AT&T Joins Green Grid to Promote Data Center Energy Efficiency

AT&T Inc. announced its affiliate, AT&T Services Inc., has joined The Green Grid, the global consortium dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems. AT&T also announced it will supply data center performance information to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in developing a new ENERGY STAR rating for data center infrastructure.

Membership in The Green Grid and participation in the ENERGY STAR data center initiative underscore AT&T's commitment to minimize the environmental impact of its operations and to work collaboratively with industry organizations and suppliers to identify optimal solutions and best practices.

The Green Grid works to provide industry wide recommendations and best practices on metrics and technologies that will improve energy efficiency in data centers around the world. As a Contributor Member of The Green Grid, AT&T is taking an important role in cooperating with other leading companies to reduce energy consumption and related data center costs.

"The Green Grid is proud to welcome AT&T as a Contributor Member of the consortium," said Mark Monroe, a director of The Green Grid. "AT&T brings a breadth of knowledge and experience in the field of communications. The Green Grid is looking forward to collaborating with AT&T and leveraging its expertise to help further the organization's mission."

In an effort to improve energy efficiency in the data center industry, the EPA is developing an ENERGY STAR Data Center Infrastructure Rating. This new rating will help data center operators assess the energy performance of their buildings' infrastructure and identify buildings with the greatest opportunity for improvement, allowing them to capture the financial and environmental benefits of improved energy efficiency in their facilities. The initiative will ultimately enable data center facilities to earn ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy efficiency. To assist in the development of this rating, AT&T has committed to monitoring select company data centers and submit energy data to the EPA during the next 12 months.

"EPA is very pleased to have AT&T's support for the development of the ENERGY STAR rating for data center infrastructure," said Mike Zatz, manager of EPA's ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings Program. "It is only with the active involvement of industry leaders like AT&T that EPA will be able to provide the data center industry with the information it needs to most effectively improve the energy efficiency of these critical facilities."

"Data center electricity use has been growing rapidly in recent years, roughly doubling from 2000 to 2005," said Jonathan Koomey, Ph.D., staff scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories and consulting professor, Stanford University. "There's significant potential for improving energy efficiency in those facilities, and many large companies are starting to make the institutional and technological changes needed to capture that efficiency. In this case, businesses can save money and reduce pollution at the same time."

Juno Lighting Group Launches New Energy Calculator

Because rising energy costs and environmental pressures are becoming a major concern for customers, Juno Lighting Group has created the new Energy Plus Calculator™ to help save energy and money on lighting. This new tool, a free download available at www. junolightinggroup.com, will help facility managers (fms) find solutions when making complex decisions about construction or remodeling projects.

“We've created this calculator to help the user make decisions based on pay back and returns on investment (ROI) with a report on how their lighting decision will impact the environment,“ said vice president of affiliate sales Scott Walters. “Juno has been considered a leader in lighting applications for years. This tool is one more resource that we know our customers will use in the decision-making process."

The Energy Plus Calculator delivers comprehensive reports on short and long term energy costs, helping users consider carbon footprints. It can also be used as a business tool, to help create more effective business proposals and get quick tax savings calculations. When the knowledge from the calculator is applied, it can help avoid costly code violations and reduce operating costs

Users of the calculator begin by entering specific building and project information. The base system information that is entered should include fixture specific data for any type of lighting fixture, ranging from project information to space or building setup. A few clicks of the mouse will produce a report that compares the base system with up to four different solutions. The options will include calculations of potential energy savings, tax benefits, and an analysis of environmental impact.

Reports will be customized, taking into account building information, fixture comparisons, lighting controls, energy comparisons, HVAC factors, maintenance time, maintenance costs, the Energy Policy Act (EPAct 2005), and other factors, such as rebates and financing.

Once downloaded, the calculator is available offline. It is completely portable and accessible without an Internet connection. The application can be accessed via the energy resources tab at www.junolightinggroup.com. The Energy Plus Calculator is a Microsoft Excel based application available for use in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

Haworth Light Wins Gold

Brazo, a LED task light introduced by Haworth, has been awarded a 2008 Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The IDEA competition is a worldwide design competition and a celebration of innovative product and product concept designs of the year.

Designed by Pablo Pardo of Pablo Designs in San Francisco, Brazo has fully adjustable, calibrated light control and a precision quality machined recyclable aluminum body. “I was fascinated with this product's refined sophistication and precision technical detail. This design allows precise control and positioning of light through the clever and appropriate use of LED technology,” said Andrew Hartman, IDSA, creative director of new business at Philips (The Netherlands).

Winners of the 2008 IDEA competition exhibited a focus on sustainability, attention to detail and, in a slowing economy, many offered surprisingly affordable price points. Out of 1517 entries, 35 were awarded the gold award, while 76 received silver awards and 94 won bronze awards. For the first time this year, 389 finalists were named in addition to the winners.

“I’m thrilled to have the design and innovation of brazo recognized through this coveted award,” said Pablo Pardo of Pablo Designs in San Francisco. “This project has taught me a great deal about the lighting needs of the workplace and how far we are capable to explore its potential.”

“With its clean aesthetic, sustainable design, and high level of user control, brazo contributes to the design and performance of Haworth’s organic workplace solutions,” said Iain Thorp, Haworth’s head of design for North America.

Brazo is the first task light to offer focus control, allowing the user to both direct and choose any desired light spread. It features a slender, multi adjustable arm which conceals 18 high powered LED lights, 360˚ head rotation with 90˚ head adjustability, height adjustment, and tangle free wire rotation. The light uses luminous and energy efficient LEDs which are 85% more efficient than incandescent lamps, and have a life span of up to 50,000 hours. Brazo is 97% recyclable.

