2005 set a new record, according to estimates from the Munich Re Foundation, with more than $200 billion in economic losses due to weather-related disasters. Of that total, more than $75 billion was covered by insurance companies. Hurricane Katrina caused much of that loss, with damages estimated at $125 billion, of which about $45 billion was... Read more

Tarkett AG, the world’s largest manufacturer of resilient flooring, has acquired Johnsonite, a producer of specialty flooring and flooring accessories. Johnsonite, based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, makes flooring adhesives with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), entryway track-off systems, and flooring produced from recycled tires... Read more

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the winners of its annual EnergyValue Housing Awards, designed to promote and improve the energy efficiency of new homes in the U.S. The program is funded by DOE’s Building America Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with support from several private sponsors, including... Read more

Greenpeace International unveiled the Music Wood Initiative at the January 2006 trade show of NAMM, the International Music Products Association. The Music Wood Initiative was created to limit the environmental and social degradation caused in the making of musical instruments. “If you walk through a music store, the instruments are comprised... Read more

A pilot study by Yale and Columbia universities ranked the U.S. 28th in environmental performance. The 2006 Environmental Performance Index ranked countries based on sixteen indicators related to environmental health, air quality, water resources, productive natural resources, biodiversity and habitat, and sustainable energy. New Zealand scored... Read more

In an effort to capitalize on the brand value of one of its many acquisitions, the financially troubled U.S. Plastic Lumber (USPL) company has been renamed Trimax Building Products, Inc. The rechristening follows the purchase of the company by a private equity firm, American Pacific Financial Corp., according to a January 16, 2006,

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with dozens of government, industry, and nonprofit partners, is accepting applications for the 2006 P3 Award, a design competition for scientific and technical solutions to environmental challenges. “P3 highlights people, prosperity, and the planet—the three pillars of sustainability,”... Read more

The new energy tax credits outlined in the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 took effect on January 1, 2006. For more information on the provisions in the act, see

EBN

Vol. 14, No. 9.

Beginning March 1, 2006, builders in California’s Central Valley will be forced to either reduce the smog and particulate matter their projects generate or help finance projects that improve the region’s air quality. The program, believed to be the first of its kind, applies to the eight, largely agricultural, counties regulated by the San... Read more

Softcover, 178 pages, $19.95.

New Village Press has posted this book's missing page on its website. To view it, visit www.newvillagepress.net/cover_ecoDesign.html, and click on "Errata page 84/85."

Are you an experienced writer/editor with green building knowledge and excellent research skills? Do you have a knack for distinguishing meaningful information from hype? If so, you might consider joining the editorial team at BuildingGreen, Inc. We need to add a writer to our staff to keep up with our publishing schedule and commitments. The... Read more

Recognizing that “utilizing less hazardous cleaning products in our State facilities and workplaces, and implementing measures to reduce exposure to those products, can minimize harmful impacts to office and custodial workers as well as improve air quality and reduce water and air pollution,” New Jersey Governor Richard Codey signed an... Read more

The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved the California Solar Initiative, the largest solar energy program in the history of the U.S., in January 2006. The initiative will provide $2.9 billion in incentives through 2017 for solar systems in the state. The result is expected to be 3,000 MW of solar power spread across one... Read more

The Passive Solar Energy Book and a leading advocate for energy efficiency in buildings, has created an organization to amplify his call to action. Architecture 2030 aims to “conduct research and provide information and innovative solutions in the fields of architecture and planning, in an effort to address global... Read more

New College of California now offers an EcoDwelling concentration at its North Bay campus for both Masters and Bachelors degree programs. Classes take place on selected weekends to allow those with other weekday obligations (such as work) to attend. The program is being led by Carol Venolia, an early pioneer in green building with her

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Bentley Prince Street, a sister company to Interface Flooring Systems, has expanded its options for customers seeking greener carpeting. The company’s Kings Road and New Stratford lines of commercial carpeting are now available with 100% post-industrial 6,6 nylon yarn recovered from automotive-part scrap waste. The products, called Kings RoadRC... Read more

The Hong Kong Design Centre has awarded Steelcase, Inc., a 2005 Design for Asia Award for its Think™ Chair. Among the most prestigious international design awards, the Design for Asia program recognizes designs that reflect or have an impact on the Asian lifestyle. Winning entries “are characterized by bringing unusual experiences to users,”... Read more

The U.S. Green Building Council is now accepting feedback on its LEED® rating system for core and shell development (LEED-CS). The public comment period closes on January 16, 2006. To view the draft or submit comments, visit www.usgbc.org/LEED/Drafts/drafts_main.asp.

Guide to America’s Best Development Projects, which profiles a dozen projects the organization considers models for environmentally friendly, healthy, and livable communities. The report is available at www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/.