A one-square-foot sample of low-e glazing, representing the one billionth square foot produced, was recently presented to Christine Ervin, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy by Mike Koenig of Andersen Windows and Jim Larsen of Cardinal IG. The presentation was in recognition of ongoing support provided by DOE of window technology research and development. Low-e coatings have saved consumers $1.7 billion over the past 15 years, according to research at Law-rence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, have achieved a new world record in thin-film photovoltaic cell efficiency. A record 17.7% “sunlight-to-electricity” efficiency was achieved with a compound semiconductor called copper indium gallium diselenide. While this efficiency is 60% higher than the equivalent efficiency of amorphous silicon thin-film PV cells, NREL expects that this technology is 10 to 15 years away from commercialization.

The April 1996 issue of the well-regarded British publication

Green Building Digest reports that Malaysia—one of the world’s largest plywood exporters—now stamps all of its plywood with the label “Sustainable Timber” even though, according to the Malaysian government, the country will be a net timber importer by the end of the century due to depletion of its rainforest resources.

The pilot lights on gas-fired fireplaces waste a lot of energy. That’s one conclusion of a recent study by Skip Hayden of the Combustion Gas Research Laboratory of CANMET and Consumers Gas, a major Canadian gas utility. Fifty-two homes with significant use of gas fireplaces were surveyed; 38 of these had continuous pilots. In the homes with continuous-pilot fireplaces, the pilot lights accounted for 48% of the total fireplace gas use!

In an exciting breakthrough for energy conservation measures in residential development, Roger Perry has announced that all homes in his Meadowmount development in Chapel Hill, North Carolina will be built to guidelines from the Alternative Energy Corporation (AEC). The project will contain 715 houses, and total of 1298 residential units. AEC’s “Exemplary Home” guidelines should result in 33% to 50% savings in energy use. AEC is a nonprofit established by the N. C. Utilities Commission to promote energy innovation and efficiency. Contact AEC’s Arnie Katz at 919/361-8000 or Roger Perry at 919/929-0660.

Nuclear proponents have often pointed to the low electricity prices in France as evidence that high reliance on nuclear power keeps electricity prices low. But by comparing

pre-tax electricity rates, that claim is dispelled. According to the May/June issue of

World Watch Magazine, the three European countries with the lowest pre-tax electricity rates—Denmark, Greece, and the Netherlands—are countries with no nuclear power plants. These countries pay 5.4, 6.5, and 8.6 ECU (European Currency Units) per 100 kWh, respectively, before taxes (equivalent to 4.4, 5.3, and 7.0¢/kWh). France, by comparison has pre-tax electricity rates of 9.9 ECU/100 kWh (8.0¢/kWh)—right in the middle of European countries. Italy, with no nuclear power, has the highest pre-tax electricity rates: 14.4 ECU/100 kWh (11.7¢/kWh).

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise in 1994, totaling 1,666 million metric tonnes carbon equivalent according to the report

Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-1994 published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, November 1995 (this figure does not include the net effect of carbon “sinks” in forests, which were unavailable). Of the 1994 emissions, 83% were CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. 1994 greenhouse gas emissions represent a 4.5% increase over 1990 levels, the first year detailed data were collected and the year that is serving as the baseline upon which global “reduction” goals are to be measured. The U.S. has a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2000 to 1990 levels.

James McElvenny has left his long-time position as assistant vice president of research and development with Wood Recycling Incorporated of Woburn, Massachusetts to become Director of Recycling Projects for the Wood Products Division of the J.M. Huber Company (508/524-8804). In his new position McElvenny will continue his ongoing efforts to create and market products from waste wood and other fibers. Jim is active with the National Recycling Coalition, the Environmental Business Council, MassRecycle, and the Forest Products Research Society.

Dutch publishers of a simplified guidebook for choosing environmentally preferable materials are being sued for suggesting that zinc roofing be avoided. An English translation of the book has just been published in the U.K. under the title

Handbook of Sustainable Building (James & James Ltd., March 1996), but will not be distributed in the U.S. for the time being due to concerns about further legal action. Legal concerns have also resulted in the translation of the Dutch phrase “to be avoided” into the English “not recommended” throughout the book.

ICI Paints of Cleveland, Ohio has expanded its Glidden line of zero-VOC paints with the recent availability of a full color line in the Lifemaster premium interior and Decra-Shield^® exterior paints. With the introduction of solvent-free colorants, all colors are now available in VOC-free formulations. In the past, while VOCs had been eliminated from the tint bases of Spread 2000^® and Lifemaster 2000®, those wanting custom colors still had to use solvent-based colorants (see

EBN

Vol. 3, No. 1). The new Envision 2000^® colorants contain no petroleum solvents and release no VOCs. The Lifemaster 2000 paints are certified by SCS as meeting a VOC emission standard of one gram per liter (0.1%).