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November 11, 2009

Greenbuild Conference News Roundup: Day 1

With the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo now underway in Phoenix, Ariz., here are some of the initial announcements.

YKK AP America has launched (PDF) two new products aimed at improving the energy-efficiency of commercial buildings. The company has expanded its enerGfacade product line with the addition of two new aluminum door and curtain wall products for commercial use.

Both the MegaTherm XT entrance door system and the YCU 750 TU unitized curtain wall are designed to be energy-efficient, by reducing the overall heat transfer. Both products are suitable for construction projects looking to incorporate sustainable design or meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED requirements, according to the company.

Building Design+Construction is offering its annual white paper, Green Buildings + Water Performance (PDF), at the conference. Key findings of the study indicate that almost every region of the U.S. and parts of most states will experience water shortages over the next 10 years, and about 15 to 20 percent of the nation’s water never makes it from the filtration plant to the property line due to decaying infrastructure.

The study also reveals that more water is consumed outside buildings and homes for landscape irrigation and cooling towers than is used inside for things like toilets, faucets, and showers. Researchers find that the reuse of water may be “the next big thing” in water conservation, efficiency and performance.

The study indicates that manufacturers have significantly improved the efficiency of plumbing, irrigation, and water reuse technologies in recent years, but long-term conservation also depends heavily on how people use these products. In addition, improvements in water performance can also reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, say researchers.

At the same time, Melaver Inc.’s sustainability guru Tommy Linstroth has unveiled the RehydrateUS initiative at the conference that calls on home and business owners to reduce their water consumption through three steps: replace existing toilets with ultra-high-efficiency models, and switch out standard faucet aerators and showerheads with water-efficient models.

Linstroth says these steps can reduce building water consumption by 30 to 60 percent, saving 1 billion gallons of water per day. He also says that by reducing water consumption it also cuts energy consumption and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.

Linstroth estimates that by saving a billion gallons of water it also reduces energy consumption by one billion kWh, based on the average rating that it takes one kilo-watt hour to provide one gallon of water.

Sterling Planet, a national supplier of renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon solutions, has partnered with Barrett Moving & Storage to offer carbon offsets to conference exhibitors, reports Earth Times. The “Green your Shipping” program enables companies to offset the carbon-dioxide emissions generated by shipping their exhibit materials.

The offsets are priced at $5 each and are available at various purchase levels based on shipping volume, according to Earth Times. Verified offsets include sustainable land management, methane capture and destruction, energy efficiency and renewable energy, according to the article.

Click here for other GreenBuild expo announcements.

The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo gets underway today in Phoenix, Arizona. Here are some of the day’s first announcements.

Sterling Planet, a national supplier of renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon solutions, has partnered with Barrett Moving & Storage to offer carbon offsets to conference exhibitors, reports Earth Times. The “Green your Shipping” program enables companies to offset the carbon-dioxide emissions generated by shipping their exhibit materials.

The offsets are priced at $5 each and are available at various purchase levels based on shipping volume, according to Earth Times. Verified offsets include sustainable land management, methane capture and destruction, energy efficiency and renewable energy, according to the article.

Building Design+Construction is offering its annual white paper, Green Buildings + Water Performance (PDF), at the conference. Key findings of the study indicate that almost every region of the U.S. and parts of most states will experience water shortages over the next 10 years, and about 15 to 20 percent of the nation’s water never makes it from the filtration plant to the property line due to decaying infrastructure.

The study also reveals that more water is consumed outside buildings and homes for landscape irrigation and cooling towers than is used inside for things like toilets, faucets, and showers. Researchers find that the reuse of water may be “the next big thing” in water conservation, efficiency and performance.

The study also indicates that manufacturers have significantly improved the efficiency of plumbing, irrigation, and water reuse technologies in recent years, but long-term conservation also depends heavily on how people use these products. In addition, improvements in water performance can also reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, say researchers.

At the same time, Melaver Inc.’s sustainability guru Tommy Linstroth has unveiled the RehydrateUS initiative at the conference that calls on home and business owners to reduce their water consumption through three steps: replace existing toilets with ultra-high-efficiency models, and switch out standard faucet aerators and showerheads with water-efficient models.

Linstroth says these steps can reduce building water consumption by 30 to 60 percent, saving 1 billion gallons of water per day. He also says that by reducing water consumption it also cuts energy consumption and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.

Linstroth estimates that by saving a billion gallons of water it also reduces energy consumption by one billion kWh, based on the average rating that it takes one kilo-watt hour to provide one gallon of water.

YKK AP America has launched (PDF) two new products aimed at improving the energy-efficiency of commercial buildings. The company has expanded its enerGfacade product line with the addition of two new aluminum door and curtain wall products for commercial use.

Both the MegaTherm XT entrance door system and the YCU 750 TU unitized curtain wall are designed to be energy-efficient, by reducing the overall heat transfer. Both products are suitable for construction projects looking to incorporate sustainable design or meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED requirements, according to the company.

Click here for other GreenBuild expo announcements.

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