http://www.environmentalleader.com Environmental Leader Fri, 25 May 2012 17:41:13 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/25/daikin-mcquay-commercial-ac-first-to-meet-doe-efficiency-challenge/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/25/daikin-mcquay-commercial-ac-first-to-meet-doe-efficiency-challenge/#comments Fri, 25 May 2012 06:21:37 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=77423 Daikin McQuay is the first manufacturer to meet the US Energy Department’s rooftop unit challenge, an initiative announced in January 2011 that aims to encourage companies to develop the next generation of cost-effective, high performance commercial air conditioners. The Daikin Rebel is expected to reduce energy use by as much as 50 percent to 60 [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/25/daikin-mcquay-commercial-ac-first-to-meet-doe-efficiency-challenge/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/24/fleet-roundup-sae-vs-chademo-tesla-waste-industries-volvo/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/24/fleet-roundup-sae-vs-chademo-tesla-waste-industries-volvo/#comments Thu, 24 May 2012 13:21:38 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=77289 The battle over DC fast-charge standards heated up at a recent California State Senate public committee meeting. A GM representative asked the state to limit adoption of DC fast chargers to only those that conform to the upcoming SAE standard (supported by US and German automakers) while a Nissan representative described the CHAdeMO connector (already [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/24/fleet-roundup-sae-vs-chademo-tesla-waste-industries-volvo/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/22/nascar-and-epa-partner-on-environmental-initiatives/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/22/nascar-and-epa-partner-on-environmental-initiatives/#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 06:14:20 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=77117 NASCAR and the EPA have signed a memorandum of understanding intended to raise racing fans’ awareness of environmentally friendly products and initiatives. Under the agreement, NASCAR will use products that have earned EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) label at racing events. The DfE label tells consumers that, according to the EPA, the product performs [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/22/nascar-and-epa-partner-on-environmental-initiatives/feed/ 3 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/21/top-environmental-services-firms-named/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/21/top-environmental-services-firms-named/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 16:43:29 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76985 AECOM, AMEC, Arcadis, CH2M Hill, ERM, SAIC and URS lead the US market for environmental services, according to a report from Verdantix. Green Quadrant Environmental Services Providers said the seven companies stood out in a field of 20 environmental services firms assessed in the study because of their national reach; ability to provide end-to-end project [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/21/top-environmental-services-firms-named/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/18/ibm-to-monitor-50-federal-buildings-save-taxpayers-15m-with-more-to-come/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/18/ibm-to-monitor-50-federal-buildings-save-taxpayers-15m-with-more-to-come/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 07:14:37 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76840 IBM has won a contract to develop and install smart building technology in 50 of the federal government’s most energy-consuming buildings, and the resulting data could help reduce operating costs across the General Service Administration’s entire inventory of nearly 182 million square feet. The GSA, which awarded the contract to IBM, says this initiative will [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/18/ibm-to-monitor-50-federal-buildings-save-taxpayers-15m-with-more-to-come/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/walmart-announces-27-solar-projects-totalling-10-5-mw/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/walmart-announces-27-solar-projects-totalling-10-5-mw/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76755 Walmart has announced plans to install solar photovoltaic arrays on 27 of its Massachusetts stores as early as August, adding on-site generation to more than half of its outlets in the state. The arrays are in the engineering phase and still require permits, the Boston Globe reports. Once operational, the installations should have a total [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/walmart-announces-27-solar-projects-totalling-10-5-mw/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/legrand-cuts-energy-use-by-20-percent-beating-doe-goal-by-8-years/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/legrand-cuts-energy-use-by-20-percent-beating-doe-goal-by-8-years/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 14:25:36 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76753 Legrand has reduced its energy use by more than 20 percent, in its first year participating in the Department of Energy’s Building Buildings initiative. The electrical and data networking manufacturer joined the DOE’s Better Buildings, Better Plant Challenge in January 2011. Legrand’s first goal, North America president and CEO John Selldorff said, was to reduce [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/legrand-cuts-energy-use-by-20-percent-beating-doe-goal-by-8-years/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/energy-efficiency-gaining-ground-in-inefficient-states-aceee-says/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/energy-efficiency-gaining-ground-in-inefficient-states-aceee-says/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 13:22:14 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76747 Energy efficiency is gaining momentum in states that have traditionally been behind the curve in pushing such technology, according to research by the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy. But states that have usually ranked lowest on the ACEEE’s annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard must still address numerous barriers to energy efficiency, according to the new [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/energy-efficiency-gaining-ground-in-inefficient-states-aceee-says/feed/ 3 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/international-paper-expects-to-meet-12-sustainability-goals-by-2020/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/international-paper-expects-to-meet-12-sustainability-goals-by-2020/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 12:30:16 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76748 International Paper has outlined 12 voluntary sustainability goals that it expects to meet by the end of the decade, including a 15 percent efficiency improvement in its purchased energy use. The Memphis, Tenn.