Mayor Castro attends grand opening ceremony SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. (SCHOTT Solar) and BuiltSmart Resources were joined by Mayor Julian Castro for the grand opening of San Antonio's first Net Zero Green Home. The BuiltSmart Resource Center achieved a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of negative three, making it one of the most energy efficient homes in Texas. BuiltSmart Resources was the first home builder to achieve Build San Antonio Green's® Level 3 Solar Home certification with the completion of the Curtis & Laura Trial residence in December 2010. BuiltSmart Resources followed this achievement with the construction of its new Show Home and Resource Center. BuiltSmart earned Net Zero Green Home status for the Resource Center by researching the best way to build a home that would save money in the future by controlling energy costs, being environmentally responsible and providing homeowners a healthy living environment. MSA Architecture of San Antonio designed the Resource Center in a Contemporary Hill Country style that features an open floor plan. Lori Caldwell, award-winning Interior Designer, also collaborated on the project. The BuiltSmart Resource Center will feature an 11.28 KW photovoltaic (PV) solar system utilizing SCHOTT Solar's panels and a 30,000-gallon rainwater catchment system for all domestic and landscape use.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that its Reynobond® aluminum composite material (ACM) contributed to the sustainable design of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, the first hospital in the Midwest to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. One of the largest hospitals in the Chicago area, the newly designed eight-story, 192-single room patient tower represents the hospital's commitment to providing healthier, sustainable surroundings for patients and their families. Architectural firm OWP/P Cannon Design of Chicago incorporated recycled, locally produced and environmentally sensitive materials such as terrazzo flooring, wood and aluminum composite material throughout the tower. Alcoa's Reynobond ACM, in a Bright Silver Metallic Colorweld® 300XL finish, was used on the tower's canopy fascias and soffits, wall cladding and exterior and interior column covers. In addition, custom Pewter-colored Reynobond ACM was featured on the building's accent panels.

Company Moves into its First Green Office in Asia-Pacific; Autodesk Revit Portfolio Used in Design of Space SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) showed its commitment to environmentally responsible real estate choices at its first Sustainability Summit, by announcing plans to move into its first green office space in Asia-Pacific. The company’s 56,000 square feet of leased office space in Singapore brings the Autodesk LEED-certified facility count to seven, or 23 percent of the company’s total office space.

New line of SYSTIMAX® solutions feature the industry’s first Category 6A LSZH Riser Rated copper cable RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of an ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable building and environmentally-friendly engineering, CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, has added new SYSTIMAX® LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) Riser Rated Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables to its high-performance GigaSPEED X10D, GigaSPEED XL and PowerSUM copper solutions. This new offering makes CommScope the industry’s first cabling manufacturer to introduce a Category 6A LSZH Riser Rated network solution. With reduced toxicity and removal of all halogens, CommScope’s LSZH Riser Rated UTP cables offer improved fire safety and eliminate the production of heavy, black smoke in the event of a fire – unlike common polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cables. Additionally, the absence of restricted substances including lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium (Cr-VI), polybrominated biphenyl (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) increases the environmental safety of the cables. This is in accordance with the UK’s National Measurement Office’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations as well as National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and Green Building Council specifications.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With residential buildings consuming approximately 20 percent of energy usage in the U.S., a new study by Newport Partners LLC, the Whole House Analysis of Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Existing Homes, offers insight into how construction professionals can help homeowners prioritize energy-saving retrofits. The study, commissioned by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), examined dozens of energy efficiency upgrades, such as appliances, building envelope improvements, space conditioning systems, renewable energy, and domestic water heating systems, in 10 locations across five climate zones within the continental U.S. Key metrics of the study included simple payback and expected annual energy cost savings.

Proposals being accepted to avoid 8M metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions DETROIT, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A Maine housing weatherization program will receive funding for energy-efficiency upgrades, the first investment from a $40 million multi-year commitment by Chevrolet to prevent 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air. Chevrolet has signed a letter of intent to partner with Maine State Housing Authority to support a program that will weatherize 5,500 low-income homes to help address the changing climate through community-focused energy projects. Over the term of the partnership, MaineHousing and Chevy will help increase energy efficiency through a verifiable carbon reduction program. Chevy is soliciting investment proposals nationwide through its independent third-party investor, Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Through MaineHousing's Weatherization Program, energy professionals will improve home insulation by blowing recycled-content insulation into walls and ceilings, replacing loose attic hatches with tight-fitting ones, sealing chimneys, insulating exposed foundation, and tuning heating systems for efficiency. The initiative will help reduce home energy use, improve air quality and cut residents' heating and cooling bills. An anticipated 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be avoided as a result.

