Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies Assembles "Quiet Suite" of Door Hardware

                                                                                   

Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies Assembles

 “Quiet Suite” of Door Hardware

 

Created for Hospital Patient Areas, Libraries, Classrooms, Auditoriums, Theaters, Churches, Chapels, Ballrooms and Large Conference Areas

 

CARMEL, Ind., October 31, 2012 – For areas that are used for sleeping, healing, study, concentration or the overall reduction of auditory disturbances, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies has brought together a suite of products that provide customers with whisper quiet latches and sound reducing exit devices. The suite includes a collection of Von Duprin products comprising push pads, latches and exit devices.

            “The right environment helps everyone do a better job and noise reduction can be a key component for many environments,” explains Joseph Vaida, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, portfolio marketing manager-mechanical.  “For these applications, the same door hardware that’s used in one place in the facility may not be appropriate for areas that need to minimize noise. Therefore, for a doorway that is not intrusive, we created this suite of Von Duprin products with quiet options.”

            The quiet suite eliminates the sounds of door hardware not noticed in standard locations. For instance, by replacing magnetic solenoids that require high voltage inrushes for traditional noisy electronic latch retraction with motor-driven latch retraction, a much quieter solution with fewer disturbances is possible. In hazardous areas where electronics are not permitted but still require quiet latch retraction, pneumatic latch retraction is ideal. 

By incorporating an innovative, mechanical damper to decelerate mechanical push pads on the push and return stroke, most of the noise associated with push pad exit devices is eliminated. Lastly, concealed vertical cable system exit devices eliminate the rattles of rods in the door and the clanking of rods on the floor. 

The quiet suite of Von Duprin door hardware is available now.  More information is available at www.securitytechnologies.ingersollrand.com. Click Products/Exit Devices/Solutions.

2012 Design Build Expo November 7-9

Design-build is the fastest growing project delivery method and the Design-Build Institute of America provides a forum for owners and practitioners committed to design-build done right. Over 100 private and public owners, representing every sector and every level of government are registered to attend the 2012 Design-Build Conference & Expo being held November 7-9 in New Orleans.

More Progress in Natural Gas

Genscape Completes Acquisition of Spring Rock Production 

Launches next era platform of highly accurate natural gas analytics; High value offering fuels rapid acceptance by traders, analysts & hedge funds

October 1, 2012 Houston, Texas – Genscape, the company that pioneered the placement of thousands of in-the-field energy monitors to measure energy market fundamentals in real-time, today announced the next era in natural gas analytics and reporting based on its acquisition of Spring Rock Production.

Genscape is accelerating the launch of its new Natural Gas Production Forecast service based on the high degree of consistent forecast accuracy and rapid acceptance in commercial test markets. 

This new service will deliver over 30 regional forecasts in the continental United States, 3 regional forecasts in Western Canada, a Forecast Summary report (8/year), a weekly Natural Gas Production forecast, a Rig Breakout & Actualization report (showing trends and new plays), a weekly Pipe Flow Analysis update, and a monthly report on the EIA 914 filing.

"By leveraging Genscape's network of in-the-field monitors that measure pipeline actuals to feed our fully integrated natgas production model, we will consistently and accurately tie what is expected from the supply side of the industry to market prices," said Randall Collum, CEO of Spring Rock.  "It's a great leap forward in natgas analytics."

Genscape is keen to note that with the elimination of intrastate data due to FERC 720, Genscape, with its vast network of proprietary energy monitors capturing natgas pipeline data in real-time, is now the only company capable of producing this data.

"Spring Rock has a unique approach to tying supply side natural gas economics to market prices," said Matthew Burkley, CEO of Genscape, Inc.  "Customers can now replace the supply side of their model with our measured pipeline data to test for imbalances and better inform their price strategy."

"Right now we are hiring more employees to keep pace with strong demand," adds Jon Ecker, managing director of Genscape's natural gas group.  Visit http://www.genscape.com/naturalgas-natgas-production-forecast-springrock to learn more or register for a free trial.

