Green Building Association Needs Home for Re-Source Center

St. John’s Island Green Building Association is looking for a spot for its Re-Source Center, a place where the organization will sell donated used and surplus building materials to anyone who wants to shop there.

“The greenest building is one that uses existing materials versus new ones, so the Re-Source Center is a win-win alternative to the cost and impact of buying new – especially given the cost of materials locally,” IGBA Director Karen Vahling said.

Using used or surplus materials will reduce materials going to the landfill, reduce consumption of the earth’s resources and cut down on shipping costs.

The Re-Source Center wants donations of useful construction, household, gardening, and marine items from individuals, and construction or remodeling projects to resell at a fraction of new retail prices.

Since IGBA is a nonprofit organization, donated equipment and materials would be considered a charitable donation and may be tax-deductible. Proceeds will fund IGBA’s operations, educational outreach and other programs that promote green building and environmentally responsible island living.

IGBA needs an easily accessible, commercially zoned parcel or building in a convenient area of the island for the Re-Source Center. The organization is willing to consider all options and offers for a location – from vacant land to an existing building.

Energy Office to Help Businesses Get ‘WISE’ About Saving Energy

Energy Office to Help Businesses Get ‘WISE’ About Saving Energy

By John Baur — July 28, 2011

Small and medium-sized businesses crippled by rising energy bills can take advantage of a new V.I Energy Office program that can lower their energy use—and their costs—by at least 15 percent.
Members of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce met Thursday morning with Energy Office officials and others to discuss the Worthwhile Investments Save Energy program, aka WISE.
"This is to help the business community, the small and medium-sized businesses which are being hurt by the rising cost of energy," said Miguel Quinones, program specialist from the Energy Office.
WISE is a partnership between the Energy Office, Quality Electric Supply Inc. and the Atlanta-based Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance. The program offers an energy retrofit and rebate program for small businesses.
According to Quinones, any business that uses less than 30,000 kilowatt hours a month and owns its own building or has a long-term lease can apply for admission through the Energy Office.
Once accepted, the business will receive an "investment audit," in which its energy use will be analyzed and cost-saving solutions proposed. If the audit suggests measures that would reduce energy use at least 15 percent, the businesses then have 30 days to commit to the project.
Successful applicants will be eligible for a 40-percent rebate on the total cost of the project up to a maximum rebate of $80,000 – which would apply to a $200,000 project.
To qualify, the business owner will have to show the ability to finance 60 percent of the project. As part of the application project, the owners must provide:
• 12 consecutive months of bill from the Water and Power Authority;
• A building description, including the square footage, and a list of key planned energy-efficiency improvements; and
• A bank statement or letter verifying the applicant's ability to finance the necessary funds to cost share.
Renewable energy project, such as solar water heating or wind generation, are eligible for inclusion in the program, but only if energy-efficiency measures are installed first, reducing the amount of energy used before finding new sources for more energy, Quinones added.
Among the measure eligible are:
• Switches, timers, dimmers and occupancy sensors that reduce demand and consumption, especially to portions of a business that aren't in use at a given time
• Alternative, low-energy lighting instruments, such as LEDs and compact fluorescent fixtures
• Voltage regulators and power conditioners
• "Air curtains" to reduce loss of cool air from air conditioning units and other materials and equipment to change the way the building takes in heat or releases cool air, including window film and reflective roofing.
Further information on WISE is available by contacting Quinones at 714-8436 extension 4305 or via email at miguel.quinones@eo.vi.gov.

GM Upgrades OnStar to Power First Real-World, Smart Grid EV Pilot

OnStar is helping GM to pull off: offering a short-cut to connect electric vehicles (EVs) to the smart grid. GM yesterday announced the launch of a pilot program that can let utilities and customers skip the need to install physical smart grid points to manage recharging of their EVs. The new OnStar service will act as a remote brain, wirelessly tracking and governing the EV's charging behavior, coordinating the timing and billing, and potentially dramatically lowering the costs to extend smart-grid management features to EVs.

By skipping the need to install physical smart apparatus, the OnStar system can save utilities some $18 million per 1,000 customers, said Vijay Iyer, GM's director of communications for OnStar, citing GE estimates. To mesh OnStar's data services with utilities' internal information management systems, GM worked with GE, whose IQ Demand Optimization Services unit is used by utilities to monitor demand response systems.

This is important step for utilities which are busily, and expensively, building intelligent power and data devices in customers' garages, as well as at charging terminals, to referee how and when EVs will re-charge. Utilities don't want fleets of EVs drawing power on 95 degree summer afternoons when power is in short supply. Customers, likewise, will prefer the option of charging at night when power is much cheaper.

Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Workshops

If the rising cost of oil and gas has been affecting you, here's your opportunity to save money and energy in your home or business. Take charge of your electricity costs by getting the tools and information you need to conserve energy and make your energy use more efficient.

This series of free workshops will focus on energy saving methods for the home or business; wind and water renewable energy solutions, solar hot water heaters; and the Energy Star program.

Location: UVICELL Center - St. Thomas Campus
UVICELL Center - F'sted, St. Croix

Fee:FREE

Presenters:
Bevan R. Smith, Jr.
Heru Ofori-Atta

Registration:
Although the workshops are free, you must register as space is limited. To register, complete the registration form and fax to 693-1115 or send to cell@uvi.edu.

Energy Office Funds Still Available for Solar Water Heaters

Residents interested in getting financial help to buy a solar hot water heater should do so now, while the V.I. Energy Office still has money left in its Sun Power loan/rebate program.

“There’s no money upfront. That’s how you get in the door,” Energy Office spokesman Don Buchanan said.

The no-money-down loans of up to $3,500 are financed through the Economic Development Authority at a 1 percent fixed interest rate over five years and are repaid through borrowers' V.I. Water and Power Authority bills. Rebates of up to $2,500 are available in conjunction with the loan program.

The program has helped 626 residents across the territory, Buchanan said.

While he didn’t have a figure for the money left in the program, he said there’s enough to fund about 100 applications on St. Croix and another 100 on St. Thomas/St. John.

There is currently no program that gives rebates alone for solar hot water heaters, Buchanan said. Residents must buy them under the Sun Power loan/rebate program.

While the current funding is running out, Buchanan said the Energy Office hopes to replenish the fund.

The Energy Office has other programs to help residents. Buchanan said that a program to help residents replace their appliances with those that are energy efficient helps them purchase refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, air-conditioners, and heat pumps.

Centerpoint Energy and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman Announce Results of Pilot Project on Home Energy Use

CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s (NYSE:CNP) electric transmission and distribution subsidiary, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel B. Poneman today released survey results from a 500 participant smart meter In-Home Display pilot program begun last fall. Based on surveys, 71% of customers reported that they have changed their electricity consumption behavior as a result of the energy use data they accessed on their in-home displays.

The results were released while Poneman visited Houston to see how smart meters and intelligent grid technology - partially funded with a $200 million Smart Grid Investment Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy - are enabling consumers to better monitor and manage their electric use and helping modernize the electric infrastructure.

In the survey:


•83% of respondents reported turning off lights at night or when not in the room,
•51% of respondents reported adjusting the temperature on their thermostat,
•93% of respondents reported they are satisfied with their in-home display, and
•97% of respondents reported they will continue using it.

Consumers who have already received their smart meter no longer have to wait for their bill to access their electric consumption information. After a two-month acceptance period following the installation of a smart meter, consumers can get detailed information on their electric usage by visiting SmartMeterTexas.com.

In the future, consumers will have the option of purchasing an in-home display, providing them with up-to-the-minute usage information. The survey responses from the pilot show that this type of real-time data can have a significant impact on consumers' energy use behavior.

DOE Webcast July 28: Introduction to Using Community-Wide Behavior Change Programs to Increase Energy Efficiency

July 25, 2011
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) for state and local officials will present a webcast this Thursday about the impact and implementation of programs that change the way people use energy when they know more about how energy works in their homes and businesses.
During the webcast, the presenters will present information they have learned through implementing these sorts of programs across the country. The will discuss different kinds of feedback programs, the way different sorts of programs impact consumer energy use, and recommendations of how to best develop feedback programs.
Full story

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com.
This service is provided to you at no charge by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE). Visit the Web site at http://www.eere.energy.gov.

________________________________________
Join the clean energy conversation on Facebook at DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Energy Savers, and Solar Decathlon pages.

Building Energy Disclosure Laws Push Companies to Hire

Bucking bleak hiring statistics that point to a stalling national recovery, many businesses in the energy efficiency sector are expanding their payrolls as local governments roll out new energy benchmarking and disclosure regulations for commercial buildings.

Those rules, many of which take effect this year, will allow consumers to access comparative energy performance information for tens of thousands of buildings in major cities and states. As a result, the appetite for energy efficiency solutions among commercial building owners and managers is growing swiftly, according to small business leaders.

@ Work: LED Conversions

With the high cost of energy one of the territory’s most pressing issues, LED Conversions Inc. offers a way to save money on electric bills.

“LEDs will save you up to 80 percent of your electric energy costs for lighting,” said Robin Gallup, the company’s St. John-based sales representative.

LED Conversions sells Cree brand interior and exterior LED bulbs that come directly from the factory to the consumer. The company’s main product is LED bulbs manufactured to retrofit existing fixtures. This means that when businesses or residents want to replace their existing incandescent bulbs with more energy-efficient light-emitting diodes, they won’t have to buy new fixtures.

