Credit Union members request solar power

Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union Members request solar to be installed on their main office

March 15 (San Francisco) – Unlike most financial institutions that are owned by stockholders, who own a part of the institution and intend on making money from their investment, credit unions are owned by their members who own one “share” of the organization. The user of credit union services is also an owner, and is even entitled to vote on important issues, such as the election of member representatives to serve on the board of directors.

Recently, at the request of the members and owners of the Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union in Berkeley, (CCFCU) chose to go solar with a 29.7 kW DC photovoltaic solar system being installed by their Berkeley neighbor and industry pioneer, Sun Light & Power.

The solar installation is comprised of 108 Suntech 275 modules that are expected to produce at least 42,028 kWh each year. That equates to the emissions from 6 cars or the electricity to power 4 homes.

A Web-based monitoring Data Acquisition System will help keep track of daily-weekly-yearly and lifetime system production.

In the words of the Co-op to their members: “Once completed, the system will represent your genuine commitment to responsible energy consumption and sustainability. It will also result in lowered operating costs for the Credit Union! “

About the Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union
The Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union was chartered on April 20, 1942 to serve the employees and members of the Consumers Cooperative of Berkeley, Inc. (Co-op Market Chain). The Co-op Credit Union continues to serve members from their original group, even though the Co-op Market Chain is no longer in business. These members see the Credit Union as their primary financial institution. This inherently stable "core" membership has provided a solid foundation from which to build.

During the 1980s Cooperative Center became the survivor of a series of mergers with other credit unions in the area. Two of these were the Cal Berkley Credit Union and Alta Bates Credit Union. These, two along with our original Co-op Markets, continue to make up our largest field of membership.

Today, the CCFCU continues to expand their membership base by accepting qualified private companies, organizations and associations. To this day they continue to bring in other groups. This careful expansion has helped build a uniquely diversified membership around the stable core of original members.

The Credit Union has over $80 million in assets and over 10,000 members, offering a full range of services from their main office at 2001 Ashby Ave. office and their branch on the UC Berkeley Campus.

About Sun Light & PowerSun Light & Power is a design/build solar firm based in Berkeley, CA with 34 years of leadership in alternative energy systems and innovative designs for homes and businesses. The company is committed to creating living environments that serve people's intrinsic needs, supporting the human spirit and preserving the planet’s resources for future generations.

Founded in 1976 by Gary Gerber (who is also the 2008-2011 President of the California Solar Energy Industries Association - CALSEIA), Sun Light & Power is the first renewable energy contractor to be certified by the Alameda County Green Business Program, and among the first in the nation to qualify as a B Corporation.

The company’s professional staff includes specialists in engineering, system installation, project management, electrical system design, financing and contract administration, including: 5 Professional Engineers, 7 LEED AP Green Building professionals, 3 Electrical Contractors (C-10) and 7 NABCEP Certified Professionals. Sun Light & Power is licensed as both a General Contractor (B) and Solar Contractor (C-46).

More information is available at: www.sunlightandpower.com

Blog post approved by www.iGreenBuild.com.

Rooftop Solar Panels for PSS Distribution

PSS Distribution Services Replaces Annual Electricity Consumption With Rooftop Solar Panels
Leading logistics/supply chain management company, PSS Distribution Services, takes warehousing and transportation to a new level of environmental responsibility as its Dayton, NJ headquarters undergoes construction for the installation of solar powered rooftop panels.
Dayton, NJ – March 15, 2011 – PSS Distribution Services aims to replace its annual headquarters’ electricity consumption with clean energy generated by rooftop solar panels during a six-month project consisting of a 200,000 square foot operation on the roof of the company’s Dayton, NJ facility.
The goal of PSS Distribution Services’ solar energy project is to replace its annual electricity consumption of 550,000 kWh with clean solar power. Successful completion of the project will be equivalent to eliminating 2 million miles driven in a car per year or preventing the production of 750,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. To accomplish this goal, more than 2,000 230-watt solar panels are currently being installed on a rooftop mounted non-penetrating self-ballasting racking system.  The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of April 2011.
The solar panels will utilize power inverters to convert DC power to AC power.  Because the building will still be connected to the grid through a Net Meter, the solar panel system will be able to generate more power than the building uses during sunny times, in order to draw that power back during non-sun times.
According to officials at PSS Distribution Services, the company is committed to demonstrating environmental awareness through corporate example because PSS understands its environmental responsibility as a leader in logistics, warehousing and transportation.
“This solar energy project is a big step for PSS in its commitment to environmental awareness,” says Gary Borne, President of PSS Distribution Services. “As we proudly make this transition to solar energy, we look forward to dramatically reducing our environmental impact while maintaining high levels of productivity.”
PSS Distribution Services provides third party logistics services throughout the Northeast.