 

About Genscape

Genscape is the leading global provider of energy information for commodity and financial markets.  Utilizing patented technologies and proprietary algorithms, Genscape provides accurate and timely data on capacities flow and utilization for all major energy commodities.  The product range includes the well-known real-time services for power and gas in North America and Europe.  Genscape also delivers fundamentals-based market intelligence services which market participants rely upon to better understand drivers, risks, and dynamics of regional power and gas markets.  Genscape is committed to enhancing the market activities of our clients through access to superior fundamental data and market intelligence.

 

 

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Genscape, Inc., 177 Huntington Ave. Suite 2100, Boston, MA 02115 United States

Energy Awareness Tips

Here are some good tips for anyone living in a house – whether you own a house, rent one or are building a new home. Doors are a huge source of energy loss or, if you follow the tips below, energy savings. Enjoy!

MAUMEE, OHIO – How many times have you heard someone call out, "close the door, you're letting the cold air in!" This common refrain has been heard in households for years. Now, during October's Energy Awareness Month, experts at Therma-Tru offer tips on how to keep the cold air outside while keeping energy bills low.

"Doors are a critical part of the housing envelope, so it's important to evaluate and maintain their energy efficiency throughout the year," says Derek Fielding, senior product manager for Therma-Tru Corp. "Along with your main entry door, you have side doors, sliding and hinged doors, garage doors and doors leading from the home to the garage. That's a large number of openings that need attention to maintain energy efficiency in the home."

According to Fielding, homeowners should always purchase an ENERGY STAR® rated door for their specific geographic area. In addition, there are several ways homeowners can assure their doors are helping support the overall energy efficiency of the home, including:

Tip #1 – If you're looking for door, be sure to select one made of fiberglass. A solid fiberglass door is up to four times more energy efficient than a solid wood door, plus you get the benefits that fiberglass has to offer, including resistance to rot, rust, dings and weather. Available in an assortment of styles, Therma-Tru_® Classic-Craft_® doors can come with woodgrain for staining or a smooth surface that can be painted to accent any home design.

Tip #2 – If you're replacing an entry door and want one with decorative or privacy glass in the door or sidelites, take time to research your options. Try to select doorlites and sidelites that have triple paned glass, which helps make the entire door more energy efficient. If only a two-paned glass is available, request a Low E coating on the glass that can enhance the energy efficiency of the unit.

Tip #3 – Reach out and touch your door on both hot and cold days. If you feel the exterior temperatures on the inside surface, then your door may not have adequate insulation and you should consider upgrading it with a replacement that is more energy efficient and has an ENERGY STAR qualified rating for your geographic area.

Tip #4 – Inspect the weather stripping around all sides of every door in the home to make sure it has not worn out. On a bright day, stand inside near your door and look for daylight flowing through the door perimeter. If light is coming in, then so most likely, is external air and possibly moisture. That means it's time to determine if your foam-filled weatherstripping may have lost some of its compression, cracked or has flatted out and needs to be replaced. An easy way to determine what weatherstripping you may need and order on line is to visit the door replacements parts section of the Therma-Tru website at http://www.thermatru.com/customer-support/replacement-parts/index.aspx.

Tip #5 – Open and close your doors --- on both dry and wet, humid days. If your door fits tightly on humid days, then it's most likely leaking air on dry days. You may want to consider a high-performance door made of fiberglass to prevent this type of swelling and add more energy efficiency to your home.

Purchasing a New Door

If your older entry door serves as a leaky energy drain on your home, then it's time to invest in a new high-performance entryway. Many homeowners in the past 25 years have embraced both the energy-efficiency and beauty of durable fiberglass doors.

According to the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), fiberglass products are known for their reliability, customization aspects for style design, and energy efficiency. Fiberglass doors have an abundance of features outlined by AAMA at

http://www.aamanet.org/general/1/437/fiberglass-product-reliability-and-durability.

Constructed as a complete system of components, Therma-Tru fiberglass doors are designed and engineered to work together for lasting performance, security and energy efficiency. Multi-point locking systems that engage a series of locks at several places on the frame, impact-rated decorative glass options, plus the adjustable security strike plate that withstands up to three times the force of a standard strike plate, are key factors in creating Therma-Tru's dependable entry door system.

