Sarnafil Inc. Wins 2004 Rebuild America Award

Canton, MA -Sarnafil Inc., a manufacturer of thermoplastic roofing and waterproofing systems, was recently designated a 2004 Premier Business Partner by Rebuild America, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conservation initiative. Sarnafil joined 13 other partners to receive the award for its strong participation in Rebuild America-sponsored events—most notably a series of informational seminars presented in communities across the U.S.

Rebuild America and its 165 business partners sponsor and participate in these seminars that introduce energy-related technologies in roofing, lighting, and mechanical systems; geothermal, solar, and wind energy systems; and services such as performance contracting.

The Premier Business Partner award is Sarnafil's second citation from Rebuild America. In 2002, the company was the sole recipient of the agency's Energy Champion Award, which the agency replaced this year with the Premier Business Partner designation. Rebuild America's goal is to increase the number of “high performance” U.S. buildings by promoting the deployment of energy-efficient and renewable-energy technologies and practices. For more information, visit www.rebuild.org. For more information about Sarnafil in the U.S., visit www.sarnafilus.com.

Call for Entries: Wisconsin SE2 Leadership Award

The 2004 Wisconsin Sustainability & Energy Efficiency (SE2) Leadership Award is now open for entries. This award recognizes leadership in energy efficient and sustainable design, construction, and operation of Wisconsin commercial and other non-residential buildings and related systems. The goal is to encourage greater collaboration among owners, designers, builders and operators by highlighting the value of projects that enhance the built environment.

The SE2 Award criteria will focus on: - Complexity of the problem - Overall performance - Human factors/aesthetic integration - Energy efficiency - Sustainability - Innovation - Replicability

Applications are due July 1, 2004. For more information and an application form, visit the SE2 Web site at: http://www.wgba.org/artman/publish/cat_index_21.shtml

U.S. Secretary of Energy Abraham Announces Winners of Hydrogen Fueling Station Design Competition at the NHA Annual Conference

Los Angeles -- In a keynote address at the 15th Annual U.S. Hydrogen Conference and Hydrogen Expo, U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced that the University of Victoria from British Columbia, Canada, was selected as the grand prize winner of the first Hydrogen Fueling Station Design Contest, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the National Hydrogen Association (NHA), ChevronTexaco, Natural Resources Canada, and Swagelok Company.

Seventeen teams from universities in the United States and Canada participated in the competition. Their challenge was to consider five key areas in designing a hydrogen fueling station: 1) technical specifications for hydrogen production, delivery and storage; 2) environmental impact; 3) safety issues; 4) profitability; and 5) education and marketing to build community awareness. The teams were also required to build a digital 3D rendering of the proposed station.

In awarding the grand prize to the University of Victoria, Secretary Abraham remarked on the highly competitive nature of the contest. Each team received a score based on a possible total of 115 points. The University of Victoria scored three-tenths of a point more than second-place winner Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. Honorable mentions included the University of California-Davis, University of Missouri-Rolla, and University of Toronto.

The NHA and DOE are soliciting ideas for the 2005 Hydrogen University Competition, to be called "H2U." For more information or to submit a competition concept, please visit www.h2ucontest.org.

Industrial Design Firm Creates a New Home Inside Sewage Treatment Plant

Middlebury, CT -- In a revolutionary move, award-winning firm Evo Design has moved its offices to a renovated water treatment plant at 1369 Main Street, Watertown, Connecticut. To make room for an expanding business designing products such as Samsonite luggage, electronic toys for Leapfrog, watches for Timex and goggles for Burton Snowboards, the 12-person firm traded its colonial farmhouse for the 80-year old water treatment plant, decommissioned four years ago.

The plant, with its 8 acres of leach fields was built in 1927. Now, the once dark and dingy building has been transformed into a studio space of glass and light. Offices with Apple computers now sit where the lab used to be. A mezzanine level was built into the cavernous garage. However, Evo's employees were careful to design the space around the original structure, maintaining the characteristics of a municipal building while updating the interior with a contemporary, urban look. For more information on Evo Design, please visit www.evodesign.com.

'Green Tent' Design Competition Call for Entries

Los Angeles -- Ecoshack announces a competition to design an environmentally sustainable camping shelter - a 'green' tent - for use in the Mojave Desert in and around Joshua Tree National Park. The competition is open to anyone with innovative design ideas inspired by Southern California's green lifestyle; architects, interior designers, product and furniture designers, graphic designers, artists, design students, campers.

Collaborative and multi-disciplinary design teams are encouraged. Jurors for the competition include designer David Erdman of servo, SKDP graphic designer Stephen Kinder, Ecoshack founder Stephanie Smith, and the artist Andrea Zittel.

