The IRS has approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Until now, USGBC has been a 501(c)(6) “trade association,” but in October 2001 the Board decided to pursue a shift in status. President and CEO Christine Ervin believes the new designation ”will communicate to the public and potential funders that our dominant focus is not lobbying or boosting the livelihood of member companies, but information, outreach, and market transformation for broad public and private benefits. It also allows individuals and companies to make tax-deductible contributions,” she added, “and helps us directly secure funding from charitable foundations.” With its new status, the Council will still be allowed to pursue some legislative advocacy. The USGBC welcomed its 3,000th member organization last month. Visit online at www.usgbc.org.

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Foundation has established a

Sustainable Design Education Fund to reimburse members of the interior-design community for taking classes, attending conferences, undergoing LEED™ accreditation, and participating in other activities related to sustainable design. The fund is made possible by the Maharam textile company, an IIDA industry member. Requests for funding will be considered beginning this fall. For details, e-mail IIDA’s senior director Dennis Krause at dkrause@adelphia.net or call him at 561-637-7566.

Following on the heels of a growing concern over mold contamination comes

Mold Dog™, a group that trains dogs to find and sit on 18 of the most common toxic molds. For details, visit

www.mold-dog.com or call 1-800-Mold Dog.

A number of state legislatures are reviewing

bills related to indoor air quality this session. Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia are considering legislation specifically addressing mold contamination.

The

University of Cincinnati invites applications for a tenure-track position in the School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID) in the area of environmental technologies. For further information, contact: David Lee Smith, Professor of Architecture, david.smith@uc.edu, 513-556-5291.

SunPower Corporation has announced that their new A-300 crystalline-silicon solar cell converts over one fifth of the sunlight hitting it into electricity. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has verified a

20.4% conversion efficiency for the 125-millimeter, single-crystal A-300 cell, making it likely to become the most efficient cost-per-watt solar cell in the industry. Currently manufacturing a pilot-scale line of the cell, SunPower anticipates beginning full-scale production next year.

Hammons School of Architecture at Springfield, Missouri’s Drury University will integrate the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED™ Rating System into its curriculum, beginning this autumn. The school plans to increase the percentage of faculty who are LEED-accredited, offer a new course about the Council and LEED, and increase the prominence of LEED and other sustainability principles in existing courses. The school also plans to work with the emerging USGBC Missouri Heartland Chapter to train and accredit interested fifth-year students and local professionals. Hammons School is online at http://hsa.drury.edu.

, a Martha’s Vineyard design/build firm, seeks a residential architect and/or designer committed to ecological design. For details, visit

www.somoco.com or e-mail John Abrams at jabrams@vineyard.net.

EPA unveiled the online Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center (CICAcenter) in May, developed by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, in partnership with the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Association of Home Builders, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, and the Golf Course Builders Association of America. The Web site offers “plain language” explanations of federal and state environmental rules for the construction industry. CICAcenter is online at

www.cicacenter.org.

One hundred thousand homes have earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s

Energy Star® designation. Each home that meets the voluntary criteria uses an average of 30% less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating than a conventional home, saving homeowners about $200 to $400 annually. According to EPA, the program saves Americans $26 million in energy costs each year. Visit

www.energystar.gov or call 888-STAR-YES for more information.