The importance of selecting healthy materials for K-12 projects

Power consumption for data centers doubled from 2000 and 2006, and it is anticipated to double again by 2011, making these mission-critical facilities the nation's largest commercial user of electric power. With major technology companies investing heavily in new data centers, it's no wonder Building Teams see these mission-critical facilities as a golden opportunity, and why they are working hard to keep energy costs at data centers in check.

BD+C Senior Editor Jay Schneider is currently taking a tour of Germany's most sustainable buildings. One of the projects he visited was the Deutsche Bank Headquarters, Frankfurt, Germany, one of the world's largest sustainable retrofits. The Deutsche Bank's twin towers (one 34 stories, the other 36 stories) are undergoing a massive $271 million retrofit that will turn the complex into the world's most environmentally friendly skyscraper, which will be renamed the Green Towers. BD+C, April 14

The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta is currently updating its facilities design standards to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold as set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Energy Ace, Inc., an Atlanta-based sustainability consulting firm is assisting Georgia Tech in preparing the Standards upgrade.

 

The American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has been awarded $1.5 million dollars in grant money from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to conduct a three-year research project on ventilation and indoor air quality in retail stores.

Mark MacCracken, CEO of CALMAC, Inc., a producer of cold storage energy solutions, has been selected as Chair-elect of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Board of Directors for the 2010 calendar year. The USGBC Board of Directors is responsible for articulating and upholding the vision, values and mission of USGBC. In 2009, MacCracken was elected to serve a second 3-year term as Director in the Energy Services Seat.

In response to City's request, the task force unveils more than 100 recommendations for greening NYC buildings, in most sophisticated analysis ever conducted by a municipality

Published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Standard 189.1, "Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings," is the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States. The standard, published last week, provides a green building foundation for those who strive to design, build, and operate green buildings.

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) recently certified its 100th building in the U.S. through the Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system.The Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, located in Houston, received a rating of three Globes for achievements in energy efficiency and environmental management practices.