The submittal deadline is August 11, 2004 (online pre-registration is required by July 30, 2004 at www.greententcompetition.com). Ecoshack (www.ecoshack.com) is a green design laboratory and creative offsite facility based in Joshua Tree and Los Angeles, California. Ecoshack's goal is to use environments and experiences to trigger positive change in consumer behavior. Ecoshack helps individuals, teams and corporations to create, brand and market green design and lifestyle options in a way that captures the emotions, identities and passions of a new generation of green consumers. Ecoshack uses its 5-acre demonstration site in Joshua Tree as a testing ground for green ideas.

EPS Rebate XChange Recovers Over $1 Million in Rebates for Early Clients

Costa Mesa, CA - Energy and Power Solutions, Inc. (EPS) announced that its first two Rebate XChange clients have already recovered over $1m in project rebates as a result of using the service. Rebate XChange is the premier outsourced service to find, qualify, maximize and deliver available rebates and incentives for client's capital projects.

“EPS has a strong relationship with the Utilities that offer rebates and with our engineering and energy management expertise, we know how to obtain the maximum rebates for our client's projects,” said Shiva Subramanya, President, EPS.

EPS recently launched Rebate XChange; an outsourced service designed to assist companies to maximize recovery of rebates and incentives for capital projects. Rebates and incentives are offered by local Utilities, PUC's and government agencies to encourage energy efficiency and conservation through demand and consumption rebates. Rebate XChange is a web portal-based service backed up by EPS's engineering and consulting expertise. Projects entered by clients are scrutinized against EPS' rebates & incentives database to identify rebates while EPS professionals manage all aspects of the rebate recovery.

“Our clients benefit from Rebate XChange by entering all of their planned capital projects allowing EPS to obtain the maximum rebate for each of those projects,” explained Mr. Subramanya. “Indeed, this can result in a significant impact to project ROI since rebates often amount to 30-40% of the project capital cost.” For more information, visit EPS's web site at www.energynpower.com

Sylvania To Donate Advanced Lighting Technology For Doorway Lighting Project

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Lighting leader OSRAM SYLVANIA recently announced plans to donate groundbreaking light emitting diode (LED) technology to the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (LDC) for “Lighting the Boulevard,” a doorway lighting project developed as a result of the master plan for Atlantic Avenue in downtown Brooklyn.

In this first-ever application, the technology will illuminate 150 residential and commercial doorways on Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and 4th Avenue, at essentially no cost to property owners or tenants.

Internationally renowned lighting artist Leni Schwendinger has been retained by the LDC to conceptualize, design and manage the program. She has identified LED-based lighting as an ideal, long-term lighting solution for the building exteriors on Atlantic Avenue, where historic preservation and redevelopment go hand in hand. LEDs can now provide illumination with extremely low energy and maintenance requirements. The LDC is a Section 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization committed to the economic development of the Atlantic Avenue area from Fourth Avenue to the East River waterfront in Brooklyn, N.Y. For more information, visit www.AtlanticAve.org

USFCC and Members Display Fuel Cell Technology at Small Fuel Cells Conference

Washington D.C. - The US Fuel Cell Council (USFCC) and its member companies participated at the Small Fuel Cells 2004 Conference, May 5-7, 2004, in Arlington, Virginia. “Recent news about fuel cells has focused on their potential to replace the internal combustion engine for vehicles,“ said Robert Rose, executive director of USFCC. “Many manufacturers are gearing up to commercialize fuel cells for portable electronics in the near-term,” Rose added.

USFCC's 2003 study, “Fuel Cells for Portable Power,” forecast that 19 million fuel cell units will be shipped in 2006, representing $500 million in annual sales. In 2004, the Council is working closely with the United Nations and the Department of Transportation to ensure that codes and standards are in place in time for market launch. The USFCC is the trade association for the fuel cell industry, dedicated to fostering the commercialization of fuel cells in the United States. For more information on USFCC, check out our web site at www.usfcc.com.

Product Focus: Wall Panel System

Kansas City, MO -- R-Steel, a wall panel innovation, is a monolithic panel of Perform Guard expanded polystyrene insulation that surrounds a 20-guage, galvanized steel core creating a non-cavity design. Perform Guard EPS is EPA registered, highly mold resistant, non-corrosive, and nontoxic. R-Steel is manufactured without adhesives or blowing agents. R-Steel's steel core and related contents are recyclable. The energy efficient R-24.8 (6”) and R-33.1 (8”) panels come in standard 4' widths and lengths up to 18 feet, for fast installation. Finishes include interior drywall and designers can use all the colors and textures possible with exterior acrylic coatings and other finishes. R-Steel panels are for use conventional, pre-engineered metal buildings or load-bearing construction. A UL One-Hour Fire Rating is among numerous certifications earned from independent tests. For more product information, visit www.R-Steel.com.