Oakland University Receives Latest LEED Certification

ROCHESTER, Mich. — Oakland University in Rochester earned its most recent LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in late July. Oak View Hall, the university’s newest housing facility, achieved LEED Gold status thanks to a number of green and sustainable design considerations.

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Vacuum Pump

Atlas Copco unveiled a new range of highly efficient vacuum pumps. The GHS VSD+ series promises energy savings of roughly 50 percent compared to conventional vacuum pumps. The GHS 350-900 VSD+ range, incorporates state-of-the-art variable speed drive technology, which enables vacuum generation to adapt precisely to the user’s requirements as part of a central supply system. Coupled with an innovative motor design, the new range sets new standards for energy efficiency of vacuum pumps, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the total cost of ownership.

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Seattle Building First for LEED Dynamic Plaque Re-Certification

SEATTLE — A commercial office building in downtown Seattle is the first building in the country to receive a LEED Dynamic Plaque re-certification.

The 336,000-square-foot building — Dexter Horton — is owned by Gerding Edlen, a property manager and developer based in Portland, Ore. Gerding Edlen partnered with the USGBC on the re-certification, which measures the real time performance of existing LEED-certified buildings for energy, water and waste conservation as well as the building’s tenant experience and use of alternative transportations.

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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.

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