Community College Retrofits Lighting with LED Tube Lights

Seesmart Embarks on $2.3 Million Lighting Retrofit of Pasadena City College
Over 34,000 LED tube lights to be installed across campus of third-largest community college in U.S.

Simi Valley, CA, USA — 7 March, 2012 – LED lighting manufacturer Seesmart, Inc. has secured a $2.3 million contract with Pasadena City College for a lighting retrofit to further its reputation as a leader in sustainability.  The retrofit will replace more than 34,000 fluorescent tube lights in campus buildings with high-efficiency, long-lasting Seesmart LED tube lights.

Pasadena City College’s anticipated LED retrofit benefits include significant energy savings of $720,000 and 3.7 million kilowatt-hours per year, and its carbon footprint will reduce by 5 million pounds per year.  Additionally, the college expects an $850,000 rebate from Pasadena Water Power for this energy-saving project.

“Pasadena City College is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in sustainability,” remarked Richard van Pelt, CFO and assistant president of Pasadena City College.  “The move to replace all fluorescent lamps on campus with LEDs represents what we are about—global leadership in everything we do.  Not only will this save more than 55 percent of electrical consumption for lighting, but it saves in manufacturing resources and disposal costs and impacts.  We start saving money on the first day the LEDs are installed, so the payback is instantaneous.”

In the course of Pasadena City College’s lighting retrofit, classrooms, offices, stairwells, parking structures, gymnasium, and mechanical rooms of 26 buildings will be converted from fluorescent to LED lighting.  The contract for this massive project was issued using the California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS). 

"Integrating Seesmart LED lighting products into Pasadena City College’s infrastructure will not only save energy, it will bring cost avoidance opportunities,” said Ray Sjolseth, President of Seesmart, Inc.  “The long lifespan of our LED products obviates the need for frequent replacement of individual lamps.  This minimizes maintenance costs and facility waste and means that on-staff labor will be available for other servicing needs.”

About Seesmart
Seesmart, Inc. is a division of Seesmart Holdings, Inc.  Seesmart, Inc. is a complete LED lighting solutions company with decades of experience in research and development, manufacturing and distribution.  Seesmart offers a broad product line to meet most commercial or residential needs and delivers a rapid ROI, high-quality products backed by up to a five-year warranty, immediate energy savings and true retrofit solutions.  For more information, please visit www.seesmartled.com.

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements, expectations, intentions, strategies and beliefs regarding the future.  All statements contained herein are based upon information available to the management of Seesmart as of the date hereof, and actual results may vary based upon future events, both within and without the control of the management, including risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.
 
Management does not take any responsibility to update the contents of this News Release in case new aspects arise or new conditions change the facts available.

Greenblock Insulated Concrete Forms

Greenblock Insulated Concrete Forms: More Than Energy Efficient and Resistant to Forces of Nature

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Habitat for Humanity is well-known for developing affordable housing, but its design and construction volunteers are also finding job sites fun as they learn how to build more sustainably with insulated concrete forms (ICF).

“One of the things I like with the product is our people enjoy their time on the job site,” said Habitat for Humanity of Seminole County’s Executive Director Penny Seater. “I just think there are so many plusses for our families and our volunteers,” she said.

The reduced weight of the forms during assembly means, there are less fingers smashed compared with other construction materials, and a lot fewer sore muscles, as well as less overall volunteer safety concerns for Habitat Seminole.

Greenblock Worldwide, LLC, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., was the manufacturer chosen for the Insulated Concrete Forms for two recently completed single-family, green and affordable homes for Habitat of Seminole County.

These homes are located in the Central Florida neighborhood of Altamonte Springs. John Riddle, Greenblock’s LEED Accredited Professional and Southeast Territory Manager, was present from pre-construction to final punch list, offering the project’s volunteers both technical and moral support.