While this is a help for residential customers, Gallup said the company’s biggest customers are businesses.

Energy Office Offers Assistance Despite Fiscal Woes

Despite facing recession-fueled budget cutbacks like the rest of government, the V.I. Energy Office has millions of dollars still available to help residents get solar hot water heaters, energy efficient appliances and more, officials said during budget hearings Friday.

Just one program, Sun Power Loan, has helped 464 families purchase solar hot water heaters through a 50 percent rebate and low-interest, one-percent loans, testified Nellie Varlack, director of Business and Administration for the Governor’s Office. There are another 200 loans to give out by the end of this year, said Energy Office Grants Manager Aminah Saleem.

A 40-year-old weatherization program got a big influx of cash from the 2009 federal stimulus, and 338 more homes are to be weatherized with the remaining $847,000 in funding before March 31, 2012, Saleem said.

Sen. Louis Hill asked Saleem to elaborate on the weatherization program.

"It helps residents who really can't afford to put in energy efficiency measures," Saleem said. The office will purchase and replace inefficient light bulbs, refrigerators and other power hungry appliances, provide water heater timers, power strips to turn off DVD players and such all at once; water-saving shower and sink faucets, among other measures.

There are still rebates and incentives to purchase home-based alternative power production, like solar panels or windmills; incentives to purchase fuel efficient and hybrid electric vehicles and more, Energy Office Director Karl Knight said.

V.I. Schools Blazing Trail to Energy Efficiency

V.I. Schools Blazing Trail to Energy Efficiency

By Molly Morris — July 21, 2011

Workers install lights in hall facing gym.

The blue and yellow Charlotte Amalie High School gym gleamed with clean bright light Thursday afternoon, like a freshly turned-out bandbox.
In fact, Education Commissioner LaVerne Terry said, "When I first walked in, I looked up to see if they'd installed sky lights."
The gym's new look – the product of hi-efficiency 28-watt fluorescent bulbs – is part of a result of the V.I. government's $6.9-million investment of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, which will bring home enormous savings to the V.I. Department of Education, and, ultimately, to the entire territory.

It is a first step in Gov. John deJongh Jr.'s goal to reduce the territory's dependence on fossil fuel by 60 percent by 2025.
The governor signed an agreement with contractor Energy Systems Group in January, and the work was begun in May on 11 schools, five of which are already complete.
V.I. Energy Office Director Karl Knight, VIEO program specialist Miguel Quinones, Energy Systems’ Doug Tischbein, and Terry spoke with enthusiasm about the project Thursday before CAHS Principal Carmen Howell guided everyone on a tour of the newly retrofitted facility.
Quinones, who has personally shepherded the work, said the florescent bulbs lighting up the gym like a megawatt birthday candle are fluorescent lamps, which use 28 watts as opposed to the previous 40-watt fixtures, and have reflectors behind them. He pointed out motion sensors in the ceiling.
Tischbein said the project includes water technology as well as the lighting, explaining the low-flow toilets, and sink faucets with automatic turnoffs. "We're turning energy into assets," he said.
In fact, Tischbein said the savings thus far on the five completed schools, estimated at $400,000 yearly, have grown to $550,000, an increased savings of about 40 percent.

The new low-flow toilets at CAHS will definitely lower water bills for the school system, officials said.

With projected savings of $1.1 million annually, and the initial investment of $6.9 million, VIEO representatives said the project should pay for itself in six years.
Terry said, "We are thrilled to be the first government agency to participate in the program. The impact on our utility bill will be tremendous on our 43 facilities."
Also, she said, "The program is a teaching opportunity; it will make the students and parents more mindful of energy savings."
Knight said Terry may have been too modest in thanking the Energy Office for its work. "I know the Education Department was already looking into energy saving programs before this."
He said air-conditioning and other energy-saving measures are on tap for future work.
Knight spoke of the office's plans for other agencies. "We are working with programs for nonprofits, and low-income families, and next week we'll be revealing a new program with the Small Business Administration."
Howell took parental pride in accompanying the tour, looking into the classrooms, and the not-to-be-overlooked bathroom facilities. Quinones took reporters for a firsthand look at the ultra low-flow toilet, where a technician with an odd-looking mechanism demonstrated how to measure the sharply reduced flow from the new toilets—a demonstration somewhat lost on this reporter, but a quantifiable measure, according to those that know.
The classrooms, along with all the offices, all have new lighting along with motion sensors. The main office's motion sensors work well, Howell remarked with a laugh.
"We were working last night, and we had stepped into a side office, when we noticed the main office lights had gone out. We couldn't figure it out at first, until we stepped in, and the lights came on. Magic!"
Howell said she is excited at the project and thinks the students will be appreciative. "The work will showcase the need to be mindful of our resources," she said.
The work was begun in May, and will be finished in September, and will not interfere with school, officials said.
The new technologies are being installed in CAHS, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Yvonne Milliner Bowsky, Lockhart and E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary Schools, and Addelita Cancryn Junior High School on St. Thomas.
On St. Croix, Lew Muckle Elementary School, Elena Christian and John H. Woodson Junior Highs, and St. Croix Central High School are getting the improvements.

