The

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced yet another grant that may be of interest to

EBN readers who work in New York State. This time, $500,000 is available in awards of up to $200,000 for projects that develop, evaluate, demonstrate, or introduce green technologies for residential, commercial, or institutional buildings. Technologies may be new innovations or commercially available systems. Up to 50% of a project’s total cost will be funded. Short proposals are due July 12, with full proposals likely to be due in September. Contact Bob Carver at 518/862-1090 extension 3242, or at rmc@nyserda.org. Refer to Program Opportunity Notice 481-99.

According to the 22 May 1999 issue of the

Global Environmental Change Report,

AlliedSignal is seeking EPA approval for a new hydrofluorocarbon used in foam insulation production.

HFC-245fa has been in development since 1994 as a blowing agent for polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foam. This non-ozone-depleting foaming agent would replace HCFC-141b, which is due to be phased out by January 2003 through international agreement. According to the company, HFC-245fa matches the insulation performance of HCFC-141b while having zero ozone-depletion potential and a global-warming potential of 790, which is significantly lower than that of HFC-134a. (CO₂ is defined as having a GWP of 1.) Atlas Roofing has already committed to hydrocarbon propellants, which are neither ozone depleters nor greenhouse gases but do have flammability concerns (see

EBN

Vol. 7, No. 5).

Newsbriefs

On April 6, the Canadian government announced that it is extending its

Commercial Buildings Incentive Program (CBIP) to multi-unit residential buildings. This program offers owners or developers a one-time incentive payment equal to two years’ projected energy savings for buildings that exceed the Model National Energy Code for Buildings by at least 25%. The maximum incentive payment per building is CAN$80,000—average payouts since the program started in 1997 have been $18,000. Details available on the Internet at cbip.nrcan.gc.ca/cbip.htm/.

In a merger approved at a combined board meeting on June 4, the

Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST) was folded into the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP). REPP Executive Director Roby Roberts will run the combined organization. The two entities complement each other well, as REPP develops high-quality research and technical reports but has, to date, distributed them only in print, while CREST is a leader in digital information technologies but develops little of its own content. CREST had been operating without a Director since Michael Totten’s move to World Resources Institute last Fall.

CREST was active on the Internet well before most people knew it existed and offers Web and e-mail services to companies and organizations in the fields of energy efficiency and renewables (including hosting of the GreenBuilding e-mail discussion group, among many others). CREST has also been a leading creator of user-friendly educational and professional software including the

Green Building Advisor CD-ROM, developed jointly with E Build, Inc. (publisher of

EBN) and Design Harmony. Although now operating under the REPP umbrella, CREST will continue to maintain its own brand identity and its

Solstice Web site (http://solstice.crest.org).

Bonneville Power has contracted with Northwest Power Systems to purchase 110 residential fuel cells. The first ten 3 kW prototype proton-exchange membrane (PEM) units should be delivered this fall. After testing and refinement, NPS will deliver another 100 units. Commercial production is expected in 2002, according to the Fuel Cell Technology Update. For more on fuel cells, see EBN Vol. 8, No. 4.

 

Newsbriefs

Santa Monica has become the first city in the U.S. to be powered by green power. Through California’s competitive electricity market, the city decided to purchase power exclusively from geothermal sources.

Newsbriefs

Georgia Tech has announced a new Continuing Education Certificate Series of courses for the summer of 1999 on

Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure. The series includes:

•a 1-day Primer on June 21;

•a 2-day course on June 22-23 on Assessment Tools and Techniques;

•a 2-day course on June 24-25 on Economics of Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure; and

•a 3-day course on July 20-22 on Sustainable Design Practices.

For more information contact Annie R. Pearce at 404/894-8089, or on the Web at maven.grti.gatech.edu/sfi.

Collins and Aikman Floorcoverings may not get as much publicity for its sustainability initiatives as rival Interface, Inc., but C&A continues to demonstrate their commitment—most recently with the “

Sustainability Laboratory.” The Sustainability Lab is a forum of leading thinkers and activists from various fields, assembled to brainstorm and develop ideas promoting the “triple bottom line” of finances, environmental performance, and social equity. An initial two-and-one-half day meeting of the Lab was held in March, with the participation of architect Sim Van der Ryn, interior designer Penny Bonda, and architect and

EBN Advisory Board member Bob Berkebile. A second gathering is scheduled for later in the year.

Public concern about the environment continues to grow. On December 9, 1998, the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation and Roper Starch Worldwide released the results of their seventh annual National Report Card on Environmental Attitudes, Knowledge and Behaviors. Two highlights, as reported in the Winter 1999 issue of

Corporate Environmental Strategy:

•71% considered environmental protection more important than economic development, an increase of eight percent since 1995;

•85% of respondents said they engage in behaviors aimed at preserving the environment.

For more information, visit the NEETF Web site:

www.neetf.org.