Homeowners looking for durability in their doors can also rely on the Tru-Defense® Door System. This system maximizes the seal between the door and the frame to help keep out the damaging effects of wind and rain, while increasing energy efficiency. Within this optional upgrade system, the weatherstripping, corner seal pad, door bottom sweep and profiled sill all work together to provide a door system that can withstand severe weather conditions along with day-to-day family activity.

Homeowners interested in researching fiberglass door design options for their own homes can use the free "Door Designer" program (located at www.thermatru.com/products/door-designer/) and the "My Saved Doors" tool (located at http://www.thermatru.com/MyThermaTru).

###

About Therma-Tru

Therma-Tru is the nation's leading manufacturer and most preferred brand of entryway doors. Founded in 1962, Therma-Tru pioneered the fiberglass entry door industry, and today offers a complete portfolio of entry and patio door system solutions, including decorative glass doorlites, sidelites and transoms, and door components. The company also offers low-maintenance Fypon urethane and PVC products. Headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, Therma-Tru is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security. (NYSE: FBHS). For more information, visit www.thermatru.com, www.fypon.com or call (800) 537-8827.

Images at: http://thermatru.com/news-events/media-resources/entry-door-images/

Green Button Energy Saving Initiative Showing Promise

They say that knowledge is power, but when it comes to knowing how much electricity their home is using, most consumers are in the dark. 

In fact, the typical homeowner—on average—spends about 6 minutes per year interacting with his or her electric utility.  Because of that, they're missing out on opportunities to save some energy—and money.  That's beginning to change, however.

A year ago, the White House laid down a challenge to the nation's electric utilities: make it easy and fun for consumers to learn how much electricity they're using in their home.  A new report by IEE, an institute of the Edison Foundation, finds that they're succeeding.

Since October 2011, 20 electric utilities—representing almost 30 percent of the nation's homes—have voluntarily created, or have committed to create, a "Green Button" on their website.   Now, whenever they want, consumers can go to their utility's website, click on the Green Button, and download data about their home's energy use. 

To make consumers actually want to do so, Green Button also specified that participating utilities would have to use the same, standardized format to present the data.  This way, tech companies and software developers would have a large enough market to justify their investment in creating new energy saving apps for consumers. 

To further encourage app developers, the Department of Energy partnered with Itron and PG&E this past spring to host the Apps for Energy Challenge.  In just two months, the competition attracted over 12,000 followers and helped facilitate the development of 56 Green Button enabled energy saving apps.

Leafully won the grand prize for their app that helps consumers understand how their home's energy use affects the environment:  instead of displaying energy usage in dollars or kilowatt-hours, Leafully displays it in terms of trees needed to offset the resulting carbon dioxide.

If you would like more information about the new IEE report on the Green Button initiative, as well as its recommendations going forward, please let me know.

Thanks.

Keith Voight

Edison Electric Institute

www.eei.org

I Say Set New Metrics for Green Building

This is great news but if more money and effort is being invested on lifecycle costing just so that more "output" can be achieved by businesses aren't we defeating the purpose of sustainable living?

One example I have is a developer in Costa Rica. The firm is headlining itself as a green development and many aspects of the "mini mansions" are green but who needs a 6,000 square foot vacation home? 

I say let's continue down the path of sustainability but let also start "building green" in order to "live green"….not just doing it to increase our bottom lines.

Better Metrics of Green Benefits Needed, According to New McGraw-Hill Construction SmartMarket Executive Brief on Decision Making for Green Building Investments

New York – September 24, 2012 – McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today released its latest SmartMarket Executive Brief: Determining the Value of Green Building Investments: A Perspective From Industry Leaders on Triple Bottom Line Decision Making, in partnership with URS, at the White House's 2012 GreenGov Symposium. The report provides the findings of qualitative research conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction through interviews with sustainability leaders in the education, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and federal government sectors on their perspectives about decision making for green building investments.


The report reveals that in order for green building to continue to gain market share at a comparable rate to the past decade, more far-reaching benefits need to be documented and demonstrated to organizational leadership for them to increase their level of green investments. These include benefits across the spectrum of financial, environmental and social benefits—often referred to as the "triple bottom line."


"To date, owners have acted on compelling benefits from their green investments, mainly savings in energy, water, waste and lowered operating costs," said Harvey Bernstein, Vice President of Industry Insights and Alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction. "However, these are only a fraction of the advantages offered by green buildings—missing is a quantification of the full triple bottom line benefits from these investments, especially around the social benefits to human performance and well-being."


