Most developers view electricity and other utility costs as a liability, a cost of doing business in real estate. This does not have to be the case. In fact, there has been no better time to use energy management and on-site electricity generation as opportunities not only to reduce operating costs, (more…)

Efforts have been underway for decades to conserve both energy and water, but never in concert. This is unfortunate because energy uses a lot of water and water uses a lot of energy.

Two leading conservation organizations have set out to bring the efforts together. The American Council (more…)

So you consider yourself a fairly ‘green’ person. You may install compact fluorescent light bulbs, monitor your water use, unplug unused household appliances, recycle what you can and even use public transportation or ride a bike to work. Whatever your action of choice, you’re doing your part to reduce (more…)

According to an AIA study, between 2006 and 2009, municipalities with green building programs increased by 50%.  Many programs sponsored by municipalities, states, utilities and the federal government are designed to promote energy efficiency and green construction. 

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China leads the world in total investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, although as a percentage of overall economic activity Denmark ranks first in clean-tech spending, according to a report by the conservation group WWF.

The report says that China is currently investing $65 (more…)

Mark Stevenson’s book, An Optimist’s Tour of the Future had me wondering in its opening pages. I warmed to the lively engaging style but I didn’t want to read about a scientist’s vision of human lifetimes lasting thousands of years. As I see it generations need to pass and leave space for others to (more…)

LED patent litigation remains hot, with two new lawsuits filed last month. In the first, North Carolina LED maker Cree sued SemiLEDs Optoelectronics (SemiLEDs), alleging that SemiLEDs’ MvpLED product line infringes six patents.

The complaint (Cree-Semileds-Complaint), filed in (more…)

Minnesota, the North Star State, is currently one of the top producers of environmental technologies and renewable energy in the United States. This state is currently setting the pace the nation needs to follow in the race to eliminate the consumption of fossil fuels and carbon footprint reduction. In 2007, Minnesota created their own renewable energy standard, citing (more…)

The debate over the success, failure, and continuation of the Kyoto Protocol has begun. Yet, despite some of the uncertainty and lack of participation by several major nations, climate change issues are clearly taking a higher priority in the boardroom and executive suite of many major corporations around (more…)

Delaware’s industrial sector is the largest consumer of electricity in the state due to a number of energy-intensive industries such as chemical plants, a major petroleum refinery and a number of large manufacturers. As well, its entire transportation sector is petroleum fuel dependent. It was estimated (more…)