The Proliferation of LEED
At this year's Greenbuild conference, Canada, Mexico and China announced major green building initiatives, and two new versions of LEED were launched.
Energy Efficiency Takes Root at Habitat for Humanity
Can low-income builders afford the luxury of building green? That question is being tested at some Habitat for Humanity affiliates. The most common green building approach used in Habitat homes – many of which are three bedroom, one bath dwellings built for under $50,000 – is to meet Energy Star ratings. That’s the U.S. EPA’s standard that increases efficiency 20-30% by installing efficient appliances, lighting, super-insulation and by tightly sealing the building envelope. Affiliates also seek ways to boost indoor air quality by reducing or eliminating products that offgas volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). Call this a “light green” approach. “We want energy efficiency to be our standard model, not an upgrade,” says Nevil Eastwood, director of construction and environmental resources at Habitat for Humanity International in Americas, Georgia.Each of the 1700 U.S. Habitat affiliates controls its own building practices, and some want to go further. “We’re open to that,” says Eastwood. “But we’re building homes for people who earn about 30% of the median income for the area, so that doesn’t leave much wiggle room.”To get to “medium green,” says Kevin Sullivan, advocacy director for Habitat’s New York City affiliate in Brooklyn, the group considers practices that are good for […]
CSR Survey: Are We Making Progress?
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, just released the results of surveys conducted at the European Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (Maastricht, November 7-9) and the BSR Annual Conference (New York City, November 9-12).Covering themes ranging from the competitive advantages of implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR), to the impact of governments and markets on company integration of CSR, top-line findings from the nearly 400 completed surveys in Europe and the U.S. include:* CSR is not yet being widely or deeply integrated into core business functions with only 10% of respondents asserting that current integration is adequate.* Senior executives and line managers hold substantially different views regarding the degree to which CSR is successfully implemented in their organizations.* Financial markets are widely seen as offering inadequate incentives for companies to adopt CSR practices.* Government solutions that encourage CSR implementation, though more broadly supported in Europe than the U.S., still face significant resistance in both places.* Three-quarters of respondents expect that there will be legally-mandated accountability measures over the next few years, especially in areas like reporting.While the results reveal real deficits in the delivery and practice of CSR, respondents hold a very strong and ‘bullish’ […]
Ethical Funds Double in France
The French SRI market surpassed the 5 billion euro mark in 2004; funds under management, and French SRI funds increased assets under management by 24%. Total assets under management by open-ended SRI funds available in the French market (both domestic and foreign funds) surpassed 5 billion euros in 2004, compared with 4.4 billion euros at year-end 2003 and 2.5 billion euros at year-end 2002. That means total funds under SRI management have doubled in two years. One of the highlights of 2004 was the significant increase in SRI assets managed by French funds, which today total nearly 3.6 billion euros, versus 2.9 billion euros the previous year ? a 24% increase. At year-end 2001, assets under French SRI management totaled 920 million euros, making for a spectacular rise. Assets under French SRI management have grown nearly fourfold in just three years. At year-end 2004, a total of 122 funds were available to investors in the French market, as opposed to 108 in 2003 and 80 at year-end 2002, an increase of more than a third in two years. A number of new players entered the French market last year: Orsay Gestion; JP Morgan Fleming; Fdris Gestion. And many French players […]
Dawn of a Solar Era on the Horizon
Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA Inc. has announced its entry into the growing U.S. solar/photovoltaic (PV) or module market, with two high-efficiency modules that contain no lead solder. The company will initially focus on the southwestern United States through its network of dealers and distributors, and expand to other regions in the months ahead. Mitsubishi Electric’s entry into the U.S. market comes at a time of increasing awareness and acceptance of alternative energy sources. Designed for both commercial and residential applications, Mitsubishi Electric’s PV modules contain lead-free solder. Instead of lead solder coating for the cells, Mitsubishi Electric developed silver electrodes that offer weatherproofing and higher PV module conversion efficiency. Currently, Mitsubishi Electric offers dealers and distributors two module options: 120 watts and 165 watts. While a new entrant to the U.S. market, Mitsubishi Electric has been active in the solar arena globally. The company began building solar-powered satellites in the 1970s, and recently expanded its Japanese factories’ module production capabilities in response to growing worldwide demand. Reasons for Optimism There are several factors that are contributing to the increased interest in solar power. Breakthroughs in solar technology, concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil, and increasing demand for […]
Cargill Becomes Sole Owner of Corn-Based Plastics Business
Cargill has agreed to acquire The Dow Chemical Company’s interest in Cargill Dow LLC, the 50:50 joint venture formed in 1997 to commercialize polylactic acid biopolymers (corn-based plastic). Terms were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in Europe. Cargill is the original inventor of polylactic acid (PLA), a polymer derived from natural plant sugars and marketed by the joint venture as NatureWorks PLA and Ingeo(TM) fibers. NatureWorks PLA is used in a range of packaging applications for companies seeking plastics made from an annually renewable resource. Ingeo fibers are used in fiberfill applications including pillows, comforters, mattress pads, blankets and apparel. The business employs 230 people in Minnetonka, Minn. and Blair, Neb. Website: http://www.cargill.com
Hungary Bans Monsanto GMO Maize Seeds
URL: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29113/story.htm Website: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29113/story.htm
China Says Middle Class to Balloon By 2020
URL: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29126/story.htm Website: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29126/story.htm
China Halts Megaprojects, Citing Environment
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UN Urges Replanting of Mangroves as Tsunami Barrier
URL: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29101/story.htm Website: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29101/story.htm