FRIDAY FUNNY: Dance Club In London Powered By Patrons

On July 10, Club4 Climate, an environmental group founded by British real estate mogul Andrew Charalambous, opened what it touts as the world's first eco-club. The London party spot features a dance floor designed to harness the energy of dancers. This is based on a principle called piezoelectricity. This approach uses crystals or other materials that, when compressed, give off a small amount of voltage. So as people dance on the spring-lined floor, the crystals underneath acquire a charge and generate a current that can charge nearby batteries.

Charalambous claims that the dance floor energy will generate about 60% of the energy the club consumes. The remainder of energy consumption is being culled from solar panels and wind turbines. Other sustainable strategies include using rainwater to flush toilets.

Dubbed "Dr. Earth" Charalambous offers the Club4Climate mission statement:
It's our vision that you will club for the climate. The profits from the club go to Friends of the Earth.

Other locations that Club4Climate is looking to open eco-clubs are New York City, Cape Town, and Rio de Janeiro.

Retro-Commissioning And Campus Planning

Retro-Commissioning, as the first step in a campus sustainability strategy, can reduce energy use in college and university buildings by 10% or more, making it an essential ingredient for meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals. The details of retro-commissioning are discussed in the new white paper, “The First (Big) Step to Reducing Your Campus Carbon Footprint,” from EH&E Inc, an environmental engineering and consulting firm.

“We often find that while existing building systems may be operating in a fashion that maintains comfort and air quality, they are rarely performing to their designed effectiveness and efficiency without a periodic optimization, or commissioning, process,” says Mike Della Barba, director of commissioning services, EH&E, and author of the white paper.

“Since building energy use is such a large proportion of overall campus energy consumption, this optimization represents some immediate and significant energy savings.

“Colleges and universities across the country are making public commitments to reduce their campus carbon footprint significantly by eliminating wasteful energy consumption” says Della Barba.

“Retro-Commissioning, a ‘tune-up’ of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, provides the right context for energy conservation measures that are part of any campus sustainability plan,” he said.

In the white paper, Della Barba discusses:

• How to improve building performance;
• Performance improvement vs. energy reduction;
• Prioritizing buildings for retro-commissioning;
• The three-phase retro-commissioning process; and
  
• Campus retro-commissioning strategy.

The white paper, “The First (Big) Step to Reducing Your Campus Carbon Footprint,” is available for download here: CampusRetroCx.pdf

University of Maryland Reduces Energy Load By 20 Million kWh In Two Years

Comverge, Inc., a clean capacity provider through demand response and energy efficiency, recently announced the successful results of its demand response programs at the University of Maryland-Baltimore (UMB)—with an electricity load reduction of more than 20 million kWh in two years. That is enough energy to power approximately two million homes with electricity for two months.

UMB enrolled in Comverge’s Real Time Economic Load Response Program and Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) Program in 2006, and has received assistance from Comverge’s energy analysts, obtained load profiling and IT support, and participated in consumption analytics/graphics and other conservation initiatives. In addition to the many graphical tools that enabled UMB’s success in the PJM DR programs, Comverge can provide energy audits to measure where energy could be saved, complete on site assessments, and is providing metering and system integration and assistance with 24/7 technical and operations support from its Integration & Command Center (ICC) IT Support Group.

“Serving as our Curtailment Service Provider (CSP) or broker in the PJM Demand Response Programs, Comverge became a facilitator for reducing our peak demand and overall consumption, which ultimately contributed to reducing our carbon footprint and emission levels,” said Michael Krone, utility operations manager for UMB. “Comverge provided the resources to monitor real time market pricing, developed load profiles, and created customer baselines, and as a result, Comverge’s graphical tools have been invaluable to our success in the PJM Demand Response Programs.”

UMB began working with Comverge and PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland), the Regional Transmission Organization, two years ago to reduce energy consumption on campus and find cost effective ways to save energy and expenses. They also received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop additional energy efficiency programs.

Some examples of the strategies that UMB and Comverge are implementing for participation in the FERC sponsored PJM demand response programs include:

• Use of an existing 20,000 ton hour/2,000 ton output thermal storage system to shift air conditioning load from daytime on peak operation to night time off peak operation
• remotely controlling all “public area” lighting and turning off all non essential lighting loads during periods of high demand
• putting a portion of the campus chilled water production on a “current limiting” mode for short 30 minute periods.

Comverge works closely with UMB’s facilities managers to keep them up to date on energy market prices, new energy conservation opportunities, and assist with technical support.

“The University of Maryland is a great example of what just one campus can do to reduce their energy load and lessen their carbon impact,” said George Hunt, Comverge’s senior vice president of the Enerwise Group. “You would expect an institution of higher learning to do just that, and the university should be commended for its innovation and forward thinking, especially at a time when we need it most.”

Lochinvar Corporation Honored By Department Of Defense

Lochinvar Corporation, a leading manufacturer of high efficiency water heaters, boilers, and pool heaters, has been named among the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award recipients. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The award will be presented to Lochinvar and 14 other employers at a formal ceremony on September 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

This year, a record number of National Guard and Reserve members or their family members nominated their employers for outstanding support. A national selection board comprised of senior Defense officials reviews the submissions and selects the recipients for the award. Included among the 2,199 nominations was a letter from William M. Jacobs, a manufacturing engineering manager at Lochinvar and a platoon sergeant for R Troop 4/278 Air Calvary Regiment Tennessee Army National Guard.

In his letter, Jacobs expresses his gratitude for Lochinvar's generosity and support that touched him, his unit and task force, as well as many others in the United States Military. "Before, during, and after my 16 month deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan, I've watched proudly as Lochinvar, its ownership, and employees have dedicated time, money, and resources without hesitation to help support the citizen soldiers and full time service members," stated Jacobs. "Words cannot express how much it means for me to be part of this organization, or the positive impact Lochinvar had and continues to have on the soldiers and service members of Tennessee and the United States of America."

