Trane Sets Benchmark for Energy Efficiency and Sound Reduction

Stealth™ air-cooled chiller delivers reduced energy consumption, improved flexibility and performance

Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, introduces the newest addition to its air-cooled chiller product portfolio, the Trane Stealth™ air-cooled chiller. Available in the 150-300 ton capacity range, Stealth air-cooled chillers deliver an industry-leading combination of part-load and full-load efficiencies and the lowest published sound levels for an air-cooled chiller in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry.

At the core of the Stealth chiller’s performance is AdaptiSpeed™ technology – the integration of a direct-drive, specific-speed screw compressor, permanent-magnet motors and third-generation Trane Adaptive Frequency™ Drive (AFD3).

Modular building has graduated into green building

This video was published a while back but it's worth watching again - particularly since modular housing and commercial modular construction have both become popular in the sustainable design and green building arenas. Architects are embracing the sustainable aspects of building in a controlled environment and specifying sustainable materials and owners are taking full advantage of the flexibility and time savings that are inherent to modular building.

 Consider modular...it has come a long way in the last decade.

HUD and Wells Fargo

Collaboration Will Focus On Investment In Communities

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that Wells Fargo Bank N.A., the National Fair Housing Alliance, 13 private fair housing organizations and Acting Assistant Secretary Bryan Greene have reached an agreement through which Wells Fargo will invest in efforts designed to help improve housing in minority neighborhoods that have been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis. As part of the agreement, Wells Fargo has committed to invest a total of $39 million in 45 communities across the country through various programs to support home ownership, neighborhood stabilization, property rehabilitation and housing development. 

First Leed-Certified Green Middle School Ribbon Cutting

ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER SCHOOLS BRINGS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING

EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

TO HARBOR GATEWAY NORTH/GARDENA AREA

Ribbon-Cutting Celebration for New

Environmental Charter Middle School Set for May 22

LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 16, 2013 – Environmental Charter Schools’ (ECS) top priority has always been to provide excellent educational opportunities in underserved communities. It has never been content to stop there, however. The network of free public middle and high schools that prepares students for four-year colleges through experiential learning and by exploring the environment as a learning tool both inside and outside the classroom also is committed to being a good neighbor and engaged community partner.

Deficit in Nation’s Aquifers Accelerating

A new U.S. Geological Survey study documents that the Nation's aquifers are being drawn down at an accelerating rate.

Groundwater Depletion in the United States (1900-2008) comprehensively evaluates long-term cumulative depletion volumes in 40 separate aquifers (distinct underground water storage areas) in the United States, bringing together reliable information from previous references and from new analyses.

Video: Sustainable Building Materials Basic Training

Recycled glass is a sustainable material.

This video deserves a lot more views than the 3,000 it currently has - especially if you are in a learning
mode about green building materials and sustainable design. I will be sharing this video with anyone that inquires about using green building materials for a residential or commercial construction or renovation project.

If you are a builder or developer - ask yourself how sustainable your "projects, practices and products" are after watching this segment.

This is part 1 of 3 and lasts about eleven minutes. Enjoy and share...and thanks to Michael Amish for a great tool.

Matt Banes

Video - Sustainable Landscaping Facts

Part of green building is green landscaping and in this video Professor Doug Tallamy points out some of the most important reasons why specific plants and trees make up a truly sustainable landscape for any building, home or school.

It makes sense to landscape with a purpose!

Ford Launches Energy Efficient Lifestyle Giveaway

DEARBORN, Mich., May 13, 2013 – Ford and the MyEnergi Lifestyle^® initiative have kicked off the MyEnergi Lifestyle retrofit contest with Katie Couric on her syndicated talk show “Katie.” Homeowners can enter this national contest for a chance to win a package that includes a Ford C-MAX Energi – America’s most affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle, new Whirlpool brand appliances, a SunPower solar power system and other home products designed to bring energy-efficient living to a typical American family.  The contest is now open and runs through June 9, with the grand prize winner to be announced this summer.

Prefabricated Bamboo Homes in Costa Rica

If you have been following our posts we have been covering Bamboo as a sustainable building product quite a bit lately and this video continues our hunt for more facts, figures and examples of building with this hearty grass.

Plus, and it's a big "plus" we are on location and publishing the iBuildgeen Blog from Marbella, Guanacaste, Costa Rica where green building with sustainable materials and eco friendly practices are part and parcel with living in this ecologically supercharged part of the globe.

Enjoy and "Pura Bamboo" from Matt

IKEA Surpasses 85% Solar

IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, today officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Stoughton, Massachusetts. The 118,000-square-foot PV array consists of a 590.8-kW (DC) system, built with 4,220 laminated panels. IKEA Stoughton's program will produce approximately 695,000 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 479 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂), eliminating the emissions of 94 cars or powering 60 homes yearly (calculating clean energy equivalents at www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html).

This installation represents the 38th completed solar project for IKEA in the U.S., with one more location underway, making the eventual IKEA solar presence nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, with a total generation of 38 MW. IKEA owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings – as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement) – and globally has allocated $1.8 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2015. This investment reinforces the long-term commitment of IKEA to sustainability and confidence in photovoltaic (PV) technology. Consistent with the company's goal of being energy independent by 2020, IKEA has installed more than 250,000 solar panels on buildings across the world and owns/operates approximately 110 wind turbines in Europe.

For the development, design and installation of the Stoughton store's customized solar power system, IKEA contracted with REC Solar, Inc., a national leader in solar electric system design and installation with more than 9,000 systems built across the U.S

"We at IKEA believe in the never-ending job of improving the sustainability of our day-to-day business," said Frank Briel, store manager. "The Stoughton coworkers are excited to help contribute to this goal with our newly operational solar energy system. We appreciate the support of the Town of Stoughton, National Grid and REC Solar, our partners in this project."

IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be a good business while doing good business and aims to minimize impacts on the environment. IKEA evaluates locations regularly for conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution. U.S. sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material; incorporating key measures into buildings with energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, warehouse skylights, and water-conserving restrooms; and operationally, eliminating plastic bags from the check-out process, phasing-out the sale of incandescent light bulbs, facilitating recycling compact fluorescent bulbs, and by 2016 selling and using only L.E.D. bulbs. IKEA also installed electric vehicle charging stations at nine stores in the Western U.S.