For more information, visit http://www.pssdistribution.com/.
About PSS Warehousing & Transportation
PSS Warehousing & Transportation is the Northeast's premier services provider and a leader in warehousing, storage, transportation and distribution since 1983. PSS is an industry-leading third party distribution services provider whom Fortune 500 companies have come to rely on for their expertise in consumer product distribution, reverse logistics, transportation and packaging services. The company's state-of-the-art Warehouse Management and Road Transportation Systems offer applications that include: EDI, Radio Frequency and Bar-coding, Comprehensive Inventory Control and Activity Reports, Lot Code and Shelf Life Management and Monitoring, Document Imaging, Product Recall Program and our Net View Internet Enabled Access.
For more information, visit PSS Warehousing &; Transportation online at http://www.pssdistribution.com/

Blog post approved by www.iGreenBuild.com.

LEED home in Freeport, Maine

I thought you might be interested in Melissa Coleman, a writer for Maine Home +  Design and an author/blogger whose LEED-certified home in Freeport, Maine was  created in partnership with Robbie George of Colorado.  Cranberry Ridge  is the fourth home in the country to receive Platinum LEED designation and the  first in the Northeast. It’s located near Wolfe's Neck State Park in Freeport,  Maine.

The house's green features include:2.4 kW photovoltaic  solar electric array, a 90 Apricus evacuated tube solar hot water system,  low-flow fixtures and appliances, cabinet door panels made of pressed  sunflower seeds, local Maine granite used for the counters, wood floors made  from Forest Stewardship Council certified birch, doors with compressed wheat  hull cores, ceramic floor and bath tiles made from recycled car windshields,  south-facing triple glazed windows and siting for passive solar, sprayed-on  recycled newspaper insulation and rock wool instead of fiberglass, radiant  heat floors and efficient Buderus boiler, glass-doored fireplace with fan,  Lifebreath air treatment and ventilation system, furniture from local  companies, patios made from flagstone instead of treated wood and low impact  landscaping.  

There is lots more information on Melissa’s blog  here: http://www.writehands.com/cranberryridge/index.html  

Coleman chose Thos. Moser’s hand-crafted wood furniture as a  complement to the home, and there is more info (and images) here: http://blog.thosmoser.com/bid/59812/In-her-own-words-Melissa-Coleman-s-MOSERstyle

Japan Nuclear Plant Evacuation; Protective Winds Flowing

State College, Pa. -- 11 March 2011 -- AccuWeather reports officials have shut down a nuclear power plant in earthquake-ravaged north-central Japan. Winds could help protect nearby residents in the event of a radiation leak.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is currently not leaking radiation, but the threat of a leak has prompted officials to evacuate nearly 3,000 people within the surrounding 2 miles.
The power plant is located in Onahama city, which is about 170 miles northeast of Tokyo.
The fear of a leak stems from the fact that a power outage and failed backup generator are inhibiting the reactor's cooling system from working properly, according to the Associated Press.
Radiation could leak out if the power outage continues and the reactor core stays hot. A reactor meltdown would be a worst-case scenario.
In the event of a leak Friday night, local time (through this evening EST), winds flowing from the northwest to west may help guide most of the radiation offshore.
Winds will remain offshore Saturday, local time, despite turning more to the southwest.
The danger of a possible leak has also prompted officials to declare a state of emergency at the power plant, the first of its kind in Japan.

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com
Roberti@AccuWeather.com

Blog post approved by www.iGreenBuild.com

House Blocking EPA Carbon Regulations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lisa Nurnberger or Randy Rieland, 202-331-6959

SCIENCE GROUP BLASTS HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE VOTE TO BLOCK EPA FROM SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

WASHINGTON (March 10, 2011) -- Today's House Energy and Commerce subcommittee vote to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating power plant and oil refinery carbon emissions is "an insult to all Americans," according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The bill that passed out of the Energy and Power Subcommittee this morning was introduced by Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.).

"The House subcommittee vote is a triumph of fiction over fact," said Lexi Shultz, legislative director of the Climate and Energy Program at UCS. "This bill ignores the vast body of scientific evidence that carbon emissions are leading to climate change and harming public health."

