Government Agencies Required to Go 95% Green on All Purchases

Two days ago, the Federal Acquisition Regulations Council released an interim rule on green procurement, requiring that the head of each agency ensure that 95 percent of new contract actions are for products and services that are energy efficient, water efficient, bio-based, environmentally preferable or non-ozone depleting, adhering to criteria set out by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Agriculture Department. The agencies also must aim to procure items that contain recycled content and are nontoxic.

The interim rule on green procurement it is a follow-up to President Obama’s 2009 executive order on green management that sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance.

Good Morning, Guam!

Last week, Adam Warren of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) traveled to Guam to attend a Guam Energy Task Force meeting hosted by the Department of the Interior. During his visit, he and Governor de Jongh appeared on Guam Radio, KGUM, where they had an opportunity to talk about the work EDIN is doing in the USVI. The live interview, which aired on the Ray Gibson Breakfast Show in Guam as well as on WSTA Radio 1340 AM in the USVI, focused on the commonalities between the two island territories, including their shared commitment to a sustainable energy future through reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels.


Listen to the interview.

TAP June Webinar Announcement

Cool off this summer with one of the June webinars from the Technical Assistance Program! June webinars will continue to explore best practices and technical information for state, city, county and tribal energy practitioners.

The June webinars will address a range of topics including:

• Reporting in EPA's Portfolio Manager



• Best practices for establishing a municipal fund for energy efficiency



• Policies and practices for using geothermal heat pumps



• An introduction to utility energy efficiency programs and developing new partnerships



• Interior lighting efficiency for municipalities

The complete webinar schedule for this month can be found below. Webinar details may change over the month so please check the Solution Center webcasts page for the most up to date information as well as files from all the past TAP webinars. A description of each webinar, as well as sign up information can also be found on the TAP blog.

Don't see a webinar for a topic you're interested in? Make a comment on our blog or send an email to solutioncenter@ee.doe.gov. Thanks!

Portfolio Manager Reporting and Energy Disclosure Practices
Date: June 16, 2011
Time: 1:00-2:00 EDT
Host: ICF International
Webinar Description: Public sector organizations are increasingly taking a lead by example approach to energy benchmarking including benchmarking their buildings' energy use and disclosing energy usage data to the public. Energy use disclosure creates accountability within the organization and also can be used to communicate results of excellence in energy management to the community. This webinar will review the energy disclosure and reporting practices of EECBG grantees to provide example and inspiration on benchmarking accomplishments to others. Grantees will then learn how to move from benchmarking and managing their energy use, to the next level: disclosing their energy use to promote accountability and demonstrate leadership in energy management to the community. Unlike previous Portfolio Manager webinars that have only touched on the tool's reporting features, this webinar will go over the reporting features in more detail, including how you can leverage stock reports, develop custom reports, and create reports for display to the public. This webinar will also show how New York City is using Portfolio Manager as a compliance tool for annual benchmarking disclosure.
URL: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/595475185

Best Practices for Establishing Municipal Funds for Energy Efficiency Projects
Date: June 21, 2011
Time: 2:00-3:30 EDT
Host: Center for Climate Strategies and ICF International
Webinar Description: Many grantees have expressed interest in how to set up a dedicated fund for energy efficiency projects because they lack funds to make improvements to their internal facilities. This webinar will discuss the necessary steps for setting up an internal fund to pay for municipal building energy efficiency upgrades. This webinar will present a model that takes an initial investment of funds for energy efficiency improvements that continues to have an impact over time because of the sustainable nature of the model. We will provide ideas for the potential sources of capital for the energy efficiency improvements (beyond ARRA funds) and different ways to set up the mechanism. The presenters will discuss how to identify what projects to fund, decide how the money should be handled, and set up a system to measure and verify the energy savings. In addition, two grantees, one with a pre-ARRA fund and one with an ARRA-funded fund, will share their experiences and lessons learned.
URL: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/149435984

Geothermal Heat Pumps: In Policy and Practice
Date: June 23, 2011
Time: 3:00-4:15 EDT
Host: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Webinar Description: Many grantees have expressed interest in learning more about using geothermal resources because of confusion about the differences between geothermal electricity and geothermal heat pumps (aka ground source heat pumps). This webinar will address the intricacies of policy development surrounding both technologies. The specific problem we address are cases where policy makers have designed poor policies because they wanted to promote ground source heat pumps but incorporated a lot of geothermal electricity specifics, making the policy ineffective. This webinar will begin with a discussion on the specific technology and context associated with ground source heat pumps and the different technologies and policies that optimize utilization of both geothermal electricity and ground source heat pumps. Grantees will also hear directly how Eagan, MN used ground source heat pumps in multiple facilities to reduce their energy costs for public facilities.
URL: http://www.nrel.gov/applying_technologies/state_local_activities/webinars.html