The two homes were built side by side each with 1,556 sq. ft. of Greenblock ICF wall, one to the Florida Green Building Coalition’s (FGBC) green building rating system and one to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED rating system. The LEED Home is anticipated to achieve Gold certification. Greenblock 2-4-2/4 inch core product was installed. The designer was Baker Barrios Architects, Inc., and the structural engineer was JHR Consultants, Inc.

Riddle, who serves as chairman of the USGBC’s Central Florida Chapter, and his chapter’s volunteers donated many hours of sustainable design and construction consulting time to the project team.  The structures are Habitat Seminole’s first LEED and FGBC registered projects. Nearby Evergreen University provided many of the volunteer ICF installers on one of the homes while local Habitat Seminole volunteers rolled up their sleeves to build the other one.

Once the households were occupied during the summer of 2011, the new home owners reported more than a 75 percent drop in utility bills compared to their last residences, going from over $400 per month to less than $100 electricity bills.

“That’s a tremendous savings,” said Seater, adding: “In low income housing, lower utility bills can be the difference between food on the table or not.” Deeper savings can be achieved with lower insurance costs due to reduced property damage during natural disasters in an ICF home.

In Florida, termites and hurricanes are also concerns but with Greenblock walls those worries are gone as well, she noted. A Greenblock ICF wall has a solid concrete core providing a hurricane, tornado, and seismic resistant home.

Numerous savings were recognized with Greenblock ICF, including time of construction because it can be installed faster than concrete blocks or wood frame construction methods. The ease of fitting blocks together and factory produced pre-engineering means less construction site waste. Furthermore, furring strips are built-in from the inside and outside; the self-contained vapor barrier eliminates the need for a house wrap.

You can even downsize the HVAC system for additional savings up front and for the long-term as less cooling cycles are required by the unit and that lowers utilities cost while providing less ongoing worn parts to replace and an overall longer life span for the heating and cooling units.

Greenblock President Jimmy Myrick explained the speed and ease of building with Greenblock ICFs helps affordable housing project developers achieve very efficient design and construction schedules while reducing the need for job training.

“These recent projects provided Habitat’s volunteers with a fulfilling experience as they learned how to work with a new wall system with just a few hours of training,” Myrick said. He added, “This helps Habitat keep its volunteers working on schedule and until the home is completed, plus they often come back for the next project.”

It is a relative quick construction method, the team can put up the home in a very short time. When using volunteer time, this is a very important factor, since most have other jobs and are available for short periods of time; therefore getting the home finished quickly also helps retain volunteers.

In fact, Seater said the next home they build is scheduled for ground breaking in January 2012 and will utilize the Greenblock ICFs which weigh approximately 3 pounds. The future homes will be following the same design executed on the Altamonte Springs homes, including installation of Greenblock ICF walls, as Habitat Seminole strives to replicate the same sustainable building performance with volunteers from nearby religious institutions and many satisfied helpers returning.

As the green initiative continues to gain ground with homeowners it is projected that when these homes sell they will be in greater demand for their safety, savings and sustainability. Your home is your castle and the new homeowners plan on being there for a long time. Building with Greenblock means the home will outlast any other method of construction out there.

 

HVAC Motors Can Be More Efficient

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — Energy efficiency efforts tend to focus on things such as lighting and insulation. But, in fact, motors that run heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are the largest user of energy in buildings.

At the same time, motor related efficiency requirements are relatively lax. There is no independent verification of motor efficiency, the equivalent of cutting out the Environmental Protection Agency and allowing car makers to say how many miles per gallon their vehicles get.

Sadrul Ula, who is research faculty at the University of California, Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), is trying to change that. He recently received a $385,000 grant from the California Energy Commission to evaluate the efficiency of HVAC motors in building through testing on-site and in a soon-to-be built facility at CE-CERT.

"Everyone turns off lights or bathroom fans," said Ula, who is also managing director of the Winston Chung Global Energy Center at CE-CERT. "But, no one turns off motors. The awareness is not there."

In recent years, large-scale clean energy projects, such as solar and wind farms, have generated many headlines, pushing energy efficiency efforts to the side. But those relatively simple energy efficiency steps can have a large impact. A 2009 report by McKinsey & Company found the United States could reduce annual energy consumption by 23 percent by 2020 by deploying energy efficiency measures.

