On December 5,

the nation’s smallest commuter rail system began operation in Burlington, Vermont. The Champlain Flyer carries passengers just 13 miles (21 km)—between downtown Burlington and Charlotte. The rail service is initially free, but a charge will be imposed by April, when frequency of train trips is expected to increase to 10... Read more

The

Earth Day Top Ten design competition that we announced last November (

EBN

Vol. 9, No. 11) has been recast due to last-minute intervention by The American Institute of Architects’ top brass. It is now named the “

AIA Top Ten,” with a new submission deadline of March 31, 2001. Details should be online by the... Read more

Temple-Inland’s Green Drywall

For the first time, builders and architects can specify gypsum wallboard with a certified recycled content of 99%. Temple-Inland—with distribution to most areas of the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest—earned Scientific Certification System’s green cross and globe emblem for wallboard products being manufactured in... Read more

Ray Anderson

has announced that he is stepping down as CEO of Interface, Inc., effective July 1, 2001. He will stay on as Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board. Succeeding Anderson as CEO will be

Daniel T. Hendrix, presently Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

In an unrelated... Read more

Product Brief

Paint recycler

Amazon Environmental, Inc. has teamed up with paint manufacturer and distributor

Dunn-Edwards Corp. to offer recycled latex paint in six states: California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. This significantly expands the reach of Amazon Environmental and will result in a doubling of... Read more

The

Cusano Environmental Education Center at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, billed as Philadelphia’s first green building, opened on January 20, 2001. Designed by Susan Maxman & Partners, the project incorporates many green strategies and technologies, including geothermal heating and cooling, daylighting, certified and... Read more

Armstrong World Industries

and

Owens Corning have joined more than 20 other companies in filing for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code because of financial pressures resulting from asbestos-related liability. There currently are approximately 173,000 and 460,000 personal claims against Armstrong and Owens... Read more

Industry-wide Takeback Program for Carpet

One of the most dramatic transformations in the world of building products appears to be under way in the carpet industry. On January 18, the Midwestern Workgroup on Carpet Recycling announced that all stakeholders have agreed on a national carpet takeback program. Under this plan, manufacturers would... Read more

iiSBE Isn’t Out to Compete

I appreciated the good coverage you provided on the SB2000 conference and the GBC process (

EBN

Vol. 10, No. 1). You also quoted David Gottfried as expressing a concern that iiSBE’s organizers were “...actively undermining his efforts to promote the World Green Building Council. “ I think a little... Read more

A new car-sharing program was launched last November in San Francisco. Joining similar programs in Portland and Seattle,

City CarShare began with 30 members, a handful of vehicles, and 12 parking spaces set aside at four city-owned parking garages. Members pay a one-time refundable fee of $300 to join, a $10 monthly administrative fee,... Read more

Appliance Energy Standards Announced

Hailed as one of the biggest environmental achievements of the Clinton Administration, the Department of Energy issued four new Final Rules on minimum standards for the energy efficiency of appliances and HVAC equipment shortly before the changing of the guard on January 20. The new rules go into effect... Read more

In January 2000 (

Vol. 9, No. 1), we reported on the just-released

National Resources Inventory (NRI) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, which tracks land uses every five years. The 1997 USDA figures, it turns out, were incorrect due to a software error. The reported rate at which open... Read more

The

National Conference on Building Commissioning is now accepting nominations for the third annual Benner Award, a prize for excellence in efforts to make commissioning business as usual. Nominations are due March 1, 2001. Criteria and instructions are available at:

www.peci.org/ncbc/2001/benner.html.

Recycled-content EPS Insulation from Polar Industries

Polar Insulation Foam Panel Products

Polar Industries of Prospect, Connecticut, manufactures a line of rigid foam insulation building products using recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS). EPS scrap from Polar building product and packaging plant operations, as well as waste... Read more

On January 15, 2001 Maharaj Muthoo took over as the new Executive Director of the

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Dr. Muthoo has a doctorate from the University of Oxford and has devoted the past 30 years to issues of social and economic development and environmental management. For 15 years, he was the Director of Forestry Operations... Read more

Austin Promotes Smart Growth

Austin, Texas now has two-plus years of experience with its innovative incentive program to encourage smart growth. With this point-based system, a developer can earn enough points to waive some or all of the city’s development fees and increase the ceiling on city-paid infrastructure improvements needed for the... Read more

Newsbriefs

Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects (BNIM), a leader in the sustainable design movement, has moved its downtown Kansas City headquarters to the landmark Power & Light Building. BNIM will occupy the first three stories of the building. With its renovation of the space and signing of a ten-year lease, the firm hopes to... Read more

The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act

, signed into law by President Clinton in late October, includes a $65 million (20%) increase in DOE funding for research in renewable energy technologies. Funding for these activities in Fiscal Year 2001 will be $375 million. EPA also received a $123 million (19%) increase in funding for its... Read more

Awards & Competitions

Entries are due by March 15 for this year’s

Northeast Green Building Awards, a competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust and organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). Prizes will be awarded in four categories for built projects in the Northeast, and for built or... Read more

Total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

increased 0.8% in 1999, according to a new report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of DOE. Total emissions in 1999 were 1,833 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCe), up from 1,818 MMTCe in 1998. Emissions of greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide (CO

2) decreased or... Read more