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…)

At first blush, the economics of energy efficiency seem straightforward.

A business installs lighting controls or some other improvement. The business then sees its energy costs drop. From the savings, the business repays the investment over weeks, months or years, and then turns a profit on the (more…)

In the U.S., our buildings — schools, homes, and offices — consume one third of the energy we use. That makes them a major source of carbon dioxide emissions. And when your home isn’t properly insulated, you need more energy to heat it. That (more…)

Since assuming her post as the Navy’s chief official on energy matters in March 2010, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) Jackalyne Pfannenstiel has been managing over 75,000 buildings and facilities that support Navy and Marine operations around the world. (more…)

In addition to NASA's missions in space that amaze the world, our work in aeronautics continues to spur innovation and jobs.

NASA is providing the $1.65 million prize purse for the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation Green Flight Challenge competition, sponsored by Google, taking place this week outside of (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…)

I hesitate to start this blog with the words “combined heat and power.” You might stop reading.

Okay, so it’s not the Brad and Jen of energy. (That would be solar and wind.) But what it lacks in glamour, it makes up for in constancy and results. It’s an old guy, been around for about a century. And while its name might not sound green, it (more…)

As many experts say, the journey to alternative energy goes through energy efficiency. And there is one home appliance that has been doing a great job at reducing energy consumption for over three decades now: the refrigerator.

Those of us who are old enough to remember the 1970s will remember the (more…)

Itochu Corporation is a Japanese general trading company that is based in Tokyo and Osaka. As the mission is that “The Itochu group respects the individual, society, and the future in its commitment to the global good,” it has been involved in the clean technology industry, including renewable energy and energy (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…)