In California, nearly 47 percent of electrical energy consumption was used by commercial buildings. Motors that create that energy tend to operate at 5 to 10 percent below optimal efficiency, Ula said. Increasing that efficiency can have enormous implications.

To view full press release and downloadable illustration and photo visit: http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/3078

EPA’s FY 2013 Budget Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2012

EPA's FY 2013 Budget Proposal Focuses on Core Environmental and Human Health Protections

EPA budget supports President Obama's vision of an America that is built to last

WASHINGTON – Today the Obama Administration proposed a FY 2013 budget of $8.344 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This budget reflects a government-wide effort to reduce spending and find cost-savings, and is $105 million below the EPA's enacted level for FY 2012. The FY 2013 budget is the result of EPA's ongoing efforts to carefully consider potential cost savings and reductions while continuing its commitment to core environmental and health protections -- safeguarding Americans from pollution in the air they breathe, the water they drink and the land where they build their communities. 

"This budget is focused on fulfilling EPA's core mission to protect health and the environment for millions of American families. It demonstrates fiscal responsibility, while still supporting clean air, healthy waters and innovative safeguards that are essential to an America built to last," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "It has taken hard work and difficult choices to reach this balanced approach, and while we had to make sacrifices, we have maintained our commitment to the core priorities of this agency and ensured the protections the American people expect and deserve."

 Key FY 2013 budget highlights include:

Supporting State Governments. The budget proposes $1.2 billion in categorical grants for states that are on the front lines implementing environmental statutes such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. The increases from FY 2012 levels include nearly $66 million for State and Tribal Air Quality Management grants, nearly $27 million for Pollution Control (Clean Water Act Section 106) grants, and about $29 million for the Tribal General Assistance Program.

Protecting America's Waters. The proposal provides $2 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving funds (SRFs). This will allow the SRFs to finance over $6 billion in wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects annually. EPA will work to target assistance to small and underserved communities with limited ability to repay loans, while maintaining state program integrity.

Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites in Communities. The proposal includes $755 million in funding for the Superfund Cleanup program which maintains funding to support cleanup at hazardous waste sites that address emergencies (Superfund Emergency Response and Removal) at the nation's highest priority sites (Superfund Remedial).

Investing in Cutting Edge Research. EPA's proposed budget provides $576 million to support research and innovation. Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants are funded at $81 million to conduct research in key areas such as hydraulic fracturing, potential endocrine disruptors, and green infrastructure. Building upon ongoing research and collaborating with the Department of Energy and the US Geological Survey, a total $14 million investment will begin to assess potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air quality, water quality, and ecosystems.  The EPA also will release an Interim Report on the Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources in 2012.

Ongoing Support to Economically and Environmentally Vital Water Bodies. To ensure the progress made during the past three years continues, EPA is proposing $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Programs and projects will target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes. About $73 million, which is a $15 million increase, will fund the Chesapeake Bay program's continued implementation of the President's Executive Order on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration. Funding will support bay watershed states as they implement their plans to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in an unprecedented effort to restore this economically important ecosystem.

Protecting Americans from Harmful Chemicals. EPA is proposing $68 million, an increase of $11 million from FY 2012, to reduce chemical risks, increase the pace of chemical hazard assessments, and provide the public with greater access to toxic chemical information. Funding will sustain the agency's successes in managing the potential risks of new chemicals coming into the market and accelerating the progress to help ensure the safety of chemicals on the market that have not been tested for adverse human health and environmental impacts. 

Next Generation Compliance. EPA's budget proposal requests $36 million to support "Next Generation Compliance", a new enforcement model designed to enhance EPA's ability to detect violations that impact public health. The three components of this approach are: promoting electronic reporting by facilities, modifying data systems to implement electronic reporting, and deploying modern monitoring technology. This will work toward improved compliance and transparency, and more efficient processes that do not rely on paper-based reporting. And, create cost savings and efficiencies for EPA, states and industry.