From a significant monetary donation to help start up and support the unit Family Readiness Group, to multiple shipments of gifts, food, and supplies collected by employees, the Lochinvar team aimed to provide positive and uplifting moments during an otherwise less than comforting experience. When the unit sent a long list of requested items, Lochinvar employees fulfilled each request, including 200 pounds of top soil, grass seed, and fertilizer to build the only plot of grass in Kandahar, which was enjoyed by soldiers, airmen, and NATO forces throughout the Task Force. A library was created with the shipments of books and DVDs, which were made available to all of the soldiers. In an attempt to bring seasonal gifts to the troops, a holiday shipment brought the soldiers cards, wrapped presents, and a decorated 6" Christmas tree, and a summer shipment delivered inflatable pools to help fight the heat.

In addition to helping the troops, one Lochinvar employee's daughter even organized a drive at her high school to gather small stuffed animals for the children of Afghanistan. The stuffed animals were sent to a field hospital and given to injured children in an effort to lift their spirits.

"All of us at Lochinvar take great pride in our employees and their families who serve in the United States Military, and we aim to support them in any way possible," stated Bill Vallett, Jr., president of Lochinvar. "I'm so impressed with the generosity of each of our employees who stepped up and helped make a difference—the Freedom Award honors the outstanding efforts of each and every one of them."

To show their appreciation, Jacobs' unit flew an American flag on a combat mission while in Kandahar. The flag was sent to Lochinvar with a photo and certificate, which are prominently displayed in the employee entrance at the company's headquarters.

After Jacobs' return, the Lochinvar team continued its mission by adopting the unit of another employee's Marine daughter in Fallujah, Iraq. They continue to collect goods and supplies that are shipped overseas to troops fighting the war on terrorism.

In addition to the Freedom Award, Lochinvar has also been presented with the Patriot Award, Concord Minute Man trophy for Outstanding Support of the Unit, the Men and Women of Army National Guard, and the "Above and Beyond Award."

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Recycling Fluorescent Lamps

This Web Exclusive comes from Mark A. Ceaser of OMNI/ajax Absolute Sorbent Technologies, Inc.

Throughout the country, we have seen bans and regulatory control over the exposure of the public to hazardous risks. However, one of the most overlooked dangers surrounds each of us every day. It contains potentially dangerous amounts of mercury and can be found above your desk at work, in the lamp on your child’s nightstand, and even at your local supermarket. It is known to all of us as a fluorescent light bulb.

An analysis of the lighting industry shows a trend shifting from the usage of incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs. The transition is mentioned in our daily papers and on television.

Usage of fluorescent bulbs, however, is not entirely without risk. These bulbs contain mercury, an element that can have debilitating effects on humans upon prolonged exposure.

According to 40 CFR 261.24 of the Environmental Protection Agency, most of these lamps contain enough mercury to warrant them as hazardous. The risks associated with disposing mercury in landfill are far reaching, since the substance can eventually reach both the air and groundwater.

In order to establish the necessity for a national fluorescent bulb recycling law, three key components must be addressed. First, the hazards and commonality of mercury exposure; second, the safest and most effective disposal of mercury via recycling; and finally, the need to update current guidelines. Furthermore, a national fluorescent bulb recycling law would not only help the environment, but it would also promote new business growth and job opportunities, as well.

The citations of the hazards of mercury exposure are well documented and compelling. Mercury poisoning has been linked to autism and proven to cause neurological damage and death.

Mercury alternatives are being researched and tested, but its use is still found primarily in precise measuring devices, such as thermometers, sphygmomanometer and barometers, dental amalgams, mercury switches and, most commonly, fluorescent bulbs (including compact fluorescent bulbs or CFLs).

Because of its unique properties, the most effective way to dispose of mercury bearing wastes is through recycling. This process requires the separation of the mercury waste from other compounds by a process called “retorting.” When recycling fluorescent bulbs, the entire bulb is crushed, the glass and metal end caps are removed from the waste, and the resulting residue is then processed by a series of heating cycles to produce elemental mercury with a purity of 99.99%.

Unfortunately, the illegal disposal of mercury wastes continues, resulting in unnecessary exposure to people and the planet. However, a grassroots movement to protect the environment has created momentum to generate a national law prohibiting the disposal of fluorescent bulbs in landfills.

In fluorescent lighting, mercury content was used to reduce the extent that light bulbs produced, and, as a result, “in the late 1990s, bulbs contained less than 50% of the mercury used in those manufactured in the mid-1980s.” (Reese)

Despite the reduced amount of mercury in these lamps, the question arises—are fluorescent bulbs hazardous? Under current federal and multiple state laws, mercury containing lamps may be considered a hazardous waste. In addition, they contain other materials, such as lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are harmful to human health and the environment.

As stated in the Federal Register, “mercury has proven mobile in municipal solid waste landfill environments, migrating in leachate to contaminate ambient groundwater at concentrations exceeding the federal maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) used for drinking water."

The challenge of preventing the release of toxic materials into the environment during proper disposal demands recycling as the sensible option, which ultimately presents a business opportunity. The Department of Health offers generators the option of classifying spent lamps as either hazardous wastes or universal wastes. By practicing pollution prevention (P2) by reduction of waste generation at the source, the Universal Waste Rule (UWR) streamlines the requirements for management of waste fluorescent lighting.

On July 27, 1994, the EPA proposed two approaches for the controlling of mercury containing lamps. (Federal Register) The guidelines of the UWR encourage the collection and recycling of certain hazardous wastes. The UWR is advantageous, because it facilitates a reduction of administrative requirements for record keeping and crisis awareness.

Furthermore, education makes the data collection process easier. This leads to the elimination of manifesting requirements, unless the lamps are transported out of state or in states that do not recognize lamps as a universal waste.

In addition, there would be an increase in on-site storage time available for spent bulbs by adhering to this regulation. This gives an entity up to one year to accumulate its waste lamps prior to disposal.

