The Building Envelope Institute, a nonprofit professional association based in Cary, North Carolina, was created in October 2005 “to serve the common interests of individuals involved in issues related to the performance of building envelope systems.” Details, including a list of the organization’s officers, directors, and 13 founding members, are available at www.bei-online.org.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) codified new efficiency standards for residential appliances and commercial equipment that were established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (see

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Vol. 14, No. 9). New requirements for small products, such as exit signs, take effect in 2006; requirements for larger appliances, such as commercial refrigerators, do not take effect until 2010. More details are online at www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/.

The Public Utility Commission of Nevada recently approved Solargenix Energy’s amendments to power purchase agreements with Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company, clearing the way for Solargenix to complete the development of Nevada Solar One, the third-largest solar power plant in the world and the largest solar-electric power plant to be built anywhere in the past 14 years. The 64-megawatt parabolic-trough plant will supply the energy needs of about 40,000 households. The plant, to be built near the Hoover Dam in Boulder City, is expected to begin operation in early 2007. More information about the development is at www.solargenix.com. For more on Solargenix and parabolic-trough collectors, see

EBNVol. 13, No. 5.

The Enterprise Foundation, a national nonprofit leading the charge to build green affordable housing (see

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Vol. 14, No. 3), will become Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., as of January 1, 2006. The organization is online at www.enterprisecommunity.org.

Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design, and Construction

, published by Conservation International and the International Business Leaders Forum, is intended to help the travel and leisure industry build more environmentally friendly hotels. The book was produced with the support of nine of the world’s leading hotel chains, including Hilton, Marriott, and Four Seasons. For more information or to order a copy, visit www.iblf.org/docs/SitingDesign.pdf.

 

Robert Watson, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City, is stepping down as chair of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED^® steering committee. Watson is credited with tirelessly championing the LEED Rating System almost from its inception. He was joined for the past two years by Keith Winn of Catalyst Partners in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as vice chair. The new leadership, selected by the steering committee and approved by the USGBC board of directors, consists of Scot Horst of Horst, Inc., in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, as chair, and Joel Ann Todd, an independent consultant based in Cabin John, Maryland, as vice chair.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) continued its tradition of greening Greenbuild during November’s conference in Atlanta. The convention center donated and composted leftover food, served water from large containers instead of individual bottles, provided 100% recycled paper towels and toilet paper, and reduced lights, power, and HVAC services during exhibit-hall move-in and move-out times; the initial five conference hotels and the convention center initiated recycling programs for the first time; and Greenbuild printed name badges and programs on recycled paper and worked with the Leonardo Academy to offset emissions affiliated with the conference. For a full description of USGBC’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, see www.greenbuildexpo.org/attendee/greening.asp.

On November 8, 2005, Scientific Certification Systems, Inc., of Emeryville, California launched its Indoor Advantage program, which appears aimed to compete directly with Greenguard^® (see EBN

Vol. 12, No. 10) in certifying products and materials for their low indoor air emissions. The program includes two levels: Indoor Advantage™ and Indoor Advantage Gold™. Indoor Advantage certifies that a product conforms with the requirements of LEED^® credits relating to indoor chemical emissions from paints and coatings, sealants and adhesives, and furniture. Indoor Advantage Gold includes additional criteria to certify compliance with California’s Section 01350 Specification and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools. For details, see www.scscertified.com.

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Advisory Board member Russell Perry, AIA, is now at SmithGroup’s Washington, D.C., office, after 11 years with William McDonough+Partners (WM+P). While at WM+P, Perry was project leader for several high-profile, aggressively green projects, including Ford’s River Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan, and the National Collections Centre at the National Museum of Science & Industry in Wroughton, England. SmithGroup is online at www.smithgroup.com.

The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) is preparing to release its Sustainable/EPP Flooring Standard^© for all hard-surface flooring, following a public meeting in Dallas, Texas, on November 1. MTS is also holding organizational meetings for two new standards it is seeking to develop: the Integrated Design Process Standard Guide for Sustainable Buildings and Communities and the Sustainable/EPP Products Performance Standard. Both meetings will be held in Chicago on November 29. For details, see mts.sustainableproducts.com.