LOS ANGELES — CBRE Group can now claim the lead in LEED for Existing Buildings. The firm, headquartered in Los Angeles, announced last week that it has certified more than 300 buildings, making it number-one in the commercial real estate services and investment industry.
Magnusson Architecture and Planning, PC, in New York has promoted Jen Stencel, AIA, LEED AP to associate. Stencel brings eight years of professional experience to the design and construction of adaptive reuse, rehabilitation and new buildings. She enjoys bringing conceptual ideas to reality through the built form by working closely with owners, consultants and contractors.
NEW YORK —The nonprofit Urban Green Council (UGC) is warning builders that choosing subpar materials to meet energy performance standards may actually consume more energy than planned.
According to “High Cholesterol Buildings,” a report from the New York-based UGC, the envelope (walls, windows and roof) of today’s average building doesn’t insulate very well, and some are “outright terrible, creating a devastating tax on our energy resources.”
BERKELEY — A new lab in California opened by the Department of Energy (DOE) will test building efficiency using real-world simulations and advanced technologies.
DOE established the FLEXLAB at Berkeley National Laboratory on July 10. The facility’s test beds can examine HVAC, lighting, windows, building envelope, control systems and plug loads in any combination. The lab gives building owners and tenants the ability to test alternatives, perform cost-benefit analyses, and explore other building efficiencies before construction or retrofitting.
ELMIRA, N.Y. — Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., hopes to create 40,000 construction and manufacturing jobs while improving energy efficiency through a new law that would shorten the amount of time before businesses can install new roofs.
OTTAWA, Ontario — Only about half of business owners actually believe manufacturers’ claims on LED bulbs, according to a new survey.
WASHINGTON — The House passed two bills last week that aim to boost energy efficiency in schools and federal buildings.
CHICAGO — Convention delegates for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) approved Saturday a governance plan that significantly reduces the number of board members and adds a new council that will report on important matters.
SALT LAKE CITY — Rocky Mountain Power has finalized a second deal this month to buy solar power from renewable energy developer First Wind, based in Boston.
Rocky Mountain Power, a unit of PacifiCorp, will buy 320 megawatts from four solar developments in Utah known as the Four Brothers. The company also agreed earlier to buy the power generated from First Wind’s nearby 20-megawatt Seven Sisters solar projects. The purchases were made in connection with the utility company’s obligation under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, or PURPA.
HOUSTON — The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club donated this week $100,000 to help the Houston Food Bank, the largest food bank in the nation, generate solar power for its 308,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center.