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill Construction's Architectural Record and GreenSource magazines have received six FOLIO: Eddie and Ozzie Awards for Best Redesign, Best Cover, Best Online Community, and Best Construction/Commercial Design/Manufacturing Website among business-to-business (B-to-B) publications for 2010. FOLIO:'s annual Eddie and Ozzie Awards recognize excellence in magazine editorial content and design. Winners were announced today at a luncheon held at Sentry Center Midtown East in New York City. Architectural Record won a gold Ozzie Award for "Best Cover, B-to-B above 100,000 Circulation" for its December 2009 "Vanguard" cover, a bronze Ozzie in the same category for its January 2010 "City of the Future" cover, a gold Eddie for "Best Online Community," and a bronze Eddie for its website in the "Business to Business, Construction/Commercial Design/Manufacturing, Website" category. Essential to the profession for more than 110 years, Architectural Record and ArchitecturalRecord.com provide an editorial mix of design ideas and trends, building science, business and professional strategies, key issues, news projects, in-depth interviews, and computer-aided practice for architects and design professionals. GreenSource won a gold Eddie in the "Business to Business, Construction/Commercial Design/Manufacturing, Website" category, and a gold Ozzie in the "Best Redesign, B-to-B" category for its January 2010 issue. A mainstay in the green building market since 2006, GreenSource magazine and GreenSourceMag.com are produced by McGraw-Hill Construction and BuildingGreen, Inc., with support from the U.S. Green Building Council. GreenSource is a leader in covering noteworthy trends and best practices in sustainable design.

Six-figure up-front savings achieved by shifting array wiring away from traditional series-wired string architecture SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eIQ Energy’s Parallel Solar technology has been selected for a new 1.8 megawatt solar power installation at a Bee Safe Storage facility in Murrieta, Calif., creating significant up-front cost savings and ongoing energy harvest benefits. Installation will be completed by EcoOneEnergy of Escondido, Calif., using crystalline solar modules driving multiple inverters. An array of this size requires thousands of solar modules. Traditionally, they would have been connected in series-wired strings (each typically containing a dozen or two modules), with each string being wired to a combiner box and then routed to an inverter. By opting instead for the parallel wiring approach enabled by eIQ Energy’s vBoost DC-to-DC voltage optimizer, the need for cabling, combiner boxes, and other hardware is sharply reduced – as is the amount of labor needed during installation. Hardware savings alone on the Bee Safe Storage project will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, more than offsetting the cost of the eIQ Energy vBoost, which are installed on each panel or group of panels. Over the lifetime of the installation, eIQ Energy’s Parallel Solar technology will also provide distributed MPPT, precision panel-level monitoring of performance, and Web-based access to operational data. The vBoost also eliminates power-sapping interactions between panels on the same string that have different output levels due to shading, soiling, aging, or other issues.

- The PA-based firm’s “Power Shaper” technology promises to minimize the costs of deregulation to businesses. -- BRISTOL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On January 1, 2011, new energy deregulation laws took effect in Pennsylvania, with reform in some other states following close behind. Initially, many analysts expected the new laws to raise electric bills for businesses across the state. Now, some of those analysts are reconsidering their forecasts, thanks to a new technology from area company DVL Automation (DVLA) called “Power Shaper”, which aims to use the new laws to lower energy costs for its clients.

Companies have submitted a joint proposal to provide emergency relief structures in Haiti SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Envision Solar International, Inc., (OTCBB:EVSI), a leading sustainable infrastructure designer and developer, announces that it has entered into a multi-project collaboration with Proteus On-Demand Facilities, of Austell, Ga., to deliver Envision’s LifePort® and LifeVillage™ integrated product, service and technology offerings to international aid, governmental and other organizations. Envision Solar and Proteus recently submitted a proposal to provide two-story steel frame structures as emergency relief structures in Haiti. CHF International (The Cooperative Housing Foundation), invited qualified firms with experience in transitional shelter technology and fabrication to submit their proposals. The team’s proposed approach combines the provision of emergency assistance with collaborative and in-depth planning to establish self-managed urban communities, laying the foundation for formalization of previously informal urban neighborhoods and leading to durable provision of services and infrastructure.