New Site Showcases Government Energy Data

The key to finding new ways to increase energy efficiency lies in knowing how we use energy, and making that information available to all who might offer new ideas. That’s the fundamental driver behind the new Energy.Data.gov community, launched this week.

Part of an ever-growing series of issues-based data communities, Energy.Data.gov provides insights into our nation’s energy usage and performance. It will feature never-before released data on federal energy use. More than 200 high-value energy-related datasets and tools have already been collected from agencies across the federal government, with many more to come. By the end of the year, for example, the site will showcase data telling the story of federal building energy use, prospects for energy efficiency improvements, and the federal government’s energy consumption and costs dating back to 1975 by agency and energy type.

Energy.Data.gov will help us find ways to lower our individual and organizational energy usage and costs. It will serve as a catalyst for government, industry, and citizens like you and me to help develop innovative clean energy technologies and new ways to achieve sustainability in our homes and buildings. It will help drive new start-ups that can provide cost-effective alternative energy options and create jobs.

At Energy.data.gov you can examine and experiment with data such as coal production numbers, electricity generation by state, and U.S. natural gas prices. You will find apps for using this information and tools to monitor, manage, and save energy. You’ll find challenges and competitions that provide meaningful, engaging, and even fun ways for anyone to contribute to our nation’s clean energy future.

Data.gov as a whole sits at the crossroads of open government and transparency, key priorities for President Obama’s administration. By increasing public access to a wide range of datasets generated and maintained by the federal government, Data.gov provides the information and tools anyone can use to make government work better for its citizens.

ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard

About DOE and ISO 50001

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) played a critical role in developing ISO 50001—the world's first global energy management system standard. ISO 50001 promotes the widespread adoption of best practices and drives investment in energy efficiency. DOE actively supports its broad implementation to achieve powerful benefits to U.S. businesses and to the nation.
U.S. industrial facilities, buildings, and other organizations earning certification under ISO 50001 will signal to national and international customers their responsible stewardship of energy resources. By maintaining a comprehensive energy management system (EnMS), these organizations will enjoy the associated benefits of carbon reduction, energy-related risk reduction, and certified sustainability—all of which are likely to increase in value.
On a national scale, implementation of ISO 50001 will help address national priorities for energy security, carbon reduction, and economic competitiveness. Globally, the standard could influence up to 60% of the world's energy use. Learn more:

• ISO 50001
• DOE Roles
  • Developing ISO 50001 and Related Standards
  • Implementing ISO 50001
• DOE Partners
• Potential Energy Savings

ISO 50001

ISO 50001 provides organizations with an internationally recognized framework for efficiently managing and improving their energy performance. The standard addresses the following:

• Energy use and consumption
• Measurement, documentation, and reporting of energy use and consumption
• Design and procurement practices for energy-using equipment, systems, and processes
• All variables affecting energy performance that can be monitored and influenced by the organization.

ISO 50001 is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to continual improvement, which supports energy performance improvement over time based on the best data available to the organization. Continual improvement of energy performance requires a comprehensive energy management system involving a variety of stakeholders within an organization. The standard does not prescribe minimum performance criteria, energy reductions, or targets.

DOE Roles

Developing ISO 50001 and Related Standards

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards, identified energy management as a priority due to the significant potential to save energy and reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions worldwide. ISO created Project Committee (PC) 242 to carry out the development of ISO 50001. DOE supported the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) role as Secretariat of PC 242 (serving jointly with Brazil), to lead the international development of ISO 50001. In addition, DOE contributed actively to the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the U.S. delegation to ISO PC 242. The U.S. TAG led international negotiations to ensure that ISO 50001 preserves the U.S. emphasis on management support and data-driven energy performance.
Moving forward, DOE will support the transition of PC 242 to a Technical Committee (TC) 242, which will update ISO 50001 as needed and develop a family of related standards. DOE support will help to ensure that the new standards will be consistent with U.S. energy policy and strategy.

Implementing ISO 50001

To ensure U.S. companies and organizations derive maximum benefit from ISO 50001, DOE is working with standards authorities and energy management and industry experts to create a supportive framework for implementation. Activities include:

• Developing a training curriculum for ISO 50001 implementation experts.
• Developing auditor requirements to assess energy management systems for conformance to ISO 50001.
• Credentialing professionals to assist organizations in implementing ISO 50001 and to audit energy management systems for conformance to ISO 50001.
• Supporting ANAB-accreditation of certification bodies to manage the ISO 50001 auditing process.

