Green Channel - November 17, 2011

Standard For Commercial Buildings Shifted to ASHRAE 90.1-2010

According to ASHRAE, “With the Oct. 19 ruling, Standard 90.1-2010 serves as the commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes under the federal Energy Conservation and Production Act.  As a result, states are required to certify by Oct. 18, 2013, that they have updated the provisions of their commercial building code regarding energy efficiency to meet or exceed 90.1-2010.”

Compared with ASHRAE 90.1-2007, the new standard reportedly tested out to save 18% more energy.

Amory Lovins on energy solutions: Amory Lovins, the Rocky Mountain Institute co-founder who is extremely vocal on energy efficiency, has a new book, Reinventing Fire. In an interview with GreenBiz.com, Lovins said, the U.S. could “run a very prosperous 2050 U.S. economy—2.6 times today's—with no oil, no coal, no nuclear energy, one-third less natural gas and a $5 trillion lower net-present-value cost than business as usual. We also found the transition requires no new inventions and no Act of Congress and can be led by business for profit.”

Below: The book’s cover (as shown on Amazon.com).

Credit unions offer energy efficiency loans: “Investsmart,” a new program offered through two credit unions in Jacksonville, Fla., “offers business owners a rebate of up to $2,500 on an energy audit and an interest subsidy on the first $20,000 of a 10-year loan,” the local business weekly reported.

Funding retrofits in Miami & Sacramento: A recent TIME magazine blog discusses the plans put together by Carbon War Room, in conjunction with Lockheed and Barclays, to create jobs and help existing commercial buildings become more efficient.

Standard 189.1 gets BOMA’s support: A BOMA executive, writing for Buildings magazine, talks about why BOMA supports the proposed standard for green commercial buildings.

$10 million for lighting R&D: In September, the DOE made up to $10 million in funding available for research into projects that “accelerate manufacturing R&D related to solid-state lighting technologies.”

Wal-Mart’s deal with SolarCity: SolarCity of San Mateo, Calif. will install solar PV on the rooftops of as many as 130 Wal-Mart stores in California. After installation, the company will own and maintain the systems, selling the power to Wal-Mart, according to GreenBiz.com.