Heat waves and high humidity across the eastern states pushed American

electricity demand to an all-time high during the week ending August 3. The record 90,640 gigawatthours (GWh) beat the previous high of 88,120 GWh, set during the week ending August 11, 2001.

Higher than anticipated industry costs for photovoltaic panels together with funding and budgeting shortfalls have forced the

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to delay new PV installations under its “PV Pioneer” program. SMUD’s recent allocation of $4.4 million (and potentially $1.9 million more) to the program will allow... Read more

, part of the largest lighting company in the world, recently became the first American lighting manufacturer to be certified for compliance with ISO 14001. To comply with the standard, a company must evaluate the environmental impact of its products and regularly report its findings to the public.

To the best of our knowledge, this product is no longer available.

Governor Davis signed a second bill in September requiring that

residential clothes washers meet commercial water-use standards by 2007. AB 1561, the first bill of its kind in the nation, demands that no more than 9.5 gallons (42 l) of water be used to clean one cubic foot (0.03 m3) of laundry. Each machine is expected to use 7,000... Read more

In mid-September, membership of the

U.S. Green Building Council passed the 2,000 mark, up from 950 a year earlier—more than 100% growth!

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, which is fitted with 7,000 ft2 (650 m2) of photovoltaic panels. The $600,000 system is expected to generate 66 kilowatts of electricity, offsetting 10 to 15% of the cathedral complex’s energy demand. It is the first of 16 solar systems to be... Read more

As I follow the Bush Administration’s policies on energy and its steadfast opposition to the Kyoto Treaty on global climate change, I can’t help wondering what happened to the ‘can-do’ attitude that made America such a great place. Our founding fathers were willing to look beyond their self-interests as they declared their independence from... Read more

The Atlanta International Museum of Art and Design (AIM) is now showing “Ecology, Economy, Equity: The Architecture of

William McDonough + Partners.” The exhibit, open through February 28, features architectural models, text panels, preparatory drawings, site plans, and interactive computer stations describing WM+P projects such as the... Read more

Rarely the focus of much attention, water heating accounts for surprisingly large energy loads and environmental impacts. Water heating is typically the second largest energy expenditure in homes (behind space heating) and the fourth largest in commercial buildings (behind lighting, heating, and cooling). In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, a... Read more

Sustainable San Mateo, together with RecycleWorks and the San Mateo chapter of AIA, is seeking applications for their first annual

Green Building Award. Though all green features and practices will be considered, the award committee will place special emphasis on green building materials and products. All San Mateo County buildings—... Read more

Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough article on cohousing in the September issue (

EBN

Vol. 11, No. 9). Cohousing groups have been taking the lead in social and environmental innovation for the past decade, and it is gratifying to see this considered closely by

EBN.

recently stepped down as director of the

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a post he has held since 1977. Block has accepted the Co-Principal Investigator position in FSEC’s multimillion-dollar program, funded by NASA, to investigate hydrogen production, storage, safety, and utilization. For more on FSEC, visit... Read more

California Governor Gray Davis signed legislation in September committing the state to supply

20% of its retail power sales with renewable energy by 2017. Lauded by environmentalists, the bill, SB 1078, is criticized by most renewable energy companies, who complain of ambiguities and complexities. Ten percent of the state’s energy... Read more

The U.S. Green Building Council will host its first

Young People’s Forum at its upcoming Green Building International Conference and Expo in Austin, Texas. Young professionals in the green building movement will have a chance to network and learn from one another during the two-hour seminar on November 13. For more details, e-mail... Read more

has become the first city in the nation to officially recognize a threat to public and environmental health posed by persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic chemicals (PBTs), including dioxins, mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The city is currently developing criteria for its own departments, offices, and agencies... Read more

The

U.S. Green Building Council has announced a new awards program to honor leaders who are helping transform the building market. Awards will be given in three categories:

The Green Business Award to honor an individual or company that has demonstrated leadership in advancing the green building market... Read more

On July 23, Governor Jane Swift of Massachusetts signed Executive Order 438 creating a multi-agency

State Sustainability Council. The initiative is aimed at ensuring that state agencies consider environmental consequences of their actions and establishing sound environmental practices for state agencies. “We in state government must... Read more