$40 billion hiding in US buildings

$40 billion is hiding somewhere inside the lights, AC, thermostats, furnaces, and fans of our offices, stores, hospitals, and schools. That’s the amount of money the federal government estimates we can save annually by reducing energy use by 20% in commercial buildings by 2020.

Refurbished Caltech lab now researches climate change

The Robinson Laboratory of Astrophysics at Caltech in Pasadena, California, is now the shared home of the Ronald and Maxine Linde Center for Global Environmental Science, dedicated to the study of climate change. The renovated building recently earned LEED Platinum as one of the most energy-efficient labs in the country, employing various sustainable technologies that include solar panels, fuel cells, daylighting, and a chilled-water cooling system.

Center for Sustainable Landscapes opens in Pittsburgh

Phipps Conservatory opened its new Center for Sustainable Landscapes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 24,350-sq. ft. structure is pursuing all three of the highest green architecture and landscape standards: the Living Building Challenge SM, LEED Platinum, and Sustainable Sites Initiative certification.

Green ventilation cools with air buoyancy

The new $36 million Mediated Learning Center at De Anza Community College in Cupertino, California, uses an energy-free ventilation system and earned LEED Platinum. The system ventilates over 80% of the building without electronic devices or strong external winds.

U.S. Navy and DoD cut energy usage

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is serving as energy advisor to the DoD and the U.S. Navy. NREL is helping the DoD to slash 21% in energy costs that are spent to operate DoD installations around the world.

New Jersey school wins EPA's Battle of the Buildings

Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, New Jersey, beat out more than 3,000 other buildings of all shapes, sizes, and uses across the U.S. to win the EPA's 2012 Energy Star Battle of the Buildings competition, with a 52-percent reduction in annual energy usage, dropping its kBtu per square foot use from 165 to 79 with an estimated associated cost savings of $75,900.

JPMorgan is largest participant in NYC's Carbon Challenge

JPMorgan Chase joined New York City’s Carbon Challenge to Commercial Offices, an initiative to reduce energy use and emissions from some of the largest commercial building in the city during the next 10 years. With 9.4 million sq. ft. in New York City, JPMorgan Chase is the largest participant.

Monsanto announces $400M LEED-certified expansion

Monsanto Company plans to join its St. Louis-based R&D team onto one campus with a $400 million expansion at its Chesterfield Village Research Center. Monsanto will add 36 new greenhouses, additional offices and laboratory space, as well as additional plant growth chambers to facilitate development of its seed and trait pipeline. The LEED-certified expansion is made possible with the support of the state of Missouri and St. Louis County.