The Energy Challenge: Efficiency, Conservation and Alternative Sources

Purchasing Power

Studying the environmental impact of buildings, we cannot ignore the environmental footprint of their energy demand. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 98 percent of our nation’s energy supply is generated from the combustion of fossil fuels resulting in the emission of 2,298 million metric tons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere per year—an unsustainable equation to say the least.

by John Friskel

	All Eyes on the Bottom Line Having a background in derivatives trading, I have seen markets, and their participants, accomplish remarkable things. Socio-economic and political realities are evidenced in fractions of a second. Popular opinion is redefined in a matter of hours. by Rory M. Gopaul

	Is Your Building an ENERGY STAR? Commercial buildings use about 17 percent of the total energy consumed in the U.S. each year¹, and consequently emit 17 percent of greenhouse gases². We know there are significant opportunities to reduce energy use; the most efficient commercial buildings operate with 10 times less energy per square foot than the least efficient. by Jean Lupinacci

Web Exclusive: BPL | A New Technology Toward High-Tech and Environmentally Sound

Imagine all of the people in the buildings that you design or construct experiencing the benefits of broadband without your wiring for anything more than electricity. You can use the wiring that’s already providing electricity to every outlet in order to bring workers broadband access. The technology is called broadband over power line (BPL) and it is the epitome of simplicity.

by Jeff Tolnar

	AeroVironment As energy prices continue to rise, the question arises as to how each industry can reduce the economic impacts of skyrocketing natural gas and electricity bills at their facilities throughout the country. Incorporating renewable energy into green building projects is a tactic that can help to mitigate these effects. by Mark Crowdis LEED AP Helen Tocco LEED AP

A Bright Idea for a Brownfield

Thanks to the dedication of the city’s officials, the support of the community and numerous partners, financial and technical support from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust and DOE, and the hard work of Global Solar and other firms, a formerly blighted brownfield symbolizing the city’s industrial past has been transformed into a dazzling display of solar panels, demonstrating the city’s embrace of a clean energy future.

by Lori A. Ribeiro

The Energy Challenge: Pioneering Green Pays Off

Monument Valley Middle School established Berkshire Hills Regional School District (Berkshire Hills) as a K-12 leader in sustainable design. During the planning process, the district committed to participate in the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Renewable Energy/Green School Program and use Massachusetts Collaborative for High-Performance Schools (MCHPS) Best Practice criteria to evaluate, prioritize, and select effective and cost-controlling green features.

by DeWayne Leppke , P.E.

	Total Energy Systems Take Energy Efficiency to New Levels As the world seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, companies are increasingly turning to PV panels. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are semiconductor devices, usually made of silicon, that enable sunlight to be converted directly into electricity—practically for free. by Jane-Michèle Clark

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