In addition, DOE is supporting implementation of the ISO 50001 standard in industrial and commercial facilities through the development of the U.S. Superior Energy Performance (SEP) certification and verification program and Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) partnership. DOE is a member of the U.S. Council for Energy Efficient Manufacturing that has partnered together to develop the industrial Superior Energy Performance certification program.
DOE's supportive framework for ISO 50001 implementation will ensure that this voluntary standard remains highly regarded by the market. Holding qualified individuals and organizations to rigorous requirements will bolster public confidence in the value of ISO 50001 certification. These requirements will promote the proper application of ISO 50001 and maintain the market value of certification.

DOE Partners in Implementation Support

• RABQSA International and DOE are developing training and a rigorous national exam to assess competency of professionals auditing an organization's conformance to ISO 50001. Individuals who pass the national exam and meet additional performance requirements will be Certified ISO 50001 Auditors. ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) will accredit certification bodies that will employ Certified ISO 50001 Auditors to assess an organization's conformance to ISO 50001.
• To assist organizations in implementation of ISO 50001, DOE is working with energy management experts and ANSI to create an ANSI-accredited program for Certified Practitioners in Energy Management Systems.
• Additionally, DOE is working with ANSI, ANAB, and energy management experts to create advanced qualifications for Certified Auditors and performance verifiers who will certify facilities to the Superior Energy Performance program.
• DOE is working with the U.S. Council for Energy-Efficient Manufacturing (U.S. CEEM) to test and refine the requirements of the Superior Energy Performance program.

Activities supporting the implementation of ISO 50001 are coordinated by several DOE offices:

• Building Technologies Program (BTP) for commercial buildings
• Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) for industrial operations and buildings
• Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) for federal commercial and industrial facilities
• Office of Policy and International Affairs, Clean Energy Ministerial for the Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) partnership.

Potential Energy Savings

If widely adopted, the voluntary ISO 50001 standard could influence up to 60% of the world's energy use across many economic sectors. Factors expected to drive broad adoption of ISO 50001 include the growth of corporate sustainability programs and the spread of energy management standards along the manufacturing supply chain. Companies may also find the resulting energy and carbon reductions increasingly valuable as a means to comply with possible carbon reduction initiatives or to enhance their corporate environmental practices.

Lights Out for T12

The most-commonly used four-foot, eight-foot, and two-foot (U-shaped) T12 fluorescent lamps will begin disappearing from distributors’ and retailers’ shelves in less than one year. The targeted lamps -- long-time commercial-lighting staples -- fail to meet efficiency standards that will go into effect on July 1, 2012, the National Lighting Bureau (NLB) reports.

DOE Energy-Efficient Product Procurement Webcast

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will present a live webcast titled Energy Efficient Product Procurement on August 4, 2011, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. EDT.
Experts Christopher Payne, Ph.D., staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Amanda Sahl, efficient product procurement program lead for DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), will present on how to meet executive order and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements on purchasing FEMP-designated and Energy Star products.
The instructors will review:

• Federal laws, mandates, and regulations that drive energy efficient product purchasing decisions;
• Specifications, categories, standby power, and performance requirements for Energy Star and FEMP-designated products;
• Identification, selection, analysis, and verification of performance standards in each product category;
• Lifecycle costing, funding mechanisms, and General Services Administration and Defense Logistics Agency source specifications; and
• Guidance, contract language, cost calculators, and other purchasing resources.

Participants are encouraged to email or call in their questions before and during the program to receive tailored advice from the experts during the live “Q&A” segment. Questions submitted before the program can be sent to FTS@energyworkshops.org.
The 90-minute training is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain an Internet URL for the presentation. Register to attend the seminar.
FEMP First Thursday Seminars are no cost training opportunities to help Federal energy, environmental, and fleet professionals plan and execute projects to help meet Federal goals and requirements. This upcoming session will benefit professionals seeking an overview of the mandates, specifications, benefits, and resources for purchasing energy efficient products.

Stricter ship emissions rules approved

The International Maritime Organization has designated waters off the coasts of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico an Emission Control Area, where large ships will be subject to tougher air pollution limits as early as January 2014.

At a meeting in London on Friday, the organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee, by consensus, adopted a treaty amendment that will include the two territories in a stringent emissions control program aimed at reducing air pollution from large ships.

The Construction Specifier

This month there are a few articles worth reading. Of particular interest the chart of energy use intensity and how the current codes align. See page 46 for the chart.

