In This Update:

Permit Revoked for Solar Decathlon to save the lawn?; GREEN BUILDING FOCUS - Please Take Our Green Building Survey!; California's green jobs jump; Hines: All its buildings conform to green standards; San Bernardino awarded for green schools; USGBC-OC reveals mandate for 2011; Green building criteria for apprentices; Factoring location into green building projects; Making green building cost-effective; Demand for eco-friendly hotels; FedEx adopts all LEED policy; GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS - Irvine Company earns four LEED awards, Sacramento utility plans 51-acre LEED Platinum facility, World's first LEED Platinum frozen-food plant, UCSB's Marine Science Building earns LEED Gold, and NC's Botanical gardens earns LEED Platinum.

Permit Revoked for Solar Decathlon to save the lawn?

Arch Daily - Jan 18

The biennial Solar Decathlon showcases innovative and affordable energy-efficient homes built by competing student teams from around the world. The Decathlon is traditionally hosted on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall, but recently the Department of Interior (DOI) revoked the permit to host the competition on the Mall. It is unclear why the permit was revoked, but many are speculating that it has to do with possible damage to the lawn. However, the Mall is subject to a $600 million restoration project that will occur well after the Solar Decathlon is over. The battle over the location of the event is heating up. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey sent a letter to Secretaries Ken Salazar of the DOI, Steven Chu of the Department of Energy and Jon Jarvis of the NPS to support restoring the Decathlon to the Mall...