The study includes recommendations on actions needed in the industry in order to accelerate green investments across the built environment:

• Evaluate social, environmental and financial goals together when making decisions on green building investments;
• Create green building benchmarks through standardization and disclosure of operational building costs;
• Compile data and case studies that establish the value of nonfinancial benefits of green building;
• Create better tools using a more thorough, industry-consensus definition of lifecycle costing
• based on impacts across the triple bottom line;
• Assemble a public database of green project measures across the triple bottom line.

"The data confirm that sustainability is vital to business growth, for us and for our clients. The demand for business to demonstrate its ability to create value for all its stakeholders is paramount," said Lidia Berger, Vice President, Sustainable Practice Director – Facilities at URS. "URS understands how to design, implement and measure the value of sustainable investment. Most importantly, we can provide our clients with a measurable return on investment based on projects' economic, social, and environmental impacts."
Through in-depth interviews with sustainability leaders, the report finds that organizations are using lifecycle cost analysis of operational savings to demonstrate the ROI of green and to justify green building projects. However, most respondents report there is a need for more data about the non-financial benefits of green to encourage their organizations to increase their investment in green building. This report also reveals the need for standardized measures that can fully capture the impact of green building across the triple bottom line.


The results of the study will be presented today at 3:15 p.m. as part of the Economic Valuation session at the White House's 2012 GreenGov Symposium in Washington, DC.
For a copy of the report, visit http://analyticsstore.construction.com/index.php/smartmarket-executive-brief-determining-the-value-of-green-building-investments.html.

 # # #

About McGraw-Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction's data, analytics, and media businesses—Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record—create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.


About The McGraw-Hill Companies:
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
Media Contact:
Kathy Malangone, Senior Director, Marketing Communications,
McGraw-Hill Construction, +1 212-904-4376, kathy_malangone@mcgraw-hill.com

Clean Water Act Violations - Opinion

How many times is waste dumped from residential or commercial establishments without any penalty to the culprit? This is one example of why more whistle blowers are needed - reward them and watch how may reports will be filed when this sort of thing takes place.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., September 14, 2012) – Picerne Military Management, LLC, has agreed to pay a $24,900 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act at Fort Riley, Kan.

On December 20 and 21, 2011, Picerne pumped between 5,000 and 9,000 gallons of raw sewage from a crawl space beneath a townhome into a storm drain inlet. Over the course of the two days, the raw sewage was pumped into and through the stormwater drainage system and discharged into a tributary of the Republican River.

"These violations occurred in an area that drains into a residential area, greatly increasing the chance of contact with bacteria in the polluted stream," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks. "Proper wastewater management is a vital piece of preserving our water resources and protecting human health and the environment."

Untreated domestic wastewater contains bacteria, solids, and organic matter than can be harmful to human health and the ecosystem of the receiving waterbody. Organic matter in wastewater robs the receiving waterbody of oxygen, which is essential for the survival of aquatic life.

Picerne Military Management is a civilian development, construction, and property management company that owns and/or operates approximately 20,000 housing units on seven Army posts throughout the U.S., including Fort Riley.

By agreeing to the settlement, Picerne Military Management has certified that it is in compliance with the Clean Water Act. The consent agreement is subject to a public comment period before it becomes final. The public notice and consent agreement can be found at the following web address: http://www.epa.gov/region7/public_notices/CWA/civil_penalty_order_public_notice_table.htm

Learn more about EPA's civil enforcement of the Clean Water Act:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/eparegion7

Planning a Sustainable Plantation for Wood Production

REPORT OFFERS SOLUTIONS TO EXPAND SUSTAINABLE TROPICAL WOOD PRODUCTION

FOREST PLANTATIONS ARE AMONG SOLUTIONS

WASHINGTON (Sept.4, 2012) – The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today released a report, "Wood for Good: Solutions for Deforestation-Free Wood Products," analyzing tropical wood production's effect on deforestation and offering solutions for sustainable production. According to the report, governments and businesses must begin using sustainably established plantation forests to minimize the toll logging is taking on tropical forests.

