08/19/2008 09:02 AM

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: September 3, 2008

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Mid-size commercial buildings don't need to meet LEED certification requirements but must meet LEED standards for building commissioning, landscaping, water use, and construction debris management starting in 2009, and must meet enhanced commissioning standards and tighter water use requirements starting in 2010. Beginning in 2012, the buildings must also meet LEED standards for the use of on-site renewable energy or the purchase of renewable energy credits.

The toughest requirements apply to large commercial buildings. Starting in November, new permit applications for high-rise residential building must submit documentation to achieve LEED certification, and that requirement ratchets up to LEED Silver in 2009 and LEED Gold in 2012. There are also requirements to meet additional LEED standards, nearly equal to those for mid-size commercial buildings.

Finally, for new large commercial interiors and major alterations to existing buildings, new permit applications must include documentation to achieve the same LEED rating requirements as for new large commercial buildings, and must also meet the LEED standards for materials that emit low levels of indoor pollutants. All new buildings must earn additional rating points if an older building was demolished to make room for it, and they must earn even higher points if the demolished building was historical. Building projects can also earn extra points by retaining historical features of the previous building. See the mayor's press release, the green building ordinance (PDF 2.3 MB), and the GreenPoints and LEED rating systems.

High Fuel Costs Ground U.S. Travelers on Labor Day Weekend

About 1 million fewer passengers flew on U.S. airlines during the Labor Day holiday period compared to last year, according to the Air Transport Association of America (ATA). The industry trade organization tallied a 5.7% drop in holiday traffic this year, and an even larger drop for domestic travel, at 6.5%. The ATA blames higher energy prices, rising airfares, and airline schedule cuts as the main reasons for the drop in travel. All of those factors are related to the sky-high price of kerosene-based jet fuel, which has averaged $160.47 per barrel so far this summer. That's a 79% increase above last summer's average jet fuel price of $89.82 per barrel. See the ATA press release.

The high fuel prices are being felt throughout the airline industry, and for most companies, the answer is to transition quickly to more fuel-efficient airplanes. Until those new planes arrive, one of the few ways to contain costs is to fly less, an approach airlines refer to as "capacity reductions." American Airlines, for instance, plans to retire 30 MD-80s this year and all 34 of its A300 aircraft by the end of 2009. The company's mainline domestic capacity is expected to drop by 5.7% this year and even further next year as it awaits the arrival of 70 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which are more fuel-efficient, in 2009 and 2010. See the American Airlines press release.

Nearly all the airlines are experiencing similar woes. Continental Airlines will cut its domestic mainline capacity by 10% starting in September and will retire 67 inefficient aircraft by the end of 2009, causing a loss of 3,000 jobs. Delta Air Lines plans to cut its domestic capacity by 13% for the second half of the year, while Northwest Airlines Corp., which is merging with Delta, plans to retire 47 aircraft and cut its mainline capacity by up to 9.5% in the fourth quarter of 2008. And United Airlines is retiring 100 aircraft and expects its North American mainline capacity to drop by about 8% this year (including a 16% drop in the fourth quarter), followed by a 13% drop next year, which will cause a loss of about 7,000 employees. See the Continental press release and the press releases from Delta (PDF 112 KB), Northwest, and United.

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Kevin Eber is the Editor of EREE Network News, a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). 

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