Partnering with Utilities 101: Introduction to Utility Energy Efficiency Programs and Developing New Partnerships
Date: June 28, 2011
Time: 2:00-3:00 EDT
Team: Southwest Energy Efficiency Partnership and ICF International
Webinar Description: This webinar is the first part of a three-part series on partnering with utility programs. As grantees seek to deliver energy efficiency programs and services to their communities post-ARRA, partnerships with utilities could provide opportunities. However, understanding what factors drive utilities to support energy efficiency programs can be complicated. This webinar will provide a deeper knowledge of the challenges and constraints of utility programs. Grantees will also learn strategies that motivate utilities to readily partner with grantees in a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship. The webinar will help grantees understand utility perspectives by looking at the design and management of utility energy efficiency programs including regulatory requirements, decoupling, stakeholder groups and advocacy support. The webinar will provide grantees with specific steps to initiate and develop points of contact with utilities, stakeholders, advocacy groups and regulatory groups as well as recommend the development of a grantee energy efficiency plan.
URL: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/470020689

Interior Lighting
Time: 2:00-3:00 EDT
Team: Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Webinar Description: As municipalities across the nation are considering lighting upgrades as a way of improving indoor lighting quality and reducing operational energy costs, they request information to support their decision-making process, create successful projects, and realize high energy savings. This webinar begins by informing participants on the fundamentals of energy-efficient indoor lighting for municipal applications. The presenters will provide an overview of next generation lighting technologies, guidelines for implementing daylight harvesting and adaptive lighting controls, and will identify online tools that can help municipalities identify energy savings opportunities. Participants will learn how to judge if the technology fits the space; how to complete integrated design including how to effectively use: lighting controls, day lighting techniques, and occupancy sensors.
URL: http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTEzNzIxNDQmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTM3MjE0NCZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY2MzQ5MzcmZW1haWxpZD1tZWVoYW5lQGh1Z2hlcy5uZXQmdXNlcmlkPW1lZWhhbmVAaHVnaGVzLm5ldCZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&110&&&https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/404107209

Optimized Energy Solutions for Tropical Environments

Registration for Greenbuild is now open!

Registration is now open for Greenbuild 2011 – the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. For the first time, Greenbuild will be hosted outside the U.S., at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, Oct. 4-7.

Greenbuild is the green building industry's can't miss event. It's where we go to learn about what's new in green building practices through the extensive educational sessions, see the latest technology and innovation in the exhibit hall, and perhaps more importantly, where we go to do business.

GE's Home Energy Management System, Featuring Nucleus with Brillion Technology

Residential scale energy monitoring system that works with GE Brillion technology. This is one of the first steps to a smarter grid and to make people aware of their energy consumption.

May 26th, 2011 Environmental Thursday Program - 93.5 Caribbean Country

Unfortunately, Karl Knight and Miguel Quinones had to cancel the inaugural appearance the evening before.  Thus, Steffen't segment has environmental contact at the beginning and end with crime discussion in the middle.  The recording software split the show in 2 segments:  Steffen/Chakroff.

Cut Cost and Engage Employees Through Energy Efficiency

Employee engagement is an effective, but possibly underutilized strategy for improving energy efficiency.  In fact, energy efficiency can be a gateway to wider business innovation and engage stakeholders in broader process evaluations.  Suggestions made in our eco friendly training include:

• Establishing a baseline of consumption for benchmarking efforts.
• Create an energy policy for the business.  Using your consumption information, you may want to identify areas of improvement. 
• Implement behavior and usage modifications.
• Measure and monitor your progress.
• Communicate your success and appreciation to employees for taking eco action.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Five BetterBuildings Case Studies That Highlight Key Lessons to Improve Energy Efficiency Programs Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the release of five case studies from a series spotlighting some of the most innovative projects funded under the Department's BetterBuildings program. BetterBuildings is a national program that is working to transform the marketplace for energy efficiency upgrades in homes, businesses, and institutions.

Energy Star Product Finder

You can find what products are certified Energy Start for all categories under the program. This website also explains how products are certified and what the benefits are.

The 2030 Challenge for Products Unveiled

The 2030 Challenge for Products aims for the global architecture, planning, design, and building community, to specify, design, and manufacture products for new developments, buildings, and renovations to meet a maximum carbon-equivalent footprint of 30% below the product category average through 2014 – increasing this reduction to 35% in 2015, 40% in 2020, 45% in 2025, and 50% by 2030.

Will you accept the challenge and make it a reality?!!

