Organizations Leading the EPA’s Annual Green Power Partnership Lists

The EPA’s annual Green Power Partnership lists includes dozens of organizations that are now using 100 percent green energy to power their US operations. Organizations achieve this amazing feat with the help of renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products.

The Green Cup Challenge®

The Green Cup Challenge® (GCC) was launched in 2007, it is an annual month long inter-school energy challenge that takes place each January/February to call attention to peak winter energy use. Originally designed to help schools measure and reduce electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions, GCC provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and school staff, including facilities managers, to work together to reduce their school’s carbon footprint. GCC integrates education and action, quantifies progress and aggregates success.

Obama Administration's New Vehicle Standards

New vehicle standards have been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Obama Administration has finalized new standards of 54.5 mpg that will be implemented by 2025.These new vehicle standards in concert with previous Obama administration standards will almost double the fuel efficiency of future vehicles as compared to new vehicles currently on our roads today. The previous Obama administration standards for cars and light trucks for Model Years 2011-2016 raised average fuel efficiency to 35.5 mpg by 2016.

Car Sharing Programs a New More Efficient Way to Drive

Car sharing reduces the number of privately owned cars; and a proportional reduction in the number of parking spaces needed. Car sharing that relies on electric vehicles are of great environmental benefit. They have no emissions and fuel costs are typically 60-70 percent lower than comparable fossil fuel powered vehicles. Car sharing programs are an efficient way of using a car without having to buy one. These programs are particularly environmentally sustainable when they employ electric vehicles.

Energy Managment Tips for IT (White Paper)

Energy Aware Planning and Decision Making White Paper

Freeform Dynamics Ltd: Energy Aware Planning and Decision Making, Five Imperatives for IT Proactive management of energy consumption is becoming increasingly critical. Businesses rely on IT, and IT relies on energy – often quite a bit of it in the case of corporate data centers. According to leading market research firm Freeform Dynamics Ltd* three consequences of this are:  •  Energy consumption via the IT infrastructure is a significant cost, and therefore a potential constraint on IT-related activity when pressure to manage that cost is applied.  •  Energy availability, i.e. being able to source enough energy to power the IT infrastructure and be confident in its supply, is fundamental to both growth and business continuity.  •  Energy-related regulation will almost certainly have a direct or indirect impact on IT.

EPA's 2012 Green Power Partnership: Top 20 K-12 Schools

The Top 20 K-12 Schools list represents the largest green power users among K-12 school partners within the Green Power Partnership. The combined green power use of these organizations amounts to more than 221 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power more than 19,000 average American homes each year.

The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations — from Fortune 500® companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of schools. The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading organizations within the US and across individual industry sectors.

2012 World Green Roof Congress

The 2012 World Green Roof Congress (WGRC) will take place in Hangzhou China from October 22nd to October 26th. The 2012 WGRC will be co-sponsored by World Green Roof Infrastructure Network, International Rooftop Landscaping Association and Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government.

2012 Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science & Technology Symposium

The 2012 Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science & Technology Symposium (MGRST) will be held on August 16-17, at the University of Maryland College Park, Maryland. The event is subtitled "Redefining Green Roof Science." This is the first annual MGRST event. Due to the fact that standards for green roof performance have not been established the MGRST symposium will be dedicated to disseminating results of scientific research that will lead to the establishment of green roof performance standards for the Mid-Atlantic region.

World Green Roof Congress 2012: Urban Grey To Urban Green

The World Green Roof Congress (WGRC) 2012  is an event with sustainability at its core. It will take place in Copenhagen on 18-21 September 2012. The event will bring together the leading practitioners – policy makers, architects, designers, urban planners, manufacturers, engineering, environmental and ecological consultants – from around the world to highlight the need to transform urban grey to urban green.

Green Roofs Sail Around the World

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Green Roofs on College Campuses Around the World

Green roofs are growing on campuses all around the world. Educational establishments from community colleges to ivy league universities are seeing the value of green roofs. By covering a tar roof with greenery, the rooms beneath are about 5 or 6 degrees cooler. Green roofs also offer cost reductions alongside a vista that is as soothing as it is aesthetically appealing. Right now there are thousands of schools around the world that have embraced green roofs and this number is growing every year.

The Green Roof Industry is Growing Fast

A rapidly growing initiative is seeing homeowners and businesses planting vegetation on rooftops around the world. Green roofs are growing in popularity because they offer both economic and environmental benefits. These roofs reflect far more light than black tar roofs in summer and thus act as heat shields. In winter they offer excellent insulation and throughout the year they absorb precipitation rather than letting it flow down a storm drain. They also support biodiversity, improve air quality and act as a carbon sink.

Green Roofs and Storm Water Runoff

Green roofs contribute to urban sustainability planning by reducing heating and cooling costs for buildings but they also help to reduce the amount of untreated water that flows into local waterways. They reduce runoff by approximately 90 percent.  In addition to a host of other financial benefits green roofs offers a storm water mitigation benefit of $4.26 per square foot.”

As reviewed in a 2011 Triple Pundit article, a study on green roof conducted by ConEdison in partnership with the Columbia University Center for Climate Systems Research, reveals that green roofs help cities find cost effective ways to deal with excess storm water.

Benefits of Green Roofs

Green roofs provide a wide range of benefits, perhaps the most widely known is the fact that they significantly reduce energy demand and the cost of interior cooling. However, green roofs offer a wide range of benefits that extend beyond sustainability and cost savings. In addition to contributing to the comfort of those who reside inside such buildings, green roofs provide immense quality of life benefits outdoors.

Types of Green Roofs

A green roof allows vegetation to grow in a growing medium and usually includes the following elements: waterproof membrane, a root repellent system, a drainage system, a filtering layer, a growing medium and of course plants. Here are three main types of green roof systems as explained by the city of Toronto:  These roof types can be divided into seven categories: intensive, extensive, new, retrofit, complete, modular, or pre-cultivated.

Intensive

Intensive or active green roofs have a deep growing medium that supports a variety of landscape design and growth. They are accessible and used as recreational space. Intensive green roofs are essentially parks in the sky. They provide a peaceful retreat, full of trees, walkways, and seating areas. In dense urban environments, intensive green roofs can create a garden and yard for an entire apartment building.

Green Roof Gatherings: New Green Roof Technology (Event)

On Thursday August 9th an event will be held on green roofs in Toronto Ontario. The event will be held by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC). This event will be held at the site of one of Toronto's most exciting green roof projects - the Carrot Common. It is a great chance for you to network with professionals in the green roof and wall industry, and those looking to get involved.

GEA National Geothermal Summit (Event)

On August 7 - 8, a geothermal summit will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, California. This event brings together companies and individuals in the geothermal industry with experts, government officials and other key decision makers. This is the second annual National Geothermal Summit, the event brings together companies and individuals in the geothermal industry with experts, government officials and other key decision makers.

The Cool Roof Project (Video)

Cool Roof Research from the University of Melbourne (Video)

Cool Roofs Reduce Emissions and Save Energy (Video)