Should we prosecute this type of illegal public improvement? Or participate in it? (The correct answer is the latter.) In this clip, ringleader Richard Reynolds incites rogue acts of civic delight:

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Following the first energy... Read more

The Building Commissioning Association (BCA), an international membership group for commissioning professionals, has begun promoting a new resource. “Best Practices in Commissioning Existing Buildings” attempts to define best practices and create a benchmark for quality commissioning. Approved in June 2008 by the BCA board, the guide focuses on... Read more

Two manufacturers of innovative heat pumps for cold climates—Nyle Special Products and Hallowell International (based in Brewer, Maine, and nearby Bangor, respectively)—have settled a lawsuit over claims of patent infringement.

Managing principal George Nasis, AIA, and director of environmental research Bryna Dunn, Assoc. AIA, both of Moseley Architects in Richmond, Virginia, studied three of the firm’s LEED-certified institutional buildings and found paybacks for green features of under four years based on energy savings alone. Nasis and Dunn monitored energy use in... Read more

Guardian publicized poor energy ratings from government-authorized assessors for several high-profile public buildings in the U.K., one day after a law took effect that requires public buildings over 1,000 m2 (11,000 ft2) to display their energy and carbon usage. The Palace of Westminster and the Bank of England... Read more

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A new online tool from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) allows users to calculate the energy and financial benefits of shade trees in most U.S. climates; the tool supports SMUD’s efforts to provide free trees. Homeowners can enter their location, house type, and electricity rates; number of trees, their species, and their age or... Read more

A new ASTM International committee, formed in October 2008, will provide a central venue for discussing sustainability in the respected standards organization. The high-level main committee will work on standards and guides concerning sustainability—environmental, economic, and social—across the board, acting as a portal for the growing number... Read more

The $700-billion “bailout” bill passed in October includes the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, which extends to several tax benefits for green buildings. The bill extends renewable energy tax credits, including the investment credit, which covers 30% of the installed cost of residential and commercial photovoltaic and solar hot... Read more

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Vol. 17, No. 8). Alpen’s windows were far more advanced than most other windows on the market, with krypton- or argon-filled glazing units with suspended low-emissivity (low-e)... Read more

In September 2008, building information modeling (BIM) software firm Bentley Systems announced the creation of a new group within the company to consolidate its tools and services that support designers’ ability to model the energy and environmental performance of buildings. The Building Performance Group aims to provide tools that enhance... Read more

Under two new laws, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has until 2011 to develop a process for identifying and evaluating potentially dangerous chemicals and to set up a searchable online database where consumers can find information on chemicals. The law follows in the footsteps of chemical evaluation programs in the... Read more