Tourism hopes to raise a new flag over the VI

The U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association is in the midst of the pilot phase of a project that members hope will end with five beaches in the territory flying the Blue Flag by December.

The Blue Flag is an internationally-recognized eco-label that indicates a beach has met strict criteria for water quality, environmental education, environmental management and safety.

One City's Radical Offer: Trade in Your Car for a Lifetime of Free Public Transit

Officials in Murcia, Spain have made anyone who's tired of suffering through a grinding commute an offer they can't refuse: Trade in your car for an unlimited pass for the shiny new public transit system.

Would you do it?

New Energy Star Initiative Recognizes Cutting-Edge Products with Highest Energy Efficiency

In an effort comparable to that of the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) , Tiers 2 and 3, EPA will also attempt to separate the equipment which meets the minimum criteria from the top performers.

“Most Efficient designation will help shoppers reduce their energy bills, provide incentives for manufacturers to innovate, and protect Americans’ public health and environment

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today are announcing for the first time products recognized as the most energy-efficient in their categories among those that have earned the Energy Star label. This pilot program is part of Energy Star’s overall commitment to protect people’s health and the environment by encouraging energy efficiency. The “Most Efficient” initiative also continues Energy Star’s work to provide consumers with the best efficiency information so they can make investments that will lower their energy bills and environmental impact. The new designation of Most Efficient aims to provide all manufacturers with an incentive for greater product energy efficiency while providing consumers new information about the products that comprise the top tier in the categories.

"This new designation will help Americans save money and cut pollution by quickly pointing them to the best Energy Star products have to offer. Highlighting Energy Star's Most Efficient products is a great way to encourage the strides in innovation that bring even more energy and money saving choices to our stores," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "We know American consumers are eager to make purchases that save them money on their utility bills and reduce the pollution in the air we breathe, and these labels will help them identify the best ways to find those purchases."

"Over the last two decades, the Energy Star program has consistently offered consumers energy choices that have helped families save billions of dollars on their energy bills,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.  "The new Most Efficient designation is the next step towards encouraging new, more energy-efficient products to enter the market, so that consumers will have even more choices when it comes to high performance, high efficiency products that will save them energy and money.”

Products that receive the Most Efficient designation demonstrate exceptional and cutting-edge efficiency performance that environmentally-minded consumers and early adopters value. The Most Efficient recognition will represent approximately the top five percent of models on the market in the following categories: clothes washers, heating and cooling equipment, televisions, and refrigerator-freezers. The following Energy Star partners’ products are among the first to be recognized as Most Efficient: Electrolux Major Appliances, Sears’ Kenmore, LG, Samsung, Best Buy’s Insignia Brand, Panasonic, Nordyne, and Rheem. Later this year, EPA will initiate a process to consider additional product categories for potential inclusion in 2012.

Consumers will be able to identify Most Efficient products on the Energy Star website and in stores by looking for the Most Efficient designation. In addition to meeting established performance requirements, products must also be Energy Star qualified and certified by an EPA-recognized certification body. Manufacturers are encouraged to submit products that meet the requirements to EPA for recognition. 

Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help Americans save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $18 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to annual emissions of 33 million vehicles."

More information on Energy Star’s Most Efficient qualifications: http://www.energystar.gov/me-criteria

More information on Energy Star’s Most Efficient products: http://www.energystar.gov/mostefficient

More information on the Energy Star program: http://www.energystar.gov

Greensource Best Green Houses

GreenSource presents a running list of residential projects that exemplify both creativity and sustainability in their designs. Every month, we select a different home for an online tour that highlights its sustainable elements.

Buildings R&D Breakthroughs: Technologies and Products Supported by the Building Technologies Program

This report identifies and characterizes commercially available products and emerging (near-commercial) technologies that benefited from the support of the Building Technologies Program (BTP) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The investigation specifically focused on technology-oriented research and development (R&D) projects sponsored by BTP’s Emerging Technologies subprogram from 2005-2009.