The legislation also would undermine efforts that would save American drivers thousands of dollars at the pump over the life of their vehicles through stronger fuel efficiency standards, according to UCS.

"The Upton-Whitfield bill would end a promising collaboration between the EPA and the Department of Transportation to develop new fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks between 2017 and 2025," said Michelle Robinson, director of UCS's Clean Vehicles Program. "Representative Upton claims his bill would save Americans money at the pump, but the reality is that it would do the exact opposite. By blocking future fuel efficiency standards, the bill would eliminate savings at the pump of as much as $7,400 over a vehicle's lifetime, increase pollution, and worsen America's oil addiction.

"For the last 35 years, fuel efficiency standards have saved consumers billions of dollars, cleaned up our air, and reduced our oil consumption," she added. "At a time of rising gas prices, the last thing consumers need is more pain at the pump."

Taking a page out of Orwell's "1984," Reps. Upton and Whitfield titled their bill the "Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011," when, in fact, it would not prevent an energy tax because no one has proposed one. Instead, the bill would prevent the EPA from reducing harmful carbon emissions, despite the fact that the Supreme Court ruled the agency has the express authority to regulate carbon under the Clean Air Act.

"The bill's sponsors are ignoring the fact that Clean Air Act regulations have and will continue to save lives," said Shultz. "They also have provided enormous financial benefits." The 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, for example, have prevented as many as 160,000 premature deaths last year alone, she pointed out, and while they cost $65 billion to implement, their overall financial benefit could reach $2 trillion by 2020, according to the EPA.

Reps. Upton and Whitfield justify their bill by citing grossly inflated industry-generated estimates of the cost of new carbon regulations. Historically industry has overstated the cost of regulation. Past Clean Air Act standards, such as those that addressed acid rain, have cost less than a third of even the EPA's own estimates.

Meanwhile, warnings from the scientific community are mounting. In October 2009, for example, 18 U.S. scientific societies sent a letter to Congress that stated: "If we are to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases must be dramatically reduced." In 2009, the U.S. Global Change Impacts Report concluded that if global warming emissions are not cut dramatically, "threats to human health will increase." And earlier this month, more than 2,500 scientists signed a letter urging Congress to allow the EPA to move forward with carbon regulations.

###

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org.

List of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings Released

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today released its 2010 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with 25 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2010, with Nevada being the leading state, with 10.92 square feet per person in 2010.

Other top states include New Mexico and New Hampshire and Oregon with more than 6 and 4 square feet of LEED-certified space per person, respectively.

“Using per capita, versus the more traditional numbers of projects, or pure square footage, is a reminder to all of us that the people who live and work, learn and play in buildings should be what we care about most,” said USGBC SVP of LEED, Scot Horst. “2010 was a difficult year for most of the building industry, but in many areas, the hunger for sustainable development kept the markets moving.”

The top LEED states per capita, including the District of Columbia:

• District of Columbia: 25.15 sf 
• Nevada: 10.92 sf 
• New Mexico: 6.35 sf 
• New Hampshire: 4.49 sf
• Oregon: 4.07 sf
• South Carolina: 3.19 sf
• Washington: 3.16 sf 
• Illinois: 3.09 sf
• Arkansas: 2.9 sf 
• Colorado: 2.85 sf 
• Minnesota: 2.77 sf

USGBC’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition, nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

Notable newly certified projects in 2010 include the Frito Lay manufacturing site in Jonesboro, Ark.; the Wells Fargo Center in Denver, Colo.; the two International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters buildings in downtown Washington, D.C, which earned LEED Gold for the operations and maintenance of an existing building ; Parc Huron multi-use residential property in Chicago, Ill.; the Edina Crosstown Medical Building in Edina, Minn.; Barcelona Elementary School in Albuquerque, N.M.; Centennial Hills Library in Las Vegas, Nev.; The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Ore.; KPMG: Greenville in S.C.; and multiple fire stations and the Bank of America Fifth Avenue Plaza in Seattle, Wash.Of the projects represented on the list, the most-common project type was commercial office and the most-common owner type was for-profit organization. The cities most represented in the list were Chicago and Washington, D.C.

For the full list of LEED-certified projects visit: https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=8784 ###

U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 162,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads a diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition, nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

NARI firm gives family home a second life through a green remodel

Des Plaines, Illinois, March 9, 2011—Green is more than a color; it's a building philosophy. For Peter Michelson, CEO of Renewal Design-Build of Decatur, Ga., building green is also the way he helps his clients live healthier, eco-conscious lifestyles, save money on utility bills and make the world a greener place.