Proves its energy saving window film provides a net positive environmental impact worldwide LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Solar Gard is making available the results of its environmental product declaration (EPD) in the UK, which scientifically substantiates that Solar Gard architectural solar control window films have a net positive environmental impact across the globe. An EPD is a complete assessment of the environmental impact of a product. Performed under ISO 14040 and 14025 standards for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and reporting, it is globally accepted as the most comprehensive way to validate a product’s environmental performance. By disclosing the complete cradle-to-grave environmental impact of more than 30 architectural solar control window films, Solar Gard affirms its commitment to transparency, providing consumers and the building sector with the information they need to make environmentally responsible decisions. Solar Gard’s architectural solar control window films help buildings consume up to 30 percent less energy for cooling by stabilising interior temperatures and transforming standard glass into high performance windows. In doing so, Solar Gard helps reduce a building’s carbon footprint.

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Although the primary purpose of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings is occupant productivity, a new report from Pike Research finds that the objective of most changes to HVAC systems in the next five years will be to decrease energy cost. According to the study, because of rising energy prices and the drive to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with building operations, many building owners have begun to manage energy cost as an asset, rather than a fixed cost. The tools for improving efficiency of HVAC systems are multiplying, including building energy management systems (BEMS), onsite ice-based thermal energy storage systems, underfloor air distribution, and chilled beams, to name a few. Pike Research’s report, “Energy Efficient HVAC Systems”, explores emerging HVAC innovations for the commercial building market, including building energy management systems, underfloor air distribution, active and multiservice chilled beams, and onsite ice-based thermal energy storage. The study includes an examination of market drivers and challenges, technology issues, profiles of key industry players, scenarios for market adoption, and forecasts for each sector. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting next year, all construction apprentices in California will receive instruction on green building practices as a component of their training. The California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) today approved integration of environmental components into minimum industry training criteria for the building construction trades apprenticeship programs, with full support from the construction industry. The Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DIR/DAS) was instrumental in working with the 23 trades to create the criteria. With today's adoption of the new training criteria, apprenticeship programs in the building construction trades statewide will have one year to update their standards accordingly. The green guidelines for each industry must include a designated length of training, work processes of on-the-job training including recycling, reusing and preservation of resources, and competency testing.

Survey From Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity International Also Shows Most Consumers Favor Government Incentives for Green Building BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While green homes are generally perceived as expensive to build or purchase, a recent survey found that consumers and builders believe that reduced prices on building materials will help these homes become more affordable. The survey was conducted on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) and Habitat for Humanity by the NAHB Research Center*, and reported respondents' opinions on barriers to more affordable green building and how to overcome them. According to the consumer survey, 59 percent of consumers indicated that lower cost of products and materials is needed for green homes to become more affordable. The builder survey found that builders were largely in agreement with consumers about this point. Most builders (75 percent) indicated that the costs of materials and products for green homes need to be reduced.

Solar Panel Installer Amberjack Solar Energy Announces Nearly Ten New Hires at Start of First Quarter OAKLAND, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--If all the hiring activity at Amberjack Solar Energy is any indication, the clean energy labor market could be in for sunnier times in 2011. Lance Kulick, founder of Amberjack Solar in Oakland, N.J., said that increased consumer awareness of the benefits of energy conservation, and heightened customer demand for solar panel installations, are fueling a big uptick in his firm’s hiring needs in the first quarter of 2011. At press time, Kulick has added nine employees--four sales, service and management personnel and six installers—in just one month. According to the EPA website, the federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s programs provide funds to local and state governments to implement energy conservation measures and reduce carbon emissions in their communities. In addition, there are 30% tax credits which can be taken as a grant for projects installed in 2011 or for solar energy equipment placed in service before 2016; and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides grants for solar and other qualified measures and facilities. New Jersey's Clean Energy Program offers significant financial incentives for commercial, industrial, and governmental customers to integrate energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies into new construction, upgrades, and new cooling & heating equipment installations.