Many of the products used every day by American businesses and consumers are made from tropical wood, including paper, furniture, building material and shipping supplies.

"The demand for tropical wood is growing globally, while more and more of the world's tropical forests are disappearing," said Pipa Elias, UCS consultant and the report's author. "It is 100 percent possible to harvest timber in the tropics profitably and sustainably. The main roadblock is a lack of political will. Businesses and consumers must demand responsibly manufactured products – giving governments and wood producers an incentive to expand sustainability efforts."

The report outlines a threefold solution. Firstly, wood producers and businesses should turn to responsible plantation forests to harvest wood. Plantation forests established on previously degraded lands should be used for wood production and sustainable forest management practices – such as protecting water and wildlife – should be followed. Plantations forests tend to grow faster than timber in natural forests and more of the wood can be harvested. Using already-cleared areas would help meet market demand for wood, while protecting primary forests. Secondly, the report also calls on governments to institute policies that make sustainable forest management practice attractive to businesses.

And finally, governments, businesses and consumers should demand products certified by programs such as the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. While these programs do not prohibit logging from old growth forests, they are the best option currently available for maintaining the profitability of the wood industry while protecting forests.

"Consumers certainly have an important role to play in safeguarding tropical forests," said Elias. "Small, everyday choices like recycling and reducing the demand for new wood absolutely help to protect tropical forests."

In addition to purchasing products that were made, packaged and transported using sustainably sourced wood, decreasing paper use at home helps reduce demand, Elias said. Consumers should buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste, swap paper towels for washcloths, pay bills electronically, and request to be removed from unwanted mailing lists.

Tropical forests are not only home to plants, animals and indigenous communities, but these habitats also purify air and water, and provide food and medicine for millions of people.

Cutting down natural forests also contributes to climate change. Tropical deforestation is responsible for about 15 percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions – more carbon pollution than the emissions from every car, truck, plane, ship and train on Earth.

"Tropical forests should be filled with the sound of howling monkeys and chirping birds, but when these resources are unmanaged, such sounds are replaced with buzzing chainsaws and falling trees," said Elias. "To reverse the damage caused by deforestation, governments and businesses must work together to integrate sustainability and profitability."

###

"Wood for Good" is the third installment in a UCS series of reports highlighting business, government, and consumer solutions for deforestation-free goods. The first report, "Recipes for Success," gave solutions for deforestation-free vegetable oils. The second report, "Grade A Choice?" examines solutions for deforestation-free meat.

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.

Improving Efficiency in Commercial Buildings

The results of the survey are a real eye opener. Building owners need more help finding ways to fund improving operations and maintenance efficiency. See below.


(Dallas, TX – July 27, 2012)  According to a recent industry survey that interviewed nearly 4,000 building owners and operators in 24 industry segments, business owners cite four main barriers to improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings:

•    A lack of funding to pay for improvements
•    Insufficient payback or return on investment
•    Uncertainty of savings and performance
•    Lack of technical expertise to evaluate or execute projects

Fortunately, these barriers are simple to overcome with a common-sense approach to the bigger energy savings picture, and the help of a well-trained industry expert. Here are three factors to consider when you are making energy spending decisions:

1.    Increased utility savings
Lower energy bills are the number one driver of energy efficiency spending decisions in the U.S. and Canada. Over time, simple changes such as upgrading lighting systems with energy-efficient light sources and fixtures, installing high-efficiency HVAC units or even adding solar panels to the mix can have a big impact on a company's bottom line. You'll start to save immediately on energy bills, and enjoy a greater return on investment over time, thus helping offset the upfront financial commitment.

2.    Government utility incentives and rebates
There are many incentives available to businesses that invest in energy-efficient products. Government incentives and rebates can further decrease initial costs. In some areas, reduced-rate loans for energy-efficient investments can offer another incentive to help overcome financial obstacles.

3.    Enhanced brand or customer image
Customer attention and retention are two great reasons to invest in energy efficiency. Environmentally conscious consumers take note of businesses that take measures to increase efficiency and lower their carbon footprint, often rewarding them with additional purchases and higher loyalty rates.

For more information, and to find out how Lennox® products can help building owners achieve energy-efficiency goals, visit www.lennoxcommercial.com, or contact a Lennox representative.