Car makers jump on energy bandwagon as Japan saves power

By Chang-Ran Kim

TOKYO, July 11 | Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:34am EDT

(Reuters) - With the country steeped in power-saving mode, energy generation has become all the rage among Japanese automakers.
Nissan Motor Co on Monday unveiled a new charging system that gets electricity from solar power that can also be stored in the lithium-ion batteries used in its Leaf electric car.
The 488 newly installed solar panels at Nissan's global headquarters will produce enough electricity to charge 1,800 Leafs a year, allowing drivers plugging into one of its seven charging spots to travel on carbon-free energy.
Nissan's announcement comes just days after Mitsubishi Motors Corp said it would develop and market this business year a portable converter with enough capacity to allow its electric vehicles (EVs) to power household electronics such as rice cookers and washing machines.
Japanese automakers have been working on clean-energy initiatives for years, but the earthquake and tsunami on March 11 have made electricity supply and sourcing an immediate concern.
"Setsuden", or power-saving, has become a buzzword in Japan, where the disasters crippled a nuclear reactor and triggered the worst radiation crisis since Chernobyl. Starting this month, big-lot electricity users in eastern Japan are required to cut peak consumption by 15 percent during the hot summer months, and utilities have also appealed to households to do their part.
Through a joint venture set up last year with Sumitomo Corp , Nissan plans to re-fabricate and resell its electric cars' high-capacity batteries as power storage units when the car is traded in or scrapped starting in 2016.
"These batteries can be useful as back-up power for homes when there's an outage," said Takashi Sakagami, head of the joint venture, 4R Energy Corp. The firm is targeting cumulative sales equivalent to 100,000 electric cars' worth of second-life batteries in 2020.
Two weeks ago, Toyota Motor Corp began a test-run of a model home that manages electricity consumption and taps into weather forecasts to maximise the use of solar power. A separate battery unit, much like 4R Energy's and manufactured by Toyota affiliate Denso Corp , can be used to store cheaper, night-time electricity when the weather is forecast to be overcast the following day.
"Electricity has become a major issue and people are in 'setsuden' mode, but we want to develop a system that doesn't ask people to endure too much discomfort," Toyota's project manager Hiroshi Okajima said.
The project, led by Toyota City and comprising about two dozen companies, will run a trial through 67 houses to be sold by Toyota's housing unit, Toyota Home, by the end of 2013. With deregulation, the "smart home" concept could be linked up to the grid, allowing whole communities to share clean electricity and rely less on the traditional grid, officials said.
Honda Motor Co , which already makes solar panels, will follow on Wednesday with a briefing on its latest cogeneration unit that runs on natural or propane gas. (Editing by Joseph Radford)

Optimized Energy Solutions for Tropical Environments

Skyrocketing utility costs and an increasing desire to reduce carbon emissions are driving savvy business leaders to look for the most cost effective and efficient solutions for energy savings in commercial and industrial applications.

This was the premise of the recent Quality Electric Supply-sponsored, territory-wide Energy Management Conference for commercial and industrial environments held at St. Croix’s VI Cardiac Center at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital. Energy experts, policy-makers and equipment manufacturers presented strategies and technological advances for businesses to dramatically reduce energy consumption and costs.

Hugo Hodge, pictured here, outlined the many initiatives underway by the WAPA board to implement a wide range of alternative energy technologies.

Karl Knight, new Executive Director of VI Energy Office, presented the aggressive programs underway to meet Governor deJongh’s goal of a 60% reduction of fossil-fuel energy usage by 2025. Dr. Adam Warren from U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) addressed the Federal resources being provided to WAPA and the VI Energy Office to ameliorate the energy crisis.

Former USVI Senator Basil Ottley, now with the U.S. Department of the Interior, outlined the role of Energy Development Island Nations (EDIN – USVI) and the resources being provided to create/stabilize the local EDIN-USVI working groups who will deliver the cultural changes needed for the community to understand their role in reducing consumption. Paul Chakroff, Executive Director of St. Croix Environmental Association gave updates on critical USVI projects underway including the status of the Alpine contract.

Over 50 USVI commercial business owners, hotel general managers, military and policy-makers as far reaching as Nevis and Tortola were in attendance at this day-long intensive that delivered technical developments from leading energy saving equipment manufacturers from the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Europe.

U.S.-Based Renewable Energy Production Surpasses Nuclear Energy Production

According to the most recent issue of the Monthly Energy Review by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy has passed a milestone, as domestic production is now greater than that of nuclear power.

Nonprofit research organization SUN DAY Campaign says that during the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy sources provided 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy, or 11.73% of U.S. energy production. Energy production from renewable energy sources in 2011 was 5.65% more than that from nuclear power, which provided 2.125 quadrillion Btus and has remained largely unchanged in recent years. Energy from renewable sources is now 77.15% of that from domestic crude oil production, with the gap closing rapidly, the organization adds.

Solar power accounted for 1.16% of production. Renewable energy's electrical output increased by 25.82% in the first three months of 2011, compared to the first quarter of 2010. Solar-generated electricity increased by 104.8%, according to EIA data cited by SUN DAY Campaign.

Energy Storage is a Key Emerging Frontier for Commercial Buildings

The market momentum toward greater energy efficiency in commercial buildings, the proliferation of smart grid technologies, and the growth of renewable energy installations both on a distributed basis as well as at the utility scale are all driving heightened interest in the opportunity for energy storage in commercial buildings. Buildings represent a large portion of total energy consumption, and many of their occupants are actively seeking ways of managing their energy costs through efficiency measures as well as innovative means of optimizing their expenditures under time of use (TOU) electricity rates and other variable pricing structures.