If a facility chooses to store spent bulbs, strict UWR guidelines require that the mercury not be released into the environment. The lamps must be stored in a sealed, shockproof container to prevent breakage. Containers must be clearly labeled as “Universal Waste Lamps” or “Hazardous Waste” and stored in an appropriate location.

The manufacturers of fluorescent tubes are also responsible for the proper labeling of mercury containing lamps to alert customers to their hazards. In 2003, “members of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) capitulated to the challenge of Vermont’s Mercury Reduction Act that required lamp manufacturers to label mercury containing lamps sold in that state.” (Truini). With the labeling of the symbol “Hg” on each lamp, individuals are able to recognize products contain mercury.


On September 26, 2006, a forum hosted by Environmental Protection discussed changes in the waste industry. Jim Hattler, COO of Mercury Waste Solutions Inc., offered an example of how regulatory changes affect waste fluorescent bulb management practices.

According to Hattler, a change to the use of compact fluorescent bulbs with a major hotel had a profound effect on cost and energy savings. He states, “There are over 125,000 hotel rooms. Each one has an average of five bulbs. If they replace their incandescents with compact fluorescents, it’s the equivalent of taking 22 thousand cars off the road. It’s the equivalent of taking 32 million pounds of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.” (Neville)

By converting from incandescents to fluorescents, there are obvious energy savings. With fluorescent bulb recycling, there is an obvious, inevitable environmental advantage.

The Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers is a not for-profit organization dedicated to educating governments, municipalities, and private businesses in the practice of recycling mercury devices.

The ALMR’s Lamp Outreach program has exposed the hazards of not recycling and, subsequently, prompted nine states to take legislative action to draft laws banning the landfill disposal of fluorescent bulbs. With the partnering of businesses and government, a collaborate plan to eliminate fluorescent bulbs in landfills is underway.

To encourage recycling further, the manufacturers, who then in turn pass the costs to the consumers, will initially absorb the cost of recycling. The consumer can then return the spent bulbs to their purchase point of origin. International manufacturing company, IKEA Corporation, has led this initiative of businesses to promote recycling.

Wendy Rogers, public relations representative from the Woodbridge, VA, IKEA, stated, “Sweden has been recycling for 20 years and has recently pushed for its stores in the States to recycle. There is a bin for the bulbs in every IKEA (29 in the US). Once the bin at the VA store gets full, VIM (the recycler) comes and picks up the spent bulbs.” IKEA works locally with the Clean County Community Council in Virginia, and each U.S. IKEA location recycles similarly.

This grass roots movement has recently added every Menard's in Minnesota to its growing list. All 36 stores in the state will put used CFLs in a special container, which will then be picked up by a company that recycles them safely. The program is a partnership between Great River Energy, Menard's and the Minnesota Center for Energy and the Environment.

Domestically, General Electric has proposed the EPA to develop a national recycling plan for mercury containing CFLs. The company produces both incandescent and fluorescent bulbs and, with an eye towards reducing the amount of greenhouse gases generated by the use of incandescent bulbs, is encouraging CFL usage.

The increased usage of CFLs, however, means an increase of mercury into the waste stream. Due to the trend toward CFL usage, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has stated, “the increase in sales of CFLs could increase to 100 million units a year.” (LexisNexis)

In response to complaints that recycling efforts have not kept pace, critics emphasize the danger of mercury in the bulbs. A CFL has about 5 milligrams of mercury -- about one five-hundredth the amount of mercury in an old oral thermometer. A few businesses and localized communities see the benefits of recycling, but in order to eliminate separate mercury releases from human activities, a national recycling program has to be established.

Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) introduced such a proposal on September 29, 2006. H.R. 6261 which would “require EPA and the Department of Transportation to review tracking, storage, and packaging standards of mercury waste, and the recycling of all mercury devices, including light bulbs.” (LexisNexis).

When asked if state regulations such as the New York Mercury-Added Consumer Products Law encourage recycling, Paul Abernathy, director of the ALMR, says that state policies, which are more stringent than the federal policy, are vital. “Only federal legislation that forces the EPA to act will help, and no one knows when or if that will happen, so states are our last hope. The ALMR has targeted 12 states to existing policy states like California or New York to make it clear that dumping is no good and only recycling can assure proper management,” said Abernathy. Furthermore he continued, “Another major factor is enforcement, and we aren't seeing much of that either. A little enforcement with some media attention will help a lot.”

To encourage universal recycling, creating an easy method for people is key. Recycling at work generally involves expending additional time, space, effort, and even money. Low disposal fees leave disposal an inexpensive method.

Creating accessible recycling facilities is as necessary as educating the public on the importance of proper disposal for the welfare of the community. Making products with recycled material slows the depletion of non-renewable resources such as metal, oil and natural gas, and reduces the encroachment of new mining and drilling operations.

Generally, it takes less energy to make products with recycled materials than virgin materials. Using less energy by recycling typically translates to the generation of less pollution, such as in the air, in water, etc. With a rising global population -- forecast to reach 8.2 billion by 2030 from 6.7 billion now -- the generation of waste is increasing rapidly, offering big potential for recycling.

"The scarcity of virgin materials will soon become an issue," Henrik Harjula of the Environment Directorate of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development told a Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference. He continues, "The world's copper resources would last for another 60 years, silver 29 years, zinc 46 years while tin deposits would be exhausted in 40 years," he said.

Nicholas Stern, an author of an influential report on climate change states, "The half a billion or more tons of greenhouse gas emissions that you avoid through recycling has a value of $40 or more per ton." The turnover of the recycling industry, including paper and plastics, per year amounts to around $160 billion and it handles over 600 million tons of raw materials. Thanks to the recycling industry, the world already saves the equivalent of 1.8% of global fossil fuel emissions.” (Reuters)

These conditions do not escape fluorescent bulb recycling, as the individual factors of science, business and government are brought together to benefit the environment and the quality of life for all.