 

"Green homes incorporate sustainable materials and design ideas aimed at protecting the environment by promoting energy conservation,” Michelson said. “The more you are doing to your house, the more of an opportunity you have to replace inefficient equipment with high-efficiency equipment and materials.”

 

Renewal Design-Build won a 2010 southeast regional CotY award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for a whole-home remodel it completed Decatur, Ga.  The company is dedicated to building energy-efficient homes in an effort to help reduce climate change. Their plans incorporate a number of strategies that are meant to increase a home’s energy efficiency by 30 percent, conserve water and reduce storm water pollution. By promoting recycling and the use of durable, low-maintenance, recycled, and rapidly renewable materials, Renewal Design-Build helps to ensure homes conserve natural resources and protect ecosystem biodiversity.

 

The firm’s award-winning remodel began as a 900-square-foot, 1930s cottage with two bedrooms and one bath. The original floor plan was dated, inefficient and no longer fit the modern needs of a growing family. The homeowners were dedicated to achieving a total green renovation, and worked with architect Eric Rawlings and the Renewal team to incorporate innovative, sustainable building practices, materials and technologies into both construction and the interior design of the home.

 

The remodeling team first deconstructed most of the home’s original structure down to the foundation. They then expanded the living area of the home to 2,100 square feet. “We reused everything we could reuse from the original house, which was challenging if you saw how tiny the original house was,” Michelson said.

 

High-efficiency and sustainable building were top priorities for the project. The team used SIP, or structural insulated panel, construction instead of traditional stud framing. SIPs are made by sandwiching a layer of rigid polystyrene foam between two pieces of oriented strand board (OSB). SIP construction is stronger than conventional stud frames and it takes less time to erect. It also creates an airtight, draft-free envelope for the home, which saves homeowners money on their energy bills.

 

“An important thing to consider in green renovation is allowing the house to mechanically breathe,” Michelson said. When a house is built very tightly, it can increase the chance for mold or air quality issues without the proper use of ventilation. In this case, energy recovery ventilators helped to reduce the costs of heating and cooling by transferring heat from the warm air inside with fresh (but cold) air from outside in the winter. In the summer, the inside air cools the warmer supply air to reduce ventilation cooling costs.

 

Energy Star-rated exhaust fans in the bathrooms and cooktop vents in the kitchen helped to reduce the chance of mold growing in more humid areas of the home. In addition, the remodelers placed a 40-millimeter thick vapor barrier in the home’s crawl space and added an Energy Star-rated dehumidifier so that no ground moisture could seep up into the house. “The tighter a house becomes, sick home syndrome becomes a bigger issue,” Michelson said.

 

New geothermal heating and cooling, high-efficiency windows and doors and a tankless water heater cut down energy costs. In another strategy to save on cooling, the team incorporated deep roof overhangs to provide shade for the windows. Another savvy addition was the water harvesting system, which was hidden inside the home’s exterior stone columns. The cisterns collect up to 600 gallons of rainwater that the family uses to flush toilets, wash cars and as landscape irrigation.

 

Upon completion, the new prairie-style home featured four bedrooms, three baths and a spacious modern kitchen. Careful consideration was taken in choosing interior finishes. The homeowners opted for Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood and bamboo flooring throughout the house. “Since we built this house so tight, so we had to pay close attention to off-gassing and make sure that all of our finishes were low- or no-VOC and non-formaldehyde,” Michelson added. 

 

The builder says that the initial cost of building green pays for itself over time. For example, an additional investment of $10,000 will typically cost a homeowner about $65/month on a standard loan. If the energy savings meets or exceeds $65/month, then it becomes a great return on your investment. "A typical green project adds 10 to 15% to the construction cost,” said David Michelson president of Renewal Design-Build. “However, as the price of energy continues to go up, the payback accelerates when people build green homes and they can see dramatic decreases in their monthly utility bills.”

 

NARI Green Certified Professional (GCP) remodelers can help homeowners plan eco-conscious remodels that will save you money and reduce your environmental footprint. Log on to www.nariremodelers.com to find a remodeler in your area. For green remodeling information, please visit www.greenremodeling.org.

