environmental consciousness in an educational, user-friendly, and fun way.  

 

Created by the originators of the ecological footprint, Global Footprint Network, the calculator provides users with a three-dimensional avatar of their choosing, and situates them on a block in a virtual neighborhood. The user is then taken through a series of questions about her food consumption, energy use, favorite mode of transportation, type of residence, recycling commitment, and spending habits. Using a scroll bar, users can approximate their usage with pithy sayings like, “I’m a farmer’s market friend but I really like potato chips,” indicating, in this case, that she eats local foods often-- but not always.

 

“It’s fun to use and really conveys a powerful message,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. “Anyone who logs on to our site can determine what a big impact their unique combination of personal habits has on their environment, and what they can do about it.”

 

Results are shown first in relative terms; after the Footprint Calculator analyzes a user’s living habits, it tells her how many “planets” would be necessary to sustain human life- if everyone lived just like her. The users are also shown how many acres of land and tons of carbon necessary to sustain their lifestyle. They are then given the option of revisiting the quiz to see where they “went wrong”, and given suggestions on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

 

“I like that it not only suggests ways to change your habits, but also shows the measurable impact small changes on a personal level can create,” adds Rogers.

 

Earth Day Network’s Ecological Footprint Calculator has been used by tens of millions around the world to evaluate their environmental impact and make lifestyle changes to reduce it. A powerful educational tool aimed to generate critical thinking and inspire younger generations to choose a sustainable lifestyle.

 

To take the quiz, visit www.earthday.net/ecofootprint. The new Footprint Calculator has launched with measures for the United States and Australia only, but new batch of countries will be available by the end of the year.

 

About Earth Day Network

 

Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net, seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet.  It pursues these goals through education, politics, and consumer activism. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries.  More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.