Whether you are an individual, an organization, a business, or a government, there are numerous steps that can be taken to reduce mankind’s carbon footprint. The significance of this must be taken to heart. The first step to solving this problem could be as simple as screwing in a light bulb.

Works Cited
-Abernathy, Paul. E-mail interview. 15 Mar. 2007.
-Neville, Angela “A 360-Degree View of Our Industry.” Environmental Protection, January/February 2007: 20-22.
-Rogers, Wendy. Telephone interview. 12 Feb. 2007.
-Reese Jr., Robert G. “Mercury,” U.S. Geological Survey, 24 Jan. 2007. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/mercury/430498.pdf.
-Reeves, Dawn “GE Pushes for EPA Mercury Plan on Eve of Major Agency Bulb Campaign” Inside EPA. 23 Feb. 2007, http://marywood1.marywood.edu:2092/universe/printdoc.
-Stablum, Anna “Climate Change Spurs Scrap Metal Recycling.” Reuters, 4 Jun. 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0488184720080604.
-Truini, Joe “Lamp Makers Adding Labels.” Waste News, 3 Feb. 2003: 3.
-United States of America, Federal Register, "Hazardous Waste Management System; Modification of the Hazardous Waste Program; Hazardous Waste Lamps; Final Rule Environmental Protection Agency," 6 Jul. 1999: 36467.

Shift Changes To Save Gas

Changes in your employee work schedules can help ease the pain of today’s high gasoline costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Switching to a four day week with 10 hour shifts or to a three or four day week with 12 hour shifts can reduce weekly gas costs by up to 30%.

Recently, using hourly staffing requirements, Shift Schedules created a template to schedule student interns and residents in the Emergency Medicine Department of an internationally renowned hospital in Baltimore. According to the Chief Resident Tina Latimer MD MPH, “Shift Schedules single handedly solved the scheduling problems which have plagued our residency program for years.”

Shift Schedules now offers scheduling templates to help businesses find the exact schedule they need to provide the shift coverage required for their business. The templates fit seamlessly into the Template Scheduling spreadsheets to create employee schedules for up to a year. Outputs include individual schedules, group schedules and a file to import into the Microsoft Outlook Calendar, your PDA or your Smart Phone.

The templates are very popular with businesses and organizations that need to staff their operation 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and also very useful in situations requiring less than 24x7 shift coverage. The template packages include hundreds of schedules that provide the same number of people each day of the week for businesses with constant daily staffing requirements.

Shift Schedules has been creating spreadsheets for scheduling people to daily shifts and tasks since 1998 when it was started to serve the scheduling needs of people in need of simple scheduling tools. It has since grown to provide dozens of unique Excel spreadsheets and scheduling templates.

Market Transformation Taking Place with Free Advanced Energy Design Guide Downloads

Nine million tons of carbon dioxide. $600 million in energy costs.

That’s the potential savings represented by 100,000 copies in the Advanced Energy Design Guide series now in circulation. More than 88,000 of the publications have been obtained via free download since January.

The series includes publications on small retail and small office buildings, K-12 school buildings, and warehouses and self storage units. The books provide guidance on how to achieve 30% energy savings over building code minimum based on ANSI/ASHRAE/ IESNA Standard 90.1-1999.

Calculations show that if every guide downloaded resulted in a single building designed to save 30% beyond code minimum, the estimated energy and carbon savings would be 52 trillion btus and 9 million tons of carbon dioxide. With an average cost of electricity of 5 cents per kwh and gas at $7 per mmbtu, the estimated cost of energy savings is over $600 million.

The guides are developed by ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. The downloads are available at www.ashrae.org/freeaedg.

“ASHRAE is committed to energy optimization and producing guidance that will help move the building industry toward market viable net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings,” ASHRAE President Kent Peterson, P.E., said. “The call for these high performing buildings is transforming our industry, and the guidance in the Advanced Energy Design Guide series is usable technology guidance to help owners, architects and engineers in accomplishing high-performing buildings.”

“This is proof positive that there are substantial economic benefits to green building strategies,” said AIA President Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA. “Hopefully this will help convince skeptics of the value and payback of green building design and that practitioners will take advantage of this excellent resource so that we can move closer to reaching our shared goal of carbon neutral buildings by 2030.”

“IES is pleased to part of the team developing these important guides, whose success demonstrates that collectively the collaborating organizations are raising awareness about how to achieve energy savings and developing a receptive audience for future guidance on net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings,” said Rita M. Harrold, IESNA director of technology.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy, and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Working with ASHRAE, AIA, and IESNA on the Advanced Energy Design Guide series is part of a critical collaborative effort to provide the industry with the tools it needs to make an immediate and measurable impact.”

Upcoming publications in the series include 30% guidance books for highway lodging, existing buildings and small health care facilities.

19th Annual Energy Efficiency Forum Addresses Energy And Climate Change Policies

Sponsored by the U.S. Energy Association and Johnson Controls, Inc., the event took place June 11 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The keynote address was given by U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman who stressed to an audience of energy decision makers that "efficiency does not need to come at the expense of profitability."

The agenda was ushered in with speeches by representatives from both the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns. In his remarks on behalf of Senator John McCain, former Governor of Virginia George Allen said, "What Senator McCain as president would do is propose a national energy strategy that will amount to a declaration of independence from energy insecurity and he'll promote diversification and conservation of our energy resources."

In his comments about the need to change energy production incentives, Executive Director of the National Commission on Energy Policy, and advisor to Senator Barrack Obama's campaign Jason Grumet said, "Senator Obama believes that we have to decouple the profit motives of the energy sector from energy production." Grumet added that Senator Obama also believes that within the next decade new buildings need to be 25% more efficient than they are today, and 50% more efficient by 2030.

Delivering the luncheon keynote address at the Forum was Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman. During his address, he shared excerpts of his latest book for the first time in the U.S. Through the reading he offered strong advice about the serious challenges we face and proposed mobilizing to a "code green." He explained, "What red was to America in the 1950s and 1960s...we need green to be for today's America." Friedman went on to say, "I would be less than truthful, though, if I said that America as it operates today is ready for this mission. We are not."

