HOLIDAY, Fla. — Creative Contractors Inc. was awarded a $14 million contract by the Pasco County School District to build the county’s first green school.
The builders of the 93,000-square-foot Gulf Trace Elementary School will strive to create a healthy indoor environment through the use of low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives, and wood products without added urea-formaldehyde, a type of adhesive resin used in pressed wood.
SAN FRANCISCO — One of the greenest cities in the country now has a task force in place that will focus on increasing the number and quality of sustainable buildings in the area.
The Green Building Task Force, assembled by Mayor Gavin Newsom as part of his Clean and Green Initiative and Climate Action Plan, is responsible for developing expanded green building standards for all new private construction projects in San Francisco .
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Industrial Development Authority issued a $238 million bond to finance construction of a sustainable retail complex.
Destiny USA, slated to be the largest sustainable building in the world, will include stores, hotels, theaters, restaurants and a research park. It will be powered entirely by renewable energy, according to reports. The 800-acre project is expected to cost $20 billion.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America Corp. has launched a $20 billion initiative to support sustainable business practices in an effort to reduce energy use and green house gas emissions by U.S. companies.
BOSTON — A bill to give tax credits to public, private and commercial buildings that comply with energy-efficient standards is under consideration in the Massachusetts Legislature.
The legislation would require the state to adopt the International Energy Conservation Code for new construction and renovation projects. It sets heating standards and minimum energy provisions for residential and commercial buildings. Officials estimate that the standards would increase construction costs by 3 percent, but builders would see savings in energy costs and tax breaks.
LOS ANGELES — The largest municipal utility in the United States will fast track service for environmentally sustainable building development projects.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners approved the policy, which will to provide accelerated water and electrical connection services for LEED-certified buildings.
WASHINGTON — Two California politicians plan to make Capitol Hill’s buildings more energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) says she wants employees at House of Representatives buildings to use environmentally friendly operating procedures. She has asked the House’s chief administrative officer to report back on how a “green the Capitol” initiative could be implemented in the House’s three office buildings, which have a total of 3.65 million square feet.
WASHINGTON — A technical advisory committee for the U.S. Green Building Council released a report that does not recommend imposing restrictions on the use of PVC in buildings seeking LEED certification until there is more research on the subject.
The Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee recently published the report that states PVC — also known as vinyl — did not perform better or worse overall than alternative materials with regard to its impact on the environment or human health in commercial building applications.
