Unveiling the results of a survey of projects completed by signatories to its 2030 challenge, the American Institute of Architects said that  in 2013, the number of new buildings designed by signatory firms which met current performance targets specified under the challenge of having at least 60 per cent less fossil fuel consumption, compared with […]

Arizona utility regulators have been asked to roll back a four-year-old program designed to lower energy consumption through conservation. The effort was expected to save consumers $9 billion through 2020. According to a report posted at AZCentral, the website for The Arizona Republic, the staff of the Arizona Corporation Commission has submitted the recommendation to […]

Research by Purdue University has found that some types of plastic pipes leach chemicals into drinking water that can cause odors, and sometimes exist at levels that may exceed health standards. In the study, drinking water tested from a PEX plumbing system in a “net-zero energy” building in Maryland, revealed the presence of 11 chemicals […]

The BRICKER project, an energy efficient retrofits system, is being developed by combining passive and active technologies in live test cases of three very different public buildings, situated in three different countries, in three different climatic zones. The three buildings being tackled are council offices in Extremadura, Spain; an engineering college building in Liege, Belgium; […]

Smart meters, those wireless devices that tell the power company how much electricity you’re using, have come under fire for everything from inaccuracy to invading privacy. But in Arizona, responding to concern, a public-health study has concluded the devices are unlikely to pose a health risk. According to an article posted at the website, AZ […]

The Bank of the West Tower in downtown Sacramento, Callifornia has been awarded “platinum” certification, the highest rating by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The 26-story, 445,000-square-foot building at 500 Capitol Mall was developed by Tsakopoulos Investments and completed in 2009. It’s now managed by […]

Kneewalls, those short walls under sloped ceilings, are common in story-and-a-half homes and in bonus rooms above garages. Although kneewalls can help turn attics into living space, they often present insulation challenges. There are two ways to insulate triangular attics behind kneewalls. The traditional approach is to insulate the kneewall and the attic floor behind […]

Reductions in energy consumption of more than a third can be achieved via retrofitting in three key areas: the adoption of more efficient systems and equipment, improvements to management and operations, and encouraging tenants to engage in more sustainable behavior. Upgrading systems and equipment is the chief area of focus for most energy audits, and […]

Calling for a need to integrate the efforts of all, senior government officials from India emphasized the importance of developing economically viable equipment at cheaper costs, in order to protect the environment and sustain it in the long run. Government leaders pointed out that in order to save future generations from adverse effects of pollution […]

An annual survey that gauges renewable-energy policy around the country shows that, in the past year, states have generally made it easier for homeowners to produce their own power with small-scale photovoltaic and wind systems. The report, called "Freeing the Grid," grades the states in two key policy areas–net metering and interconnection, which is the […]