GreenWizard’s LEED AP Consultants and WorkflowPRO Software Can Assist in Evaluating, Selecting, Modeling, and Documenting Green Products for LEED-Certified and Non-LEED Construction Projects CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GreenWizard, Inc., the world’s only end-to-end workflow solution for green building materials and LEED projects, today announced that its team of LEED APs now offers no-cost consultation to GreenWizard’s WORKFlow Pro subscribers who are analyzing and documenting green building products. As an added bonus, GreenWizard is also offering free use of its WorkflowPRO software for those projects that require the use of GreenWizard’s analysis and documentation workflow tools. Today, many architecture firms and construction companies incur steep professional service fees and costs when engaging LEED AP consultants or utilizing their in-house counterparts. The LEED AP team at GreenWizard now offers product evaluation, selection, modeling, and documentation guidance at no charge for building projects, simply because those project teams subscribe to GreenWizard and its workflow tools. Alternatively, for those projects specifying GreenWizard’s software into the project, GreenWizard is offering free use of its platform. Today, GreenWizard’s WORKflow Pro is by far the nation’s leading online tool for evaluating, selecting, modeling, and documenting green building products.

Gilles Colas, CEO of Saint-Gobain in North America, Joined Secretary Chu of U.S. Department of Energy and Chinese Government Representatives for Signing Ceremony VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint-Gobain, the world's largest building products manufacturer, has been selected to join the U.S. Department of Energy's U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Building Energy Efficiency (CERC BEE). This CERC, one of three in the U.S., is dedicated to advancing energy-efficiency in buildings in the U.S. and China. The CERC BEE features a consortium led by Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory that includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory and industry research partners, such as Saint-Gobain. In its role as an industrial research partner of the CERC BEE, Saint-Gobain will work collaboratively with CERC BEE research labs, share the company's expertise in building science, provide technical support, offer access to the company's research facilities, and supply materials, equipment and more.

Irvine Company Office Properties Recognized For Commitment to Environmental Stewardship NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Irvine Company today announced that three of its high-rise office towers have been awarded the prestigious LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council®, a designation reserved for the highest performing, most sustainable buildings. The buildings located at 5 Park Plaza at Jamboree Center and 18500 Von Karman at Irvine Towers® in Orange County, Calif., are now LEED Gold certified and the landmark Symphony Tower in San Diego, Calif., is LEED Silver certified. In addition, Irvine Company Office Properties’ Hyatt Center in downtown Chicago received certification as the company’s first LEED Platinum building, the highest environmental recognition of its kind. Recognition was awarded in the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance™ category with a rating system that helps building owners and operators measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.

VE-Navigator for ASHRAE 90.1 provides a structured workflow for engineers and HVAC professionals BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Next week at the AHR Expo, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES), a provider of integrated performance analysis software and consulting services for sustainable building design, will demonstrate its VE-Navigator for ASHRAE 90.1 at booth C1740. By providing a structured workflow for engineers and HVAC professionals, the recently launched VE-Navigator simplifies the entire modeling process, while providing automatic reports in a format suitable for LEED submissions. The future of LEED Energy Modeling, IES’ VE-Navigator for ASHRAE 90.1 streamlines the design process from start to finish while increasing both productivity and accuracy. It also provides many technical, time-saving and commercial benefits, including instant creation of all four baseline models from the proposed design, the ability to automatically create and size HVAC systems (including ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation), and to gain feedback throughout the design process in order to maximize LEED Energy Credits obtained.

PHOENIX, January 18, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- Emerald Cities(TM) Paves the Way Emerald Cities(TM) USA Ltd. (div. of Emerald Cities(TM) International Ltd.) has just resurfaced the world's first solar reflective "Green" asphalt parking lot to demonstrate the importance of "Cool Pavement" addressing Urban Heat Island in the cities (see photos at http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.emeraldcoolpavements.com/pressrelease/Installation.pdf). This 24,000 sq.ft. parking lot was donated to Mayor Gordon's Phoenix Recovery Zone at the Duffy Charter School where asphalt temperatures soared to 200 degrees (F) last summer in Arizona. The importance of "Cool Pavement" in a school setting cannot be overstated. Heat radiated from asphalt remains between 1-4 feet and is a "danger zone" where children play during recess because of the risk of heat stroke. This is an Emerald Cities "Cool Schools" project. 100 Cities by 2012 Solar reflective color now plays a significant role in protecting the environment. According to Steven Chu (Obama's Secretary of Energy), "Changing surface colors in 100 of the world's largest cities could save as much as 44 billion tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to the rise in global carbon emissions anticipated by 2020." With 2010 now the hottest year on record, NASA predicts a 2- 6 degree rise in the next few years will result in altered rainfall, storms, coastal floods, melting glaciers, and droughts contributing to the increase in infectious diseases.