World’s top 10 greenest banks ranked

Bloomberg Markets Magazine ranked the world’s greenest banks for the first time and came out with a top 10 list that assessed 188 banks in 49 countries. The list ranked by looking at two performance areas: renewable energy investment, and their own efforts to reduce waste and carbon footprint in their operations.

Investments in renewable energy – which covered wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass, biofuel and other related renewable energy technology – make up 70 percent of the scores. These investments must have been made between 2004 and 2010.

Banks that are not members of recognized benchmark indexes and have less than $10 billion market capitalization were not included.

Environmental performance, accounting for 30 percent of scores, covered waste and carbon emission reduction efforts. Banks that disclosed the most information about their greenhouse gas emissions and energy use scored more points, along with those who publicly provide the most recent and measurable data.

WAPA releases Solar Power RFP

In a news released issued on May 20, Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority has released a request for proposal for a total of 10 MW of solar power to be installed between the islands of St Thomas and St Croix.

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to purchase solar photovoltaic generation from independent power producers. The Authority is seeking a maximum of 10 megawatts (MW) of electrical capacity, allocating approximately 5 MW to each of its two generation facilities serving the districts of St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix. Consideration will be given to a different allocation of the 10 MW capacity between the two districts. The selected respondents will be responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining all facets of the project.

The utility will sign a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the procurement of solar energy from one or more selected respondents, with an option to renew for another 5 years. To assist interested bidders, the preferred model of the PPA with specific terms and general concepts important in developing responsive proposals is included in the RFP. The Authority seeks photovoltaic generation to assist in lowering the cost of power production in the territory, so more favorable consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate a number of important characteristics, including cost effective product pricing, experience, strength of plans for development, construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities utilizing commercially proven technology, and the financial strength of the respondent. Under the PPA, projects are required to be commercially operational 18 months after approval of the agreement by the Authority's Governing Board and the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission.

A pre-bid conference and informational webinar is scheduled for June 7 and site visits will take place on June 15 and 16 for all interested parties. Proposals are due on September 20. A guaranteed commercial operation date has been set for December 2013.

To review the full solar PV RFP, visit www.viwapa.vi. Questions about proposal requirements may be directed to Madeline Stevens Webster or Debarah Smith at pr-18-11@viwapa.vi .

Recycling efforts on the Virgin islands

Recycling in the USVI has been a volunteer effort with little support right now from the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority (VIWMA). Take a look at these brochures from the Virgin Islands Resource Conservation and Development Council (VI RC&D), St Thomas-St John Recycling, St Croix Recycling. It would be terrific to see more than commercials from the VIWMA encouraging us to use recyclable grocery bags. For example, they could be very helpful in getting us to organize our waste glass as a supply for the cement makers on the islands as it is perfect for that purpose. Home Depot collects all their cardboard to go back in the Crowley containers, perhaps cardboard collection at the dumpsters could be combined with the Home Depot effort. Do you have some background on this? How might we create ways that more significant recycling can be done on these islands?

Energy efficient products

I’ve been involved in energy efficiency improvements since the early 90s and have been fascinated by the improvements to the technology, especially in the lighting arena. I remember how traffic lights and exit signs in the 90s slowly started to use LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). Now these LEDs are starting to replace the ever efficient CFLs and fluorescent tubes in everyday fixtures. However, since many of the manufacturers are new (and perhaps untested in the market for reliability) most folks don’t realize they are available. The Energy Efficiency Working group is looking at many technologies to help folks source great products for their energy saving needs. What products would you suggest they look at?

Knight takes over at V.I. Energy Office

See the news about Karl Knight who has become the Director at the VI Energy Office. Congratulations Karl!

Air Conditioning in Hot & Humid Climates, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) Lighting, and Operations & Maintenance Training" at no cost to the public

Link to agendas: https://edinenergy.sharefile.com/d/s5708dff8eac45189

Greenhouse: Sydney's Traveling, 'Waste-Free' Strawbale Restaurant by Joost Bakker

Very interesting concept. Thought out as a whole and not as separate components. A good example to follow in how the process of designing and creating a piece of sustainable architecture really works.

Presentations from April Workshop

For those interested, here are the presentations from the Workshop.

DOE Announces Guide for 50 % More Energy Efficient Office Buildings

May 11, 2011

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the release of the first in a new series of Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs) to aid architects and engineers in the design of highly energy efficient office buildings. The 50 % AEDG series will provide a practical approach to commercial buildings designed to achieve 50 % energy savings compared to the commercial building energy code used in many areas of the country. This 50 % AEDG for Small and Medium Office Buildings is the first in a series of four to be released in the coming months. These commercial building guides support President Obama’s goal to reduce energy use in commercial buildings 20 % by 2020 and will help drive demand for energy-saving products made in the United States.

See the full story