Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Launches PV System
HONOLULU, Hawaii — Part of a nationwide sustainability initiative, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii’s 150-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system at Mapunapuna Medical Office recently joined the electrical grid.
It’s the first of eight planned solar installations to be completed by the organization. When fully implemented, the operation is expected to cut Kaiser Permanente Hawaii’s energy usage by 10 percent, saving $2 million to $4 million over the 20-year power purchase agreement.
PPG Industries’ named Nathan McKenna as national architectural manager for the southeast region, covering Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the majority of Florida. PPG features brands such as Solarban solar control, Sungator low-e glass, Starphire ultra-clear glass and a variety of performance-tinted, reflective and subtly reflective glasses. McKenna joins PPG from Columbia Commercial Building Products, Dallas, where he served as glass division manager.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington announced that Bioconstruccion y Energia Alternativea (BEA) is the most recent winner of the USGBC’s LEED Earth campaign. 
PHILADELPHIA — BestColleges.com, using data from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) based in Philadelphia, revealed the 50 “greenest” U.S. colleges and universities. Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colo., was ranked No. 1.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that Jane Henley, former chief executive officer of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), has come on board as a senior advisor to provide strategic guidance on global market development efforts in Asian markets. Head of the WorldGBC for more than five years, Henley made significant strides in the ongoing international market transformation of the green building industry.