Supporting the National Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Standards Program. The budget contains a $10 million increase to the EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory for certification and compliance testing programs and to evaluate new biofuels technologies. The national program of fuel economy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) standards for light duty vehicles alone will save approximately 12 billion barrels of oil and prevent 6 billion metric tons of GHG emissions over the lifetime of the vehicles sold through model year 2025. These funds will improve testing methods for the agency's renewable fuels program, and the GHG and fuel economy programs intended to reduce dependence on oil and save consumers money at the pump.

Reducing and Eliminating Programs. The budget includes $50 million in savings by eliminating several EPA programs that have either completed their goals or can be implemented through other federal or state efforts.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/budget

Largest Solar PV Install in the World

New York skyscraper uses MAGE POWERTEC PLUS modules 50 stories above ground; 122.4 kW system also largest in Manhattan.

Dublin (Georgia), February 07, 2012. – MAGE SOLAR, part of the globally operating MAGE GROUP, announced that its MAGE POWERTEC PLUS modules are part of a 122.4 kW rooftop PV-installation in Manhattan. The solar array is at the elevation of 737 feet, making the building the tallest in the world with a solar PV-installation on its roof.

The installation on top of the 50-story commercial building in the heart of Manhattan was recently completed using highest-performance MAGE POWERTEC PLUS modules. With their industry-leading 30-year 80% power output guarantee, they are a highly visible, long-term commitment to corporate sustainability and additionally a sound financial investment and innovative business model as well. Since MAGE SOLAR modules exclusively feature positive tolerances (0 to +5 Watts) the system will produce with optimal efficiency for a maximum amount of time.

"MAGE SOLAR is proud to be part of this enormously exciting project," says Joe Thomas, President and CEO of MAGE SOLAR USA. "Whenever a company decides to add sustainability and innovative technology into their business plan, there are economic drivers behind it as well. With MAGE SOLAR's premium performance modules the owners are guaranteed maximum power efficiency and yield for the longest amount of time. But this innovative PV-installation also proves the great adaptability of solar PV systems, be it a homeowner's roof in the countryside, utility-scale trackers, or almost 1,000 feet above the ground in the middle of one of the most exciting cities in the world, solar works everywhere in America."

Photo Caption: The MAGE POWERTEC PLUS modules are part of this 122.4 kW rooftop array. At an elevation of 737 feet from the ground, this is the world's tallest building with a solar PV-array on top of it. © Vanguard Energy Partners

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We would appreciate a sample copy of any reprints.

MAGE SOLAR – The Sun on Your Side
MAGE SOLAR USA, headquartered in Dublin, Georgia, specializes in complete solar systems and provides high-quality photovoltaic modules, intelligent mounting systems and high-performance brand inverters. As a subsidiary of the international MAGE GROUP, it uses the Group's 40 years of know-how to develop optimally coordinated system solutions. A competent partner network guarantees profitable solar energy systems for customers throughout the Americas and in fourteen more countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

www.magesolar.com
www.facebook.com/magesolar
www.twitter.com/mage_solar

School Facilities Cut Energy

Students Cut Energy Use By Up to 17% in National Energy Conservation Challenge

Schools Showcase Energy-Saving Technologies and Positive Behavior Changes

 

New York, NY –  Students across the U.S. are reporting impressive energy savings on their school campuses during the third week of meter readings for the 2012 national Green Cup Challenge® (GCC), with some schools reporting cuts as high as 17%.

"This is extremely positive news for America, which makes up just 5% of the world's population but consumes 24% of the world's energy," says Peg Watson, Founder and President of the Green Schools Alliance (GSA). The GSA sponsors the GCC, which is now in its fifth year; 116 GCC schools in 22 states are competing to reduce their electricity consumption during peak winter energy usage, January 18 to February 15.

Preventable energy waste costs Americans hundreds of billions of dollars a year and studies have shown that most Americans continue to live in denial about their energy consumption.  But students are turning that around.