ICHTERSHAUSEN, Germany, January 17, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- With effect immediately, 65,000 modules from Masdar PV will be generating 6,096,000 kWh of renewable energy annually at Europe's largest ground mounted plant with solar modules from Masdar PV. In partnership with Beck Energy GmbH the project with an installed capacity of 6 MWp was realized on a ca. 30-ha site in Luckenwalde (50 km south of Berlin) and connected to the grid within a period of only two months. The total solar energy generated by the modules can supply around 2,200 four-person households.

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Holcim (US) Inc. announced today that for the third consecutive year, two of its plants – Devil's Slide in Morgan, UT and Theodore in Theodore, AL – have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ("EPA") prestigious ENERGY STAR®. In addition, Holcim (US) announced that three of its plants are first time recipients of the award. Those plants are Ste. Genevieve in Bloomsdale, MO, Trident in Three Forks, MT, and Holly Hill in Holly Hill, SC. The ENERGY STAR® is the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance.

Burtin Polymer Laboratories supplies spray foam systems for what is believed to be the largest perimeter wall insulating project in the world CARTERSVILLE, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Superdome’s golden perimeter walls were pierced and dulled gray by time and Hurricane Katrina. The enclosed stadium, home to the World Champion New Orleans Saints, needed a healthy dose of waterproofing and energy conservation – not to mention an aesthetic upgrade. Burtin Polymer Laboratories developed a materials solution using raw materials supplied by Bayer MaterialScience LLC for the cavernous project that encompassed nearly 400,000 square feet and is believed to be the largest perimeter wall insulating project in the world.

New insulation product platform designed to provide complete energy performance, making homes and building more energy-efficient, sustainable and comfortable TOLEDO, Ohio, Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), manufacturer of multiple product solutions that increase the energy efficiency, comfort and beauty of homes and buildings, today announces the launch of its EcoTouch™ PINK™ FIBERGLAS™ Insulation product platform with PureFiber™ Technology. Owens Corning EcoTouch insulation fuses the industry-leading thermal and acoustical performance characteristics of Owens Corning PINK FIBERGLAS insulation with the innovative, new PureFiber Technology. The result is a new class of high-performance residential and commercial insulation made with natural(1) materials and a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content and 50 percent total recycled content – the highest certified percentage in the fiberglass insulation industry(2) EcoTouch insulation also has achieved GREENGUARD Children & Schools(SM) Certification and is verified to be formaldehyde free, meeting stringent certification standards for indoor air quality.

ClosetMaid, an Emerson business, is first closet system to earn recycled steel content designation OCALA, Fla., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ClosetMaid, a business of Emerson, announced today that its ventilated wire shelving has been independently certified for recycled content by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a leading third-party certifier for environmental labels and claims. Products that are SCS Certified for containing recycled content can help meet LEED criteria specified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ClosetMaid's wire shelving products are the first closet systems to earn the highly recognized SCS Certification for being made from 75 percent recycled content, including 65 percent post-consumer and 10 percent pre-consumer recycled steel.

2011 Builder Magazine Concept Home is a paragon of efficiency and full of “good things” 2011 International Builders' Show ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Representatives from KB Home (NYSE: KBH), Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) and Builder magazine today unveiled the KB Home GreenHouse™: An Idea Home Created with Martha Stewart. The innovative and expertly-designed net-zero energy home is the 13th in Builder Magazine’s Concept Home series tradition that annually showcases an impactful and interesting new concept in homebuilding during the industry’s premier trade conference, the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS). n addition to its aesthetic appeal, the KB Home Greenhouse achieves a new dimension of environmentally friendly building for KB Home; it is the company’s first net-zero energy home, meaning it is intended to produce more energy than it consumes over the span of a year. As such, it has been labeled as a “Maximized Energy-Efficient Home” by the U.S. Department of Energy. Additionally, the home has been recognized with a variety of other green building achievements, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense® qualifications, U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) for Homes Platinum rating and Environments for Living® green certification.