Immediately following his speech, Friedman lead an engaging panel discussion with Robert K. Watson, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® Green Building Rating System, and David B. Goldstein, co-director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's energy program. Electric Power Research Institute president Steven Specker spoke separately about his organization's focus on research and development on technology, and Brenna Walraven, president of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, discussed the impact of energy legislation on facility owners and operators.

The Forum agenda also paid close attention to youth awareness of energy efficiency, beginning with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's debut of its "Horton Hears a Who" public service announcements aimed at children. Student and teacher winners from the Igniting Creative Energy competition were recognized, along with a group of college students from Carnegie Mellon University who won a national climate change writing competition.

Additionally, the Forum's Energy Leaderships Awards were presented to:
* Andy Karsner, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, for his efforts to advance programs that reduce energy in buildings and vehicles.

* Greg Nickels, Seattle mayor, for his efforts to reduce energy in his own city in addition to his formation of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol through leadership and action. It has been signed by more than 850 mayors across the country.

* Alan Edwards, national energy manager for the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, for his efforts in implementing energy efficiency projects at 96 federal prisons to renew aging prison infrastructure and introduce renewable technologies, resulting in approximately 166 billion Btu in energy savings.

The Forum's mission is to be the premier event that promotes an energy efficiency ethic through the presentation of national and worldwide views on energy efficiency and the resulting impact on the environment, national security and economic growth.

More about the Forum events can be read at www.eeforum.net.

About United States Energy Association
The United States Energy Association is the U.S. Member Committee of the World Energy Council. USEA is an association of public and private energy-related organizations, corporations, and government agencies. It represents the broad interests of the U.S. energy sector by increasing the understanding of energy issues, both domestically and internationally. In conjunction with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Energy, USEA sponsors our nation's Energy Partnership Program. Membership in USEA is open to all organizations having an interest in the energy sector of the United States.

About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers.

U.S. State Department Adds Sustainable Technology

Ambassador Paul E. Simons recently announced that the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile will commission two new sustainable technology additions to the embassy’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

In support of the Santiago embassy's “Sustainability Initiative for the Embassy” the U.S. Department of State Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has installed two new state of the art energy technology systems in the embassy. A third sustainable energy project for the Ambassador’s Residence has been funded and is being designed. It will be installed this summer.

The first of the innovative energy technology systems installed in the building is a dedicated heat recovery chiller. This progressive, environmentally friendly application converts “waste heat” created by the embassy’s lighting, computer and telephone electronic applications into useful energy for hot water needed throughout the building without using any fossil fuels.

The second project is the installation of a modular air cooled chiller for the air conditioning system. These modular chillers have the lowest refrigerant charge per kilowatt available on the world market, reducing potential losses to the atmosphere. The innovative U. S. energy technology chillers were engineered and manufactured by Multistack, LLC, of Sparta, WI.

The third project is engineering design and installation of a solar domestic water heater for the Ambassador’s Residence. This solar water heater will provide the majority of the residence’s domestic hot water needs without the use of gas or electricity for heating the water.

Web Exclusive: Facility Fix with Mike Gardner, Butler University

What is your position? How many years have you been in the facility management profession?
I am the vice president for operations at Butler University in Indianapolis and have been working at the university for more than 18 years. I oversee the facilities operation for the entire campus, including managing a team of 110 maintenance and service workers, as well as overseeing the university police department.

Please give a brief description of the facilities involved in this project.
Butler University provides more than 4,700 students and faculty a world class learning environment. The university occupies more than 30 buildings on the 290 acre campus on the north side of Indianapolis, five miles from downtown Indianapolis in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood.

Why was the decision made to pursue this project?
We implemented two phases of projects, one in 1995 and the other in 2005. In 1995, we were conducting master planning across the university and were very interested in getting a comprehensive assessment of the university’s infrastructure. At the time of the audit, we had a number of issues that had the potential to really give us problems down the road. Future cost avoidance was a major factor in justifying the investment.

Then in 2004, we started experiencing issues with the heating plant. One of our three boilers stopped working and another developed cracks, leaving us with one working boiler and no backup. With the prospect of rising natural gas costs and frequently having to repair the old boilers, it made sense to augment the boiler plant with new high-efficiency equipment.


Please describe the decision making and research process for this project.
To assist in conducting the facilities audit and develop an energy savings proposal for the Board, we sought the help of energy management experts at Honeywell. A proposal for an energy conservation and facilities renewal program was then developed. The energy savings from the $11 million, 10 year program would enable the university to fund the infrastructure upgrades and implement a new energy management system.

What led you to choose the specific solution that you did?
During the first phase of the project, we replaced the university’s pneumatic building controls with a Honeywell energy management system that electronically relayed information back to a main command center. This created efficiencies because the previous systems weren’t linked, making it difficult and time consuming to get a comprehensive picture of energy consumption.

For the second phase of work, Honeywell decentralized much of the university’s heating plant and installed 18 energy efficient, modular hot water boilers across campus. We have also initiated a contract with Honeywell that allows us to tackle small, yet, critical projects that arise between broad energy management programs.


What benefits have you reaped as a result of this project?
Since installing the high efficiency boilers, we’ve cut our fall and spring natural gas consumption by 35%. Over the course of the eight year contract with Honeywell, that’s more than $2.5 million in utility costs. The project is a fantastic success for the university.

What economic benefits have you reaped as a result of this project?
Since completion of the upgrades, the university has saved more than $200,000 annually in energy and maintenance costs.

Did you encounter any unexpected highlights or challenges while implementing this project?
We experienced a challenge with respect to financing of the project. We were on the tail end of financing with the first project, so we needed help from the university's CFO to help us with the financing of the second project.