According to a new report from Pike Research, the market for energy storage in commercial buildings is poised for significant growth in the years ahead. The firm forecasts, under a baseline scenario, that the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) market, which is currently the largest segment within this industry, will increase from $3.4 billion in 2011 to $4.8 billion by 2016. Another key emerging segment includes ice-based thermal energy storage (TES) custom systems, which Pike Research anticipates will rise from $15 million in revenue in 2011 to $37 million by 2016. Under a more aggressive growth scenario, this market could reach as high as $92 million during the same period. Ice-based TES rooftop units in North America will also experience strong growth, increasing from $12 million in 2011 to $123 million by 2016 under a baseline forecast scenario.

“Energy storage presents a compelling opportunity for building owners and managers,” says research analyst Eric Bloom. “These systems offer the ability to manage operating expenses in the face of aggressive demand charges and dynamic pricing schemes, which are on the rise throughout North America.”

Bloom adds that, while UPS and TES will continue to lead the market in the foreseeable future, significant opportunity also exists for commercial buildings to utilize flow batteries and lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for energy storage as the economics of those technologies continue to improve.

Marriott makes sustainability statement with LEED Volume Program

Marriott was the first in the hospitality industry to launch a green hotel prototype that has been pre-certified by USGBC as part of its LEED Volume Program, meaning that any developer that chooses to follow these plans will earn basic LEED certification, or possibly higher, upon USGBC final approval. The company is also the first in the hospitality industry to have three brands approved to receive the LEED Volume Program pre-certification. In 2010, Marriott was approved for the Courtyard brand and, so far this year, the company has been approved for the TownePlace Suites and Residence Inn brands. Both the Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites brands will be approved for the Volume Program by the end of 2011, helping Marriott reach its goal to certify 300 hotels through the LEED certification system by 2015. We have nearly 85 hotels across all brands that are LEED-certified or registered by the USGBC.


In fact, North America’s first LEED-certified hotel and conference center flies the Marriott flag—The Marriott Inn and Conference Center University of Maryland University College in Hyattsville.


We encourage partners to join us on the mission to create LEED hotels. We have used the Volume Build Program to make it easy and affordable. For example, our Courtyard hotel owners who build through the LEED Volume Program save about $100,000 in soft costs and six months of design time. The operational savings in energy and water consumption of 25 percent sets the break-even point, including all construction costs, at five to six years. Factoring in government incentives can reduce that time frame to one year. The bottom line is that Courtyard owners and operators realize the benefits of building green up front, plus they earn an operational return on investment for the rest of the building’s life. And, according to the USGBC, LEED-certified buildings typically save 35 percent in carbon emissions, 40 percent in water emissions and 70 percent in solid waste. Re-sale values for LEED-certified buildings are often higher than comparable buildings that are not LEED-certified.

USGBC Launches LEED Volume Program for Operations & Maintenance

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that LEED Volume Program for Operations & Maintenance is now available for existing green building projects. The track, which focuses on operations and maintenance needs, debuted at the 2011 BOMA International Conference held in Washington, D.C.


Also check out this link: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2278

Accor Research Survey Includes Input from Almost 7,000 Guests

Accor Hotels has announced the launch of Earth Guest Research, a platform for sharing knowledge on social and environmental issues relating to the hotel industry. The goal of sharing the research is to help advance the tourism industry’s efforts in this area by making sustainable development surveys and methodologies available to all industry operators, as well as to the general public.

“With 4,200 hotels worldwide and our pioneering experience in sustainable development, our role is to drive change and lead the tourism industry in this field,” says Accor chairman and CEO, Denis Hennequin. “I strongly believe that sharing our knowledge will enable us to advance, and that we need to leverage sustainable development concerns to develop new, more sustainable products and services that will eventually lead to a whole new approach to the hotel experience.”

U.S. residential market not as interested in energy monitoring as recession foes linger.

Google has announced they will retire its PowerMeter on September 16, while Microsoft has shifted their attention to commercial applications. Although it would seem reasonable for a nation suffering through a mayor economic downturn for the past few years to embrace money and energy saving technologies, the reality proves otherwise. Despite all the Federal and local financial incentives, the deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation has been slower than anticipated.

The electric rates in the U.S. Virgin Islands are the highest in the U.S. and the rest of the world except for Tonga ($0.59 / kwh) and Manila ($0.90 / kwh), and you thought you had it bad. Virgin Islanders complain about electric rates every day, yet most don't know how much power they use in a month. Electricity consumption / generation monitoring is similar to keeping track of cell phone usage or grocery shopping, the difference lays in that is is not a habit yet. If you have a chance today look for your WAPA bill today and post a comment with your average daily consumption.