2011
Sustainable Site Initiatives Wins Gold Medal Award
AUSTIN, Texas — The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) earned the 2011 Gold Medal Award from the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) in recognition of outstanding, long-term contributions to the green industry at the PGMS annual awards ceremony in Louisville, Ky.
Community Center Marks City’s First LEED Building
WINTER PARK, Fla. — The $9.1 million Winter Park Community Center, designed to reflect the character of the “City of Culture and Heritage,” opened in October.
Designed by the Orlando office of SchenkelShultz Architecture and design-build partner Turner Construction Co., based in Orlando, the center targets LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Tecta Solar Completes Solar Array for SKF USA
LANSDALE, Pa. — Tecta Solar, a developer of commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects with more than 30 MWp installed nationwide, recently completed the installation of a 409.6-kWp rooftop solar photovoltaic system on SKF USA’s LEED Certified headquarters in Lansdale, Pa.
The project expects to generate 500 MWh of energy in the first year — enough to power about 48 Pennsylvania homes for one year.
Cool Roofing Materials in LA Could Reduce Air Pollution, Energy Costs
LOS ANGELES — Cool roofing material in Los Angeles could reduce air pollution and energy costs, according to a new report by the UCLA School of Law.
City Chosen for Coveted Architecture Award
BEIJING — Beijing, China will host the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize Ceremony next year, announced Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong and Hyatt Foundation Chairman Thomas Pritzker.
The award has been distributed annually for the past 30 years and 14 different countries have hosted the ceremony, with locations ranging from the White House in Washington D.C. to the Todai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan.
Energy Efficiency Dashboard System
Johnson Controls introduced the Panoptix solution, designed to make it easier and more affordable for facility owners and operators to achieve better building performance.
The system includes four key components. Its open technology platform aims to simplify collection and management of data from disparate building systems and other data sources, a suite of cloud-hosted building efficiency applications that work with any building management system.
Window Shade Fabric
Draper Inc. introduces the GreenScreen Revive, its new eco-friendly, window shade fabric. The product received a silver rating from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s verified rating system, which assesses categories of renewable energy, clean water, material health, social responsibility and material reutilization.
High Wind Roof Product
High Wind Roof (HWR), the new standing seam roof product from Varco Pruden Buildings, is designed for projects that require high-wind codes or have Factory Mutual requirements. The system was developed to meet wind conditions in coastal regions and other high-wind areas and can provide performance and protection against winds above 130 miles per hour. When incorporated as part of a total Varco Pruden Building system, the HWR can withstand wind conditions in excess of 180 miles per hour, according to the company.