On September 29, 2011, the Appraisal Institute issued a Green/Energy Efficiency Addendum to its standard Fannie Mae Form 1004.  The form has sections for including energy efficient appliances, water savings, energy audit results, energy bills and more.  It can be downloaded (more…)

The Global Cleantech Cluster Association, known as the global voice of cleantech, announced its Global Top 30 Semi-Finalists for its 2011 Later Stage Award at the 11th European Forum on Eco-Innovation in Lahti, Finland today. The finalist companies span North America, Europe and Asia, representing the most (more…)

My loyal readers may have been surprised (or relieved) by my hiatus from publishing.  I was not idle, however.  I led a study on Energy Efficiency Policy in New Jersey and Pennsylvania on behalf of the Department of Energy-funded Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings. (more…)

A new study says the explosive growth in China’s construction sector is now driving the country’s steep increase in carbon emissions, reversing a long-term trend in which consumption and exports were the dominant factors.

According to the study, published in journal (more…)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon began last week with an impressive display of energy saving homes on the National Mall in Washington D.C. This unique, biennial program – which runs through October 2, 2011 – challenges collegiate teams from around the world to design, build and operate solar- (more…)

Admit it. You like to watch makeover shows. The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover, What Not to Wear. Everyone loves them. Of course, we all hang on to the end to see the big reveal.

Before and after photos are fun to see, whether they’re photos of people, bathrooms or entire (more…)

Of course it could — it already has. But first lets recap the Solyndra saga.

Solyndra is the solar panel manufacturer in California that qualified for a $535 million federally-backed loan. Since receiving the loan, the price of solar panels has plummeted – good news – which has squeezed the margins of (more…)

Increasingly, there is more concern over the effects of climate change. This results in legislation of a more demanding nature which commercial property developers need to know about. Additionally, the recent surge in energy prices means that everyone wants to reduce costs and subsequently reduce their (more…)

Several weeks ago, Washington DC was hit by both an earthquake and a hurricane. But this was not the most shocking development during the week — at least for me.

Here’s what shocked me the most: I learned there is a chance that LEED bonds could be available in our nation’s capital. (more…)

Are we entering a new era of energy efficiency?

That’s what economists Ahmad Faruqui and Doug Mitarotonda of The Brattle Group have told Smart Grid News as a preview of their new white paper. They predict that electricity demand in the United States will fall between 5 to 15 per cent by 2020. (more…)