How did this project require you to change your operations and maintenance practices?
Under the latest contract with Honeywell, a full time service technician is located on campus, helping to manage the high level energy management and temperature control requirements of the university. As a result, my team is able to focus on important day to day tasks that are often neglected.

How have the community and customers responded to this project?
We wanted to make these upgrades as transparent as possible and we've accomplished this task without much problem. With a project like this, it's better that we don't hear anything from the students or staff. Otherwise, it probably means the heat isn't working somewhere on campus.

What was the most professionally rewarding aspect of this project?
It's rewarding to work as a steward of Butler's physical plant and ensure that there is long term reliability of the campus infrastructure. It's satisfying to know we are accomplishing something good for the university, its students, faculty, and staff.






This facility fix column was contributed by former associate editor Jillian Ruffino.

Al Gore's Latest Inconvenient Truth - His Electric Bill!

Al Gore just confirmed that his next high profile award will be "!@#*$!&% of the Century."

Poor Richard


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June 17, 2008
For Further Information, Contact: Adam King, 615.383.6431 adam@tennesseepolicy.org

Energy Guzzled by Al Gore’s Home in Past Year Could Power 232 U.S. Homes for a Month

Gore’s personal electricity consumption up 10%, despite “energy-efficient” home renovations

NASHVILLE - In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President’s home energy use surged more than 10%, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.

“A man’s commitment to his beliefs is best measured by what he does behind the closed doors of his own home,” said Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “Al Gore is a hypocrite and a fraud when it comes to his commitment to the environment, judging by his home energy consumption.”

In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month.

In February 2007, An Inconvenient Truth, a film based on a climate change speech developed by Gore, won an Academy Award for best documentary feature. The next day, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research uncovered that Gore’s Nashville home guzzled 20 times more electricity than the average American household.

After the Tennessee Center for Policy Research exposed Gore’s massive home energy use, the former Vice President scurried to make his home more energy-efficient. Despite adding solar panels, installing a geothermal system, replacing existing light bulbs with more efficient models, and overhauling the home’s windows and ductwork, Gore now consumes more electricity than before the “green” overhaul.

Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month –1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations – at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In the wake of becoming the most well-known global warming alarmist, Gore won an Oscar, a Grammy and the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition, Gore saw his personal wealth increase by an estimated $100 million thanks largely to speaking fees and investments related to global warming hysteria.

“Actions speak louder than words, and Gore’s actions prove that he views climate change not as a serious problem, but as a money-making opportunity,” Johnson said. “Gore is exploiting the public’s concern about the environment to line his pockets and enhance his profile.”

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a Nashville-based free market think tank and watchdog organization, obtained information about Gore’s home energy use through a public records request to the Nashville Electric Service.

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization committed to achieving a freer, more prosperous Tennessee through the ideas of liberty. Visit TCPR online at: http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/.

ASHRAE Leads Briefing on New High Performance Building Report to Congress, Caucus

A new assessment report to the US Congress and a new Congressional caucus, both addressing high-performing buildings, will be unveiled tomorrow at a briefing with ASHRAE as the lead sponsor.

The briefing for Congressional staff takes place from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday in room 2325 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Scheduled to take part are Rep. Judy Bigger (R-IL) and Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO), co-chairs of a newly formed High Performance Building Congressional Caucus.

“Rising energy costs and the increased global awareness of the potential impact of climate change continues to drive home the need for low energy; environmentally responsible, high performance buildings are the future,” Kent Peterson, P.E., ASHRAE president, said. “As such, we need to be more determined to deliver buildings that perform. I am encouraged by the efforts I am seeing in the recommendations contained in this report and formation of the caucus to encourage design, operation and maintenance of high-performance buildings.”

Congress drafted Section 914 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to address not just more energy efficient buildings but rather high performance buildings that combine the objectives of reducing resource energy consumption and improving the comfort and productivity of building occupants. Congress maintains that achieving both these goals would have a positive economic and societal impact.

Former ASHRAE president Bill Coad served as chair of the committee that wrote the soon to be released assessment to the US Congress and the US Department of Energy on high performance buildings. Overseen by the National Institute for Building Sciences, the report contains seven recommendations to assist in encouraging the creation and operation of high performance buildings. Coad is scheduled to speak at the briefing, along with Get Moy, current chair of the High Performance Building Council.

In addition, the recent formation of the High Performance Building Congressional Caucus will be announced. The Caucus was formed in part to address the recommendations outlined in the assessment report. The caucus will work to heighten awareness and inform policymakers about the major impact buildings have on health, safety, and welfare. ASHRAE is one of 14 organizations that form the Caucus.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

"Stars Of Energy Efficiency" Recognized By Alliance To Save Energy

Those chosen this year represent a diverse roster of individuals, companies, and government entities working to advance energy efficiency in noteworthy and creative ways. Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) announced last week the winners: Philips Electronics; Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Jon Wellinghoff; global technology firm United Technologies Corp.; tankless water heater manufacturer Rinnai Corp.; the York County, Va., School Division; furnace fuel combustion innovator Jupiter Oxygen Corp.; and Embraco, a Brazil-based company noted for state-of-the-art, high efficiency refrigeration compressor technology.

“The Alliance to Save Energy commends this year’s stellar lineup of awardees for their significant contributions to energy efficiency,” says Alliance president Kateri Callahan. “Their leadership, innovation, and unflagging dedication truly make them ‘Stars of Energy Efficiency.’ Today’s rising and often record energy costs are squeezing consumer, government, and company budgets alike, making this an ideal time to celebrate those working to advance energy efficiency.”

Philips Electronics was selected based on its 2007 formation and leadership of the Lighting Efficiency Coalition. The Coalition is a collaborative effort by the lighting industry, environmental groups, and legislators to establish new energy efficiency standards for lighting and help phase out less efficient lighting technologies.

