News

USGBC Unveils Programs for Retail, High-Volume Developers

1 mins

CHICAGO — The U.S. Green Building Council announced last week the launch of LEED for Retail, its latest green building rating system, and the LEED Volume Program, a certification program for high-volume property developers.

Nearly 100 retailers and franchisees, including Bank of America, Best Buy, Citigroup, Target, Starbucks and McDonald’s participated in the LEED for Retail three-year pilot program. The program, the USGBC says, will allow retailers to integrate green building design, construction and operations into retail interior and build-out projects.

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Virginia Hospital Receives Coveted LEED Gold Designation

3 mins
HARRISONBURG, Va.— Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg is the first inpatient healthcare facility in the state of Virginia, and the second of its size in the nation to receive LEED Gold Certification, according to reports.
 
Dennis Coffman, director of facility planning and development at RMH, called the certification a culmination of years of dedicated work to make sure the new 630,000-square-foot hospital would meet LEED guidelines.
 
“We are extremely pleased to be named the first ‘green’ hospita

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Philadelphia Eagles Look for Savings With Green Stadium

2 mins
PHILADELPHIA — Renewable energy firm Solar Blue has contracted with the Philadelphia Eagles football team to transform their 70,000-seat stadium into one that generates its own electricity from renewable energy sources, the team announced late last week.
 
Solar Blue, which is based in Orlando, Fla., will fit the Lincoln Financial Field with 2,500 solar panels, 80 20-foot wind turbines and an alternative-fuels power plant that is estimated will save the team $60 million in electricity costs over 20 years.
 
The 20-year contra

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Organization Explores Solar Power in Sapce

3 mins
MUMBAI — India’s Space Research Organization and America’s National Space Society announced the launch earlier this month of the Kalam-NSS Initiative to explore the possibility of harvesting solar energy through space satellites for use on Earth. The initiative, spearheaded by former Indian president A.P.J.

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Mass. Solar Power Projects Bring Power, Jobs to State

2 mins
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Western Massachusetts Electric Co.’s new 6,500 panel solar-powered electric facility will begin producing enough electricity for 300 homes later this month.
 
The plant and a larger project slated to go online in Springfield next year are expected to bolster job growth in the solar industry and bring the high cost of solar power in line with oil-produced electricity in New England.

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Green Hong Kong Prison Draws Criticism

2 mins
HONG KONG — Hong Kong opened its first green jail last August, featuring a green roof, solar panels, natural lighting system and enhanced ventilation system but the environmentally friendly attributes drew a barrage of criticism from the public and press earlier this month.
 
After winning a green building award in early November, critics seized on Lo Wu to accuse the government of favoring the prison population over law-abiding citizens.

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Agencies Look to Space for Solar Energy

3 mins
MUMBAI — India’s Space Research Organization and America’s National Space Society announced the launch earlier this month of the Kalam-NSS Initiative to explore the possibility of harvesting solar energy through space satellites for use on Earth. The initiative, spearheaded by former Indian president A.P.J.

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Boston Solar Powered Transit Project Begins

2 mins
BOSTON — Developer John Rosenthal and Massachusetts officials broke ground on the nation’s first solar powered commuter rail station. The station will be part of Fenway Center, a solar powered mixed-use neighborhood that will include apartments buildings, office towers, retail space, a parking garage and the transit station.

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