"From California to Florida, students and school campuses are modeling technologies and behaviors that save energy, money and the environment during the GCC and beyond," says GCC Program Director Katy Perry.

Energy-saving strategies range from the simple and low-tech to the high-tech.

The Latin School of Chicago has seen an 8.2% reduction in its energy consumption so far. The independent K-12 school has quietly made big investments in renewable energy and campus-wide efficiencies that are paying off in many ways, thanks in large part to Peter Brown, the school's Director of Facilities and Operations.

"We're seeing a savings of around $45,000 per year for our campus," says Brown, who last year installed solar PV panels on Latin's Middle School building, along with a new bird friendly wind turbine and a solar hot water heating system.  The Upper School's roof went solar in 2009.  All lights in the Middle School were retrofitted with motion sensors and dimmable ballasts. AV management software shuts down systems at night, and environmental monitoring software tracks and promotes awareness about sustainability. 

 

With the annual cost savings, Brown expects to see a return on Latin's investments in about ten years; but their value is not just economic.  A public website page is tracking how many pounds of carbon dioxide the school has kept out of the atmosphere by using solar energy, and the educational opportunities surrounding these choices are infinite.

"By making ethical decisions about how we use energy throughout our facilities, we can use our campus as a classroom for our students," says Brown.  

Indeed, Latin's two green roofs - atop the Middle School (5,500 sq. ft.) and the Upper School (1,200 sq. ft.) – have become virtual science and engineering laboratories.  On a hot day, using infrared thermometers, students have observed that the temperature on a traditional roof is often 30 degrees Fahrenheit higher than a green roof. "This is a great opportunity for students to see how a green roof can help reduce cooling costs," says Brown.

Saint Paul's, an independent Pre-K – 8 school in Clearwater, Florida has been using air conditioning (A/C) instead of heat this winter, due to unusually warm temperatures. But it has nonetheless managed to reduce its electricity consumption by 17% during the GCC. A/Cs have been set at 74° F, up from 72° F.  Since the last GCC, Dean Ledee, Saint Paul's Director of Facilities and a member of the staff Green Team, says he has replaced up to six old A/C units with more efficient Energy Star models. And as exterior lights blew out, he replaced them with LEDs. "Despite the recent 3% electricity rate increase, we haven't felt it," says Ledee, who gives credit to the teachers and students for being conscious about their electricity use. "We've really focused on turning lights off when we leave a room, setting our computers to sleep mode, and using the GCC as an opportunity for people to focus on their habits," says Karen Zilhaver, Technology instructor and Green Team member. Zilhaver says that, over the years, Saint Pauls's staff has educated students about why it's important to save energy, and resources more generally. "It serves them well at school and in the world to be good environmental stewards."

At the New Roads School in Santa Monica, California, students and staff also achieved reductions of 17%. "We brought natural light into the computer classroom by cutting a big skylight into a false ceiling and we haven't turned the lights on in the room since," says Tyrone Sandaal, the High School's Co-Director.  Sandaal said students and staff have been going room by room controlling thermostats, shutting off computer monitors, space heaters, and lamps.  They installed special plates on light switches outside of seven modular buildings to prevent lights from being turned on unnecessarily during the day, and put night lights on timers.  "What we found going into the GCC is that we were very effective in our campaign last year, so it was much easier for us to do what we needed to do this year. It's about creating habits." In the future, Sandaal hopes to create a GCC home version. "Parents and families would compete with each other to create percentage reductions at home, and report the results in school," he says.

With just one week to go for the national GCC and popular GCC video contest (both end on February 15^th) schools are scrambling for last-minute reductions and the coveted first place, posting web and Twitter updates along the way.  

"National winners will be announced in a couple of weeks, though all GCC schools are winners in our book," says Perry. 

New York City and Chicago public schools launch their own GCC on March 2^nd.