-based company detailed the goals in its 2011 Sustainability Report. These goals aim to reduce emissions as well as cut water consumption, improve the supply chain [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/17/international-paper-expects-to-meet-12-sustainability-goals-by-2020/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/16/nrel-model-improves-predictions-of-shade-effects-on-solar-pv/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/16/nrel-model-improves-predictions-of-shade-effects-on-solar-pv/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 13:55:49 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76690 Using microinverters instead of typical string inverters can improve solar panels’ performance in shade by more than 12 percent, according to a new National Renewable Energy Laboratory test procedure, which the lab says greatly improves the accuracy of predictions about shade effects. Shade hinders photovoltaic performance, which is why solar installers consider it in PV [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/16/nrel-model-improves-predictions-of-shade-effects-on-solar-pv/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/15/pepco-saves-delaware-college-9-million-in-energy-costs/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/15/pepco-saves-delaware-college-9-million-in-energy-costs/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 14:35:24 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76518 Pepco Energy Services will save Delaware Technical Community College more than $9 million in energy costs by installing more than $7 million in energy conservation measures at the college’s Wilmington, Stanton, Terry and Owens campuses, according to the company. The cost savings span the life of the 15-year contract. Conservation measures include converting constant volume [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/15/pepco-saves-delaware-college-9-million-in-energy-costs/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/14/epas-mercury-and-air-toxics-standards-costly-and-time-consuming-for-coal-plants/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/14/epas-mercury-and-air-toxics-standards-costly-and-time-consuming-for-coal-plants/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 13:45:06 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76399 Compliance with the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) poses “significant challenges” for coal plants, forcing many to retire rather than make the required retrofits, according to a study commissioned by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO). Economists at the Brattle Group evaluated the MATS, which requires the US coal and oil fleet [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/14/epas-mercury-and-air-toxics-standards-costly-and-time-consuming-for-coal-plants/feed/ 5 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/electronics-giants-challenge-energy-star-testing-requirements/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/electronics-giants-challenge-energy-star-testing-requirements/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 16:10:35 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76274 Major electronics manufacturers may drop out of Energy Star because of the EPA’s third-party testing requirements, according to a report by Bloomberg Businessweek. The Consumer Electronics Association, whose members include Apple and Sony, says “unilateral” changes in January 2011, requiring third-party lab tests of products’ energy usage, are too expensive. Companies used to be able [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/electronics-giants-challenge-energy-star-testing-requirements/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/honestbuildings-com-releases-info-on-250000-nyc-buildings/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/honestbuildings-com-releases-info-on-250000-nyc-buildings/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 15:30:58 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76182 HonestBuildings.com has released information for more than 250,000 commercial and mixed-use buildings in New York City, representing more than 4 billion square feet. The free web service, which CEO Riggs Kubiak described to Forbes as “a cross between Yelp and LinkedIn for the built environment,” launched its beta platform in late March. In six weeks, [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/honestbuildings-com-releases-info-on-250000-nyc-buildings/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/aashe-sustainability-review-green-job-training-skyrocketed-in-2011/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/aashe-sustainability-review-green-job-training-skyrocketed-in-2011/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 14:32:38 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=76216 Nearly 60 percent of all new higher-education programs or training opportunities in 2011 focused on renewable energy and green careers, with $543 million recorded toward the effort, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s 2011 Higher Education Sustainability Review. The annual review, an analysis of 2011 AASHE Bulletin stories, shows [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/10/aashe-sustainability-review-green-job-training-skyrocketed-in-2011/feed/ 0