 

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About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry.  The Association which represents more than 8,200 member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To locate a local NARI chapter or a remodeling professional, visit NARI’s Web site at www.nariremodelers.com, or contact the national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Illinois, at 800-611-NARI.

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: NARI can provide you with photos to accompany your story. Contact NARI with your request at marketing@nari.org or ask for Morgan Zenner at (800) 611-6274. Click here for an online version of this press release.

Solid Foundation for Marino Custom Homes

              LEBANON, OHIO – In the Village of Indian Hill outside of Cincinnati, builder Pete Marino is doing something fairly unusual in today’s challenging economic marketplace --- he’s building a spec home.  And, it’s not a small house. He’s constructing a one-million-dollar-plus custom home.

             “We’re feeling much better about this market in 2011 than we did several years ago,” says Marino, managing partner of Marino Custom Homes, LLC. “We saw an increase in sales in 2010 over 2009 that has pushed us forwards into new development projects. As long as we build sensibly we believe there will be buyers for our high-end custom homes.”

             For Marino, building “sensibly” means starting with a solid, energy-efficient R-5 foundation system from Superior Walls of the Tri-State. Custom-made to the exact specifications of a home, the damp-proof precast concrete foundation can be set in place by a certified crew in less than 12 hours, creating a fast start for a home’s construction process.

             “I’ve had good experiences with Superior Walls foundations in the past which led me to using one on this custom home in Indian Hill,” says Marino. “We’re confident that the homebuyers will see the value in having added living space in their basement area afforded by the Superior Walls foundation. That space can be transformed into a game room, home office or entertainment area to maximize the livability of the entire house.”

             The individually-created Superior Walls R-5 panels include built-in openings for windows and doors. Pre-engineered access for wiring or small plumbing elements along with smart stud facing for easy drywall installation are included and help speed up the installation process.

            The first and only insulated precast concrete wall system to earn the Green Approved Product designation by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, Superior Walls products use up to 70 percent less concrete in a new home than conventional foundations. Stud facings eliminate the need for additional wood framing prior to interior finishing. Using fewer materials helps reduce the carbon footprint of the new home’s construction process.

           “We specialize in creating LEED certified homes,” says Marino. “When we use the R-5 foundation system, we can earn up to 10 points on our project toward a National Green Building Certification.”

            The Green Approved Products Certificate #00071 provides builders the following points for the use of Superior Walls foundation systems:

• Practice 601.2 – 3 points – Structural systems/advanced framing techniques optimize material usage.
• Practice 601.5 (1-3) – 4 points – Precut/preassembled components, panelized, or precast assemblies are utilized for a minimum of 90% of floor, wall, and/or roof system.
• Practice 607.1 – 3 points – Products containing fewer materials are used to achieve the same end-use requirements as conventional products.
• Practice 701.4.3.1 (1) – Mandatory – Insulation is installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or local code. Mandatory for certification.

           “We anticipate this Indian Hill home will be finished by July,” says Marino. “Then we’re going to start working on additional new homes in our area. I’m counting on the sensible products we use and high quality of building construction to continue helping our sales rise throughout 2011 and well into 2012.”

          For more information on Marino Custom Homes, LLC visit www.marinohomes.com. For information on Superior Walls of the Tri-State, visit www.tristatesw.com.

Call for Public Debate on Wind Power After Misleading Industry Release on Bird Deaths

(Washington, D.C., March 3, 2011) American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the nation’s leading bird conservation group, today called for a public debate on the wind industry’s impact on birds. The call followed a March 1 press statement by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) that asserted that wind power is not a significant threat to birds, and cited data that erroneously suggests that bird mortality from wind power will be fraction of the real projected toll.

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated  that approximately  440,000 birds are already being killed each year by wind turbines, yet AWEA continues to assert that the death toll is less than one quarter of this.  More importantly, the industry association ignores the fact that wind development is currently a tiny fraction of that proposed for 2030 when it is anticipated to kill a minimum of one million birds annually, and likely many more.

“It is unfortunate that, rather than owning up to, solving, or at least mitigating for impacts to birds from wind farm installations, the industry’s lobbyists spin outdated and misleading information, and try to conceal the inconvenient truth that wind energy has significant bird impacts that need to be addressed.  Instead of asserting that they are the good guys merely because they are not as bad as coal, they should be looking at how they can get their own environmental house in better order,” said Michael Parr, Vice President of American Bird Conservancy.