Irish company offers a next-generation photovoltaic solution for indoor solar energy harvesting DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolarPrint, a leading photovoltaic (PV) energy technology developer, today expands the possibilities of next-generation energy harvesting for wireless sensors with the launch of its dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) technology. SolarPrint’s DSSC technology, which is integrated into wireless sensors to improve harvesting efficiencies of commercial applications, pushes the boundaries of existing PV solutions and increases the power output performance of indoor PV solutions dramatically. Energy harvesting technologies, where energy is derived from external sources such as ambient or diffused light and then captured and stored, are an increasingly common focus for energy efficiency management systems, but the capabilities of current solar solutions being used within wireless sensors have reached their performance ceiling. SolarPrint’s technology enables higher functionality and offers the ability to scale more power-hungry wireless solutions such as multi sensors, than has heretofore been possible with existing solar technology. Wireless sensors deployed throughout a building can monitor everything from humidity and temperature to air quality and lighting levels.

Greener Product announced today that Enviroshake has been awarded the Greener Product Certification Seal for their environmentally friendly cedar - like shake roofing made from 95% recycled content. Charleston, SC - January 3, 2011 - Enviroshake® is a composite "high tech" roofing product that replicates the look of a cedar shake but has the added benefit of performance and durability associated with Enviroshake® composite materials. Enviroshake® was founded in 1998 and is marketed in direct competition to natural cedar shakes and other premium roofing products. Predominantly all of the materials (95%) used in the product are reclaimed materials. The Enviroshake® composite blend is a mixture of post industrial plastic(s), recycled rubber elastomers and cellulosic fibre materials. What distinguishes the Enviroshake® is its formulation and the process that produces this superior product. As the manufacturer, Enviroshake® can justifiably claim strong environmental advantages in addition to a quality product The Greener Product Certification Seal demonstrates that a product has been evaluated against the LEED, LEED for Homes and/or NAHB green building standards using internationally recognized third-party certification organizations, laboratory test results and/or other supporting documentation. The Seal confirms the product complies with the LEED, LEED for Homes and/or NAHB standards and may earn credits that contribute to certification under these green building rating systems.Only building products that meet the standards are awarded the Greener Product Certification Seal.

2011 Calendar of Events now available NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill Construction, the leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends and forecasts in North America, is excited to present its 2011 Calendar of Events, designed to connect today and tomorrow's industry leaders and move the construction industry toward a bright and innovative future. At McGraw-Hill Construction events, professionals will address challenging issues by creatively brainstorming effective solutions and expand networks by meeting the top thought-leaders and executives in the business.

-Company celebrates sponsorship with dream bathroom makeover contest on Facebook®- PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rinnai Corporation, manufacturer of the No. 1 selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in North America, is proud to announce that four offerings from its energy-saving product portfolio are featured in the HGTV Dream Home 2011. Located in Stowe, Vt., the HGTV Dream Home 2011 is a "ski-in, ski-out" mountain lodge that blends rustic mountain appeal with modern architecture and state-of-the-art appliances. Rinnai's Q205S condensing wall-mounted boiler and RC98HPi condensing tankless water heater supply energy-efficient home heating and water heating to the HGTV Dream Home 2011, while the company's Impression outdoor fireplace adds a unique touch to the home's hot tub area and the EnergySaver™ Intelligent fireplace creates a warm, relaxing atmosphere in the home's gathering room. In addition, Rinnai is continuing the tradition of celebrating its HGTV Dream Home sponsorship with an online sweepstakes. This year, Rinnai is hosting the "A Little Dream of Your Own" Facebook® contest for consumers, with a grand prize of one Rinnai® tankless water heater and $10,000 cash toward a dream bathroom makeover.

