In December 2004, the nonprofit Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability approved version 2.0 of the Unified Sustainable Textile Standard, designed “to provide a market-based definition for sustainable textile, establish performance requirements for public health and environment, and address the triple bottom line (economic,... Read more

Electric-ignition, gas-fired demand, or tankless, water heaters were well represented at the 2005 International Builders’ Show in Orlando. The leading Japanese manufacturers, Rinnai Corporation, Takagi Industrial Company, Ltd., and Noritz Corporation, had active booths at the huge trade show, and Rheem

® USA rolled out its new Pronto™... Read more

The U.S. Green Building Council has announced a call for session proposals for the next Greenbuild conference, set for Atlanta in November 2005. Outside reviewers will rate all proposals using a 100-point scale designed around the theme of stewardship. Proposals must be submitted electronically by February 11, 2005. Details are online at www.... Read more

BuildingGreen, Inc. is excited to announce that we’re partnering with the

Boston Architectural Center (BAC) in the online delivery of its Sustainable Design Certificate Program. BAC has a long history as a leading provider of architectural-degree and continuing-education programs. Like BAC’s onsite program, all of its online courses are... Read more

® USA acquired the Australian company Solahart Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of solar water-heating systems. Solahart began manufacturing solar water heaters in 1953 and operates in more than 70 countries worldwide; the product has been available in the U.S. since 1978. The best-known Solarhart systems are... Read more

announced the winners of the

C2C Housing Design and Construction Competition (see

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 4) at the Art Museum of Western Virginia in January 2005. The competition to design innovative affordable housing was inspired by the principles laid out in... Read more

Shaw Industries, Inc. and Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. have announced a plan to generate steam energy from carpet and wood waste resulting from Shaw’s manufacturing processes. The plan will save energy while lowering Shaw’s plant emissions and reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfills. Siemens will build and service a conversion... Read more

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Green Building Initiative in December 2004, mandating that all new and renovated state-owned facilities achieve a LEED

® Silver or higher rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Initiative, part of executive order S-20-04, was made in recognition that state-owned buildings... Read more

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee (TSAC) has released a public comment draft of its long-awaited report on polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Commissioned to determine “the availability and quality of the evidence as a basis for a reasoned decision about the inclusion of a PVC-related credit in the LEED Rating... Read more

Habitat for Humanity and the Charlottesville Community Design Center have announced a competition to redesign an existing trailer park in Charlottesville, Virginia to provide environmentally responsible, affordable, multifamily housing. Other project goals include providing community green space and commercial space for service providers while... Read more

The American Public Health Association, representing more than 50,000 researchers, health-service providers, administrators, teachers, and other health workers, has called for a phaseout of all polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, including the widely used deca-BDE. The organization made its recommendation in light of “... Read more

Following a “tough underwriting reception,” the environmental home-improvement television series

Build It Green! (see

EBN

Vol. 12, No. 12) is once again on track after the nonprofit GreenBlue (see

EBN

Vol. 12, No. 6) agreed to sign on as fiscal sponsor. The series, to be broadcast nationally on PBS, will... Read more

Revere Copper Products, Inc. ceased production of lead-coated copper roofing at the end of September 2004, according to Anne Schade of Revere.

EBN believes that Revere was the last producer of lead-coated, or terne-coated, copper roofing. Terne is an alloy of 70% lead and 30% tin that produces an attractive, gray roofing surface. Revere... Read more

2004 Nathaniel A. Owings Award by The American Institute of Architects’ California Council. Named for the late Nathaniel A. Owings, FAIA, of Skidmore Owings & Merrill, the award recognizes “individuals or groups who have demonstrated... Read more

The U.S. Green Building Council has announced the results of the election for its 2005 board of directors. The new members are

Charles Angyal, FAIA, chief architect of Sempra Energy Utilities;

Dan Burgoyne, sustainability manager at the California Department of General Services;

Tim Cole, director of support services at... Read more

Pennsylvania became the 16th state to pass a renewable portfolio standard in November 2004, requiring that 18% of the state’s energy come from alternative sources by 2020. More notably, this is the first statewide renewable-energy standard to include a fossil fuel component. The bill defines Tier 1 energy sources as solar, wind, low-impact... Read more

Global chiller manufacturer York International stopped offering new chillers using the ozone-depleting refrigerant HCFC-123 beginning November 15, 2004. While touting the quality of its HCFC-123 chiller line, York cited the mandated global phaseout of HCFC refrigerants by the year 2020—well within the operating life of new chillers—as the... Read more

When deciding where to live, Americans’ top priority is being within a 45-minute commute to work, according to the 2004 American Community Survey, sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and Smart Growth America. A short commute is “very” or “somewhat” important to 79% of respondents. The second most important factor, at 75%, was “... Read more