 

CONTACT: Katy Perry, 860-578-0174,  Emily Fano, 917-301-8830

If you would rather not receive future communications from The Green Schools Alliance, let us know by clicking here.
The Green Schools Alliance, c/o Jeffrey A. Smith Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Worldwide Plaza, 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019 United States

PCA Economist Presents Residential Forecast at International Builders' Show

Traditionally one of the more conservative recovery voices at the International Builders' Show, Portland Cement Association (PCA) Chief Economist Edward Sullivan believes there is a "tinge" of optimism on the housing front – more so than in other building sectors.

As with the national economy, recovery of the housing market depends on a synchronized series of events including demand gains, job creation, sentiment gains, and an easing of lending standards. The entire circle of events must be spinning for sustained economic and construction growth in all markets, but especially the housing market.

Find out what this Chicago Federal Reserve-honored economist has to say about today's residential construction sector as well as when and where builders and homeowners can expect a recovery. Attend our press conference, Wednesday, February 8, 8 am, in the PCA Booth (#W2383) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Sullivan will present an economic forecast regarding residential construction that includes immediate expectations and long-term trends.

To RSVP for the press conference, please contact Patti Flesher at pflesher@cement.org or 847-972-9136.

______________________
If you would rather not receive future communications from Portland Cement Association, please go to http://PortlandCementAssociation.pr-optout.com/OptOut.aspx?518719x25143x67538x1x3479497x24000x6&Email=editor%40igreenbuild.com.
Portland Cement Association, 5420 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, IL 60077 United States

Dry-mill Ethanol Plant News

(Kansas City, Kan., February 2, 2012) – Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC has agreed to pay a $10,150 civil penalty and spend at least $38,729 on a supplemental environmental project for failing to file a risk management plan and implement risk management regulations at its dry-mill ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. 

According to an administrative consent agreement and final order filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan., an inspection of the ethanol plant in January 2010 found that the company had not filed a risk management plan for the facility, as required by the federal Clean Air Act. 

Under the Clean Air Act, the Council Bluffs facility was required to file a risk management plan because it had exceeded the 10,000-pound threshold for anhydrous ammonia, an extremely hazardous chemical. Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy was storing approximately 28,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia at the time of the EPA inspection. 

As part of its settlement with EPA, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy has agreed to perform a supplemental environmental project, through which it will spend at least $38,729 to purchase emergency response equipment for the Council Bluffs and Lewis Township fire departments. 

By agreeing to the settlement, the company has certified that the Council Bluffs ethanol plant is now in compliance with federal Risk Management Program regulations.

EPA enforces the Risk Management Program regulations of the Clean Air Act with a goal of preventing accidental chemical releases and minimizing the impact of releases or other accidents that may occur. The establishment of Risk Management Programs and formulation of Risk Management Plans helps companies, industries and municipalities operate responsibly, assists emergency responders by providing vital information necessary to address accidents and other incidents, protects the environment by preventing and minimizing damage from accidental releases, and keeps communities safer.

# # #

Learn more about the Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule:

http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/rmp/index.htm

 

Learn more about EPA's civil enforcement of the Clean Air Act:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/caa/index.html

 

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/eparegion7

 

If you would rather not receive future communications from Environmental Protection Agency, let us know by clicking here.
Environmental Protection Agency, 901 North 5th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101 United States

Green Building Events Calendar Open for Submissions

2012 Green Building Events Planner

iGreenBuild.com has a new blog named www.greenbuildingcalendar.com and we are inviting you to post your green building events as soon as possible. The blog has thousands of architects, engineers, building owners and suppliers visiting it each month and they are interested in planning their 2012 calendars right now.

Send your event submissions to editor@igreenbuild.com or call Matt Banes at (714) 442-2757 ext. 502.

iGreenBuild.com is Being Updated

Hello all,

In case you are wondering why you have arrived at the iGreenBuild.com blog and not our web site it's because we are conducting updates. We try to update the web site during the low traffic holiday season......so that's why you are here.

If you have any questions feel free to call Matt Banes at (714) 442-2757 ext 502.

Happy Holidays