America is much better in technology than governance. That’s the sentence that leapt out at me and remained prominent throughout my reading of economist Robert Repetto’s book America’s Climate Problem: The Way Forward. I sought the book for review because, although its focus is on the US, what happens there will crucially affect the rest of us, (more…)

Talk about a light bulb moment.

A professor of engineering at Edinburgh University recently demonstrated for the first time to a wide audience his technology that uses common every day lights to transmit data.

Harald Haas streamed a video through a desk lamp (more…)

Heidelberg, Germany has been seen as at the top of environmental protection throughout Europe as it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15,000 tons annually in municipal buildings since the year 1993. Furthermore, the city developed a complete energy (more…)

A white paper authored by Schneider Electric suggests that meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets will fail unless “Active Energy Efficiency” becomes compulsory. They define “Active Energy Efficiency” as “effecting permanent change through measurement, monitoring and control of energy (more…)

Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere these days. From cellphones to electric cars, they dominate the market for rechargeable devices. One of the main challenges faced by the electric vehicle industry is related to the energy density of electric car batteries. (more…)

DuPont is an American chemical company established in 1802. It is one of the largest chemical companies in the world and known for its development of a number of polymers, including Teflon, Kevlar, Lycra, and Mylar. Today, DuPont puts their science to use by developing a number of sustainable solutions to (more…)

Describing a building as ‘green’ makes a lot of people cringe. The word is overused. And what does it mean exactly?

Serious efforts are underway to move away from the hype and offer a more specific analysis of a building’s energy performance. Think nutritional labels for food, except in kilowatt-hours instead of (more…)

Most of the country and many around the world are focused on the debate on the debt ceiling and various budget cuts that will be enacted. However, lying just beneath the surface, are a labyrinth of Congressional bills that attack the environment and America’s push for renewable energy. (more…)

Back in 2006, the European Union realized that they were facing some serious energy challenges. These challenges were due to an increase in import dependency, global fossil fuel supplies, a “…clearly discernable climate change”, and a substantial waste of 20% of its energy due to inefficiencies. (more…)

One of the most under-discussed and under-valued aspects of green building law is regulatory enforcement.  Most of the discussion among experts, myself included, tends to analyze new laws and new incentives as they develop.  Frequently, these new legislative and regulatory initiatives pay little attention (more…)