Source: Energy Management: "Driving Efficiency," Chain Store Age, October 2011

About Lennox Industries Inc.
A worldwide leader in residential and commercial heating and air conditioning systems, Lennox Industries Inc. is based near Dallas, Texas. Deeply committed to helping consumers and businesses reduce energy needs and lessen their environmental impact, the company offers a wide range of resources for improving efficiency, including a selection of ENERGY STAR® qualified products. Lennox Industries is a subsidiary of Lennox International Inc. and is a global leader in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration markets. Lennox International stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "LII." To learn more about Lennox International, visit www.lennoxinternational.com. To learn more about Lennox Industries, contact a Lennox sales representative or visit www.lennox.com.

LD Products Headquarters Awarded LEED Platinum Certification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LD Products' Long Beach Headquarters Awarded LEED Platinum Certification by
US Green Building Council

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 27, 2012 -- In a moment almost two years in the
making, LD Products has announced that its new Long Beach headquarters has
achieved the highest possible ranking of energy conservation and
environmentally friendly building. On June 21, 2012 the US Green Building
Council
(USGBC) officially recognized the building, which houses the online ink
retailer's corporate offices and warehouse, as the first new construction
commercial building to be awarded LEED Platinum status according to the
council's more stringent 2009 v. 3 regulations.

The construction project in Long Beach's Douglas Park business community
underwent a detailed and precise planning process. That process, which was
helmed by founder and CEO Aaron Leon, developer Chuckie Lyons, and project
manager Alex Silber, ensured that the site achieved the highest levels of
energy conservation, sustainability, comfort, and aesthetic appeal. LD
Products, which is already known for providing remanufactured ink and laser
toner as an alternative to new plastic products, has taken its environmental
efforts to a new level with this new site.
Company Senior Vice President Patrick Devane noted, "Customers buy from us
the first time mostly for the great savings. When they find out that they
are doing something good for the environment, it's an added bonus, and I
think it makes them feel good about coming back."

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and it
is used as a measuring system for the sustainability, impact, efficiency,
and indoor environmental quality of new constructions and major renovations.
The USGBC systems awards points to buildings in
5 categories adding up to 100, with 10 extra points available for regional
priority and innovation in design. A minimum of 40 points will earn a
building certified status, while 50 to 59 points is the range for Silver
status. 60 points is the minimum to be certified Gold, and the highest
certification that a building can reach, LEED Platinum, requires a minimum
of 80 points. To earn those points, LD Products' building includes features
like waterless urinals, sound and motion activated lighting, walk-off grates
to reduce dust carried into the building, preferred parking for low-emission
vehicles, and an advanced air filtration system throughout the structure.
"The LD Products facility arguably provides the highest level of energy
performance and occupants comfort out of the nearly 100 green building
projects that we have worked on to date here at Gaia,"
Silber said. "We achieved every one of the 82 total points that were pursued
from the beginning for this LEED project."

The space of the 110,000-square foot facility is dominated by the warehouse,
which ships out thousands of packages each day. Compatible products made to
replace printer brands as well as remanufactured products, which are
cleaned, repaired, and refilled cartridges, are packaged and moved through
the LD Products warehouse to be shipped to customers. The energy used to
power the warehouse automation and conveyor system, lights, and
air-conditioning system as well as the energy used in the corporate offices,
which now stay open 14 hours per day, is provided completely from renewable
energy sources. The grid-connected photovoltaic system on the warehouse
rooftop accounts for 18% of that energy.

While the construction of such an environmentally responsible building did
come with financial costs, it also comes with benefits to the online
retailer. Since moving to the new facility just over 2 miles from its
previous home, LD Products' new headquarters has already saved the company
money on energy costs and is projected to use 47% less electricity and 42%
less potable water than a similarly sized facility.

Beginning over a decade ago with high-quality, low-cost laser toner
cartridges and remanufactured ink cartridges and continuing with today's
construction of a groundbreaking energy-efficient facility, the Long
Beach-based printing supply retailer has found success by combining
responsibility in the community with good business.

For more information, visit http://www.LDProducts.com.

Contact: Nahshon Landrum / Phone: 888.321.2552 x7230
Email: NahshonL@LDProducts.com