Eco-Friendly Office Space Awarded Highest "Green" Honor CHICAGO, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McGuire Engineers today announced that its office space was officially awarded LEED Platinum Status, the highest designation awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Recently completed this past summer, the office was designed to showcase a wide variety of ideas that an average office can implement to lessen its carbon footprint and create a healthier, more productive environment for employees. Everything from the paint to the flooring was carefully selected including sustainable, re-used, and recycled materials, efficient lighting fixtures and controls to monitor and adjust energy usage. A virtual tour of the offices is online at http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYeyTWGKLUU. McGuire has a strong track record overseeing successful LEED projects for clients, ranging from the PepsiCo Sustainability Center (LEED Platinum) to Norcon, Inc. (LEED Gold). The award for its own offices follows on the heels of McGuire's distinction as one of 17 companies to receive top honors in the first round of the Chicago Green Office Challenge.

Facility Becomes the Largest in Iowa to Achieve Gold Certification WEST DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aviva USA’s new headquarters has become the largest LEED-gold certified building in Iowa and one of only five its size or larger in America to achieve that designation, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The U.S. Green Building Council informed Aviva USA that it had been awarded gold certification on the 360,000-square-foot building. Aviva USA is part of Aviva plc – the world’s sixth-largest insurance group and the first global insurance company to become carbon-neutral. Aviva’s project becomes the 24th LEED gold building in Iowa and only the fourth in metropolitan Des Moines.

Use of a high-efficiency solar energy collector developed by Hitachi Plant Technologies reduces consumption of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Toshiaki Higashihara) has recently developed an environmentally-friendly Solar Activated Air Conditioning System employing its own developed solar energy collector. The system reduces consumption of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions remarkably. Hitachi Plant Technologies is actively expanding its marketing activities, targeting at local-air conditioning in buildings or district cooling facilities for the regions of the Mediterranean, the interior of North America, Western Asia, and Australia, “Sun Shine Belts” which are sufficiently exposed to huge amount of sunlight. The company expects to break in its sales up to 5 billions yen in FY2015. Solar power is increasingly in focus as a source of renewable and sustainable energy, thus avoiding the use of fossil fuels. Hitachi Plant Technologies has considerable experience in a wide range of plants employing solar energy for power and heating. Hitachi Plant Technologies combines this experience with its plentiful expertise in air conditioning, accumulated over many years, in the development of the Solar Activated Air Conditioning System.

Oregon homeowners can now install solar power for as little as $20 per month PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolarCity® today announced the availability of the first residential solar lease in Oregon. SolarCity’s SolarLease® financing option will make it possible for Oregon homeowners to go solar for as little as $20 per month, with no upfront cost, and save money from day one. The affordable new financing option was made possible by new rules published by the Oregon Department of Energy that went into effect on Jan. 1st. The new rules allow customers who choose to lease their solar systems to receive the residential tax credit (RETC) that was previously only available to customers that purchased solar systems. As the customer cannot transfer the credit to SolarCity, SolarCity allows the customer to defer the remaining system cost not covered by the lease payments until the customer receives the RETC, effectively eliminating the customer’s upfront cost. SolarCity will continue to provide Oregon homeowners with multiple financing options, including cash purchase, prepaid lease, and a partially prepaid lease with a lower monthly payment. All lease options include installation, SolarCity’s SolarGuard® proactive monitoring service, repairs, insurance and a performance guarantee for the life of the 15-year lease. SolarLease is available to Oregon homeowners that are also customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, starting today.

Hospital Certified "Green" For Evidence-Based Design and Construction TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz recently achieved LEED® Certified, making it the first acute care hospital in Florida and among the first in the nation to achieve LEED certification. The hospital was designed with an environmentally sustainable philosophy to create a landscape of open space, providing habitat for wildlife and natural views for patients. The environmentally friendly building is made of materials that support energy conservation and clean air with low chemical emissions and recycled content. The soothing elements of the outdoors are brought indoors creating a calm, peaceful, healing environment for patients.

KALAMAZOO, Mich., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The first beneficiaries of a new energy efficiency program offered by Consumers Energy are special education students in Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency (KRESA) Woods Edge Learning Center Special Education Building received almost $49,000, as part of Consumers Energy's new construction energy efficiency incentive. KRESA received more than $36,000 of the total incentive, with the remainder going to the architect, Tower Pinkster of Kalamazoo. Consumers Energy launched its energy optimization program as part of Michigan's energy reform law. That program includes a new construction incentive that provides rebates to commercial and industrial customers and design teams when they build a new facility where the energy usage is less than code requirements.