The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) cut the ribbon on the new green roof over its Washington, D.C., headquarters on April 26, 2006. On hand were representatives from the District of Columbia and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities as well as the ASLA leadership. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA, the 3,300 ft² (307 m²) roof mixes three-inch planting surfaces with deeper beds and provides walking and sitting areas for building occupants. Equipment will track stormwater runoff, water quality, and air temperature to compare with the conventional roof on a similar building next door. Details are online at www.asla.org.

A $1 billion rush order for the Indonesian tropical hardwood merbau is designated for construction of the 2008 Beijing Olympic sports venues, according to an April 2006

New York Times report. The deal is part of $7 billion China invested in Indonesia last year—much of the investment is going toward replacing valuable ecosystems with palm oil plantations to produce goods like soaps and cosmetics for Chinese consumers. Meanwhile, China is touting the 2008 Games as the “Green Olympics,” with forests being planted around Beijing to control air pollution and the government committing to using green materials and renewable energy for Olympic facilities.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for heavy industries in the state, such as power plants, refineries, and factories, to report emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are contributing to global warming. Making the announcement at a San Francisco global warming summit in April 2006, the governor pledged to support legislation but did not endorse a Democratic bill that could initiate capping as soon as January 2007. Most environmentalists in the state ultimately seek a cap-and-trade system, while many industry leaders and the California Chamber of Commerce oppose both cap-and-trade and reporting, on the premise that global warming is not a local problem, and that state efforts could shut down manufacturers.

Ten states, two cities, and three environmental organizations have sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for not regulating carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. While the Clean Air Act requires EPA to regulate air pollutants, the Bush administration claims carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses do not qualify as pollutants. Led by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the lawsuit was filed by California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin; New York City and Washington, D.C.; and Environmental Defense, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club.

A plague of mountain pine beetles in British Columbia’s lodgepole pine forests has so far claimed 17.3 million acres (7 million ha) of forest. Temperatures in British Columbia haven’t been warmer in 8,000 years, and global warming is unfolding 50 years in advance of forecasts in some areas, Richard Hebda, Ph.D., a curator of botany and earth history at the Royal B.C. Museum, told the

Toronto Globe and Mail. No longer regenerated by periodic burning by Native Americans, the aging and stressed forest is ripe for beetles, while warm winters are allowing beetle populations to grow and spread unchecked. According to the

Washington Post, U.S. officials are watching for an outbreak, although damage could be limited by the more fractured nature of the U.S. lodgepole pine population. Meanwhile, scientists speculate that the forest may never come back—at least not without an ice age to subdue the beetles.

U.S. emissions of greenhouse gasses, which cause global warming, rose 1.7% between 2003 and 2004, to the highest level on record, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Citing reductions in methane and nitrous oxide emissions, EPA claimed progress. “While the U.S. economy expanded by 51% from 1990 to 2004, emissions have grown by only 15.8% over the same period,” notes an EPA press release. “The Bush administration has an unparalleled financial, international, and domestic commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” according to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. The report, “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2004,” is online at http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/ (click on “emissions”).

In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star^® program, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Foundation has launched the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP), designed to educate BOMA members about energy conservation and reduce the industry’s annual $24 billion energy bill. BEEP has initially scheduled six audio-conference seminars, which run through mid-November 2006; additional seminars may be scheduled. Details are at www.boma.org/trainingandeducation/beep/.

The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) has released version 1.8 of its Energy-10™ modeling software, compatible with PC computers. The new version features the ability to model the performance of stand-alone or building-integrated photovoltaic systems as well as solar domestic or service water heaters. For more information, visit www.energy-10.com.

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) plans to air “design: e²,” a six-part television series about “the economies of being environmentally conscious,” beginning in June 2006. Narrated by Brad Pitt, the series will delve into eight topics: design, water, energy, food, textiles, transportation, botanicals, and health. More information and a preview are available at www.design-e2.com.

Energy and sustainability consultant CTG Energetics, Inc., has announced the opening of its northeast regional office in Providence, Rhode Island. The office is led by Stephen Turner, P.E., a consulting engineer who specializes in mechanical, electrical, and energy systems for buildings and campuses. The northeast office will focus on commissioning and high-performance buildings. CTG is online at www.ctg-net.com.