“The wind industry is in danger of alienating its greatest environmental advocates by continuing to deny there is a problem with birds. What they should be doing is working constructively with groups like ABC to make the small siting and operational changes needed to minimize bird impacts. ABC is in favor of bird-smart wind, yet industry groups are opposed to even voluntary guidelines to help reduce bird impacts. This does not look like a green industry right now” he added. “It is irresponsible of the wind industry to dismiss what is widely accepted to be in the millions of bird deaths by 2030 as insignificant.”

The issues with wind go far beyond mortality caused by the turbine blades alone, and include impacts from the power lines that bring wind-generated electricity to the grid and habitat loss from the footprint of the wind farms and associated roads and structures. Power lines are a particular threat for species such as the endangered Whooping Crane and other large birds that are at risk from collisions with the lines. About 20,000 square miles of habitat will be likely lost in the 2030 build-out – larger than the combined areas of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island - which threatens birds such as the Greater Sage-Grouse and other species in the West.

“ABC supports the concept of wind energy. With just a few reasonable bird-smart accommodations, we could realize the enormous green potential that is waiting to be fully tapped, and we would be happy to work with industry toward that end.  But AWEA is doing both the public and those members of the wind industry who are trying to do the right thing a great disservice by concealing the full spectrum of bird impacts. We believe a public debate would help the nation decide what is myth and what is fact,” Parr said.

The wind industry receives huge taxpayer subsidies, yet continues to harm birds in violation of two major environmental laws – the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

American Bird Conservancy (www.abcbirds.org) conserves native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas by safeguarding the rarest species, conserving and restoring habitats, and reducing threats while building capacity of the bird conservation movement. ABC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization.

COMPLETED HARPER COLLEGE MASTER PLAN CREATES A ROADMAP FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS

Access to Services, Student Interaction, and Sustainability are Highlights of Campus Master Plan

March 3, 2011 (New York, NY) Top international design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman is pleased to announce that EE&K, a Perkins Eastman company, has completed the master plan for the William Rainey Harper College campus in Palatine, IL. The plan, completed under the joint venture of EE&K/Graywood, will serve as a roadmap for the community college to provide a 21st century campus that will enhance student success.  The plan was presented at the Innovations 2011 Conference in San Diego, CA on February 28.

“21st century community colleges must design campus environments that promote the best use of students’ time and provide numerous opportunities for social and intellectual engagement,” says Sean O’Donnell AIA, LEED AP, principal-in-charge of the project.

Community colleges are playing an increasingly critical role in preparing students of all ages and education levels for a fiercely competitive workforce. In Harper’s case, the master plan calls for a new campus configuration that would establish a more welcoming arrival to the campus. Additionally, access to student services and the importance of student/ faculty interaction are stressed. Accordingly, the master plan creates the new student center as a focal point, which would cluster student services together at the heart of the campus where students, faculty, and staff can interact on a daily basis.

“We are pleased more people than ever are coming to Harper,” says Dr. Kenneth Ender, President of Harper College. He adds, “We want to make sure our facilities can accommodate additional growth and support 21st century learning.”

Developed in close consultation with Harper College key stakeholders, EEK/Graywood’s recommendations go beyond the bounds of a typical master planning effort to address real challenges while linking each recommendation to Harper’s larger goal in becoming a leader in sustainability. The plan recommends making Harper’s campus greener over the next ten years by making the campus more compact, retrofitting buildings to use energy more efficiently, creating a bike trail around the campus, constructing green roofs, and using native landscaping in parking lots to limit water runoff.

About Perkins Eastman

Perkins Eastman is among the top architecture and design firms in the world. The firm prides itself on inventive and compassionate design that enhances the quality of the human experience. Because of its depth and range, Perkins Eastman takes on assignments from niche buildings to complex projects that enrich whole communities. The firm’s practice areas include education, housing, healthcare, senior living, corporate interiors, cultural institutions, public sector facilities, retail, office buildings, and urban design. In 2010, Perkins Eastman announced it would merge with Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects (EE&K), significantly strengthening both practices with an international total of nearly 600 employees. Perkins Eastman provides award-winning design through its domestic offices in New York, NY; Boston, MA; Arlington, VA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Oakland, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Stamford, CT; and internationally in Dubai, UAE; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Mumbai, India; Shanghai, China; and Toronto, Canada.  

This message is sent by Perkins Eastman Architects, PC, and/or its Affiliates, and is intended exclusively for the persons to which it is addressed. This communication may contain information that is privileged or confidential. If you are not the named addressee, you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate any part of this message.