Philips spearheaded the efforts of the Lighting Efficiency Coalition to develop and gain enactment of an orderly industry-wide phaseout of inefficient lighting under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. In addition to securing support from other major lighting manufacturers, the group of energy efficiency advocates within the Lighting Efficiency Coalition included the ASE, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, Californians Against Waste, the Earth Day Network, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Developed as an outcome of the Lighting Efficiency Coalition’s successful efforts and signed into law in December 2007, EISA establishes technology-neutral, performance-based lighting efficiency standards as well as government incentives to accelerate the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), light emitting diodes (LEDs), and energy efficient halogen lamps. The coalition projects that the transition to more efficient lighting, in part due to the new EISA standards, will exceed the combined energy and money savings of all 21 federal appliance standards adopted since 2000. By 2020, the improved lighting is expected to lower consumers’ annual electricity bills by more than $13 billion and save more than 140 billion kilowatt hours (kwh) a year.

Another award recipient, Virginia’s York County School Division, has reduced its energy consumption by more than 48 billion Btu since 2004, saving more than $1 million in energy costs. The division’s three-member energy management team has developed and implemented an aggressive two-pronged approach for reducing pollution and energy waste. The division began by implementing energy saving and sustainable building design practices such as energy efficient T8 and T5 lighting that has reduced costs by nearly 40%; energy recovery units that drastically reduce the amount of energy needed to condition fresh air entering the building; and classroom, office, cafeteria, and gymnasium occupancy sensors that automatically turn off lights when areas are unoccupied and, in most schools, shift heating and cooling set points.

To read about all the winners' contributions to energy efficiency, visit the ASE Web site. All awards will be presented at the 16th annual Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner on Thursday, September 25, at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

EPA Recognizes Combined Heat And Power

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week recognized three Energy Star Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Awards winners for using CHP to reduce their energy use by more than 18%. CHP (also referred to as cogeneration) is an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. By installing a CHP system, a facility can increase operational efficiency and decrease energy costs, while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Those facilities receiving the award included:
Calpine Columbia Energy Center (Gaston, SC) for its combustion turbine-based CHP system that produces up to 500 MW of electricity and one million pounds of steam per hour. The local utility grid receives all of the generated electricity while an adjacent manufacturing plant productively uses the steam. The CHP system requires 30% less fuel than typical alternatives.

University of New Mexico CHP Project (Albuquerque, NM) for its natural gas-fired CHP system at the Ford Utilities Center. Part of a major energy infrastructure upgrade project, the CHP system supplies the campus with roughly one-third of its total electricity demand and produces steam to help meet the space heating, space cooling, and domestic hot water production needs of more than 25,000 students, staff, and faculty. With an operating efficiency of almost 65%, the CHP system requires 20% less fuel than typical alternatives.

Verizon Garden City Fuel Cell Project (Garden City, NY) for its fuel cell CHP system. Located at a Verizon call routing center, the CHP system is the largest U.S. commercial fuel cell installation of its kind. Hot water that would otherwise be wasted is recovered and used for the space cooling and heating of an office building that serves more than 35,000 telecommunication customers. With an operating efficiency of almost 60%, the CHP system requires 25% less fuel than typical alternatives.

About EPA's Combined Heat and Power Partnership
Since 1999, EPA has given the Energy Star CHP Award to recognize organizations and institutions that install exceptionally efficient CHP systems. EPA's CHP Partnership seeks to reduce the environmental impact of power generation. EPA works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to support the development of new projects that have significant energy, environmental, and economic benefits. The program plays a role in efforts to achieve a collaborative, public-private goal of doubling the capacity of CHP in the United States to 92 gigawatts (GW) by 2010.

Can You See The Light?

As American consumers and businesses struggle with the myriad of light bulb choices available to achieve energy efficiency and other objectives, Lutron Electronics Co. Inc., has created an easy-to-read website designed to answer the basic question, "What is the best light bulb for me?"

The new site www.lutron.com/bulbs compares standard-socket (E26) incandescent, screw-in compact fluorescent (CFL), and halogen bulbs. The bulbs are evaluated in a variety of categories, including efficiency, price, performance, controllability, and quality of light.

According to the site:

• Incandescent bulbs provide rich, warm light quality, excellent color rendering, and controllability, but are the least efficient.
• Screw-in CFL bulbs are generally the most energy-efficient and have the longest life. However, they provide the least pleasing light quality, do not start up instantly, sometimes flicker, and are not disposable due to their mercury content. Additionally, they are not dimmable with a high degree of quality or reliability.
• Halogen bulbs, an efficient variety of incandescent lighting, are up to 30% more efficient than incandescent bulbs. When dimmed by just 30%, they offer the benefits of CFL and standard incandescent bulbs without any of the drawbacks.
  

"With all the various light bulbs available today, selecting the right one for your needs can be very confusing. That's why we developed this website. It helps people choose the best bulb for their needs," said Michael Jouaneh, marketing manager for Lutron. "For instance, if energy conservation, bulb life and light quality are important to you, then a good choice is a halogen bulb with a Lutron dimmer. You'll get the energy efficiency and long life of a CFL bulb with the preferred light quality of an incandescent bulb—without any of the drawbacks of either of them."

A Call to Arms - Let the Digging Begin!

If you're beginning to ponder your 2009 facility budgets and if you're worried about how you're going to fund significant cost increases from electricity to toilet paper, perhaps you'll consider signing a petition asking those responsible for the nation's "energy policy" (i.e. the US Congress) that we, the people, (you know, the folks they're supposed to represent) are asking, NO - WE'RE NOW DEMANDING that oil companies be allowed to produce more oil and natural gas from North American sources.

What -- did Poor Richard say North America? How can this be possible?

On a planet that's 8,000 miles in diameter, do you really believe that the ONLY oil and natural gas reserves are under that tiny patch of desert in the Middle East? Puh-lease....

Look, our facilities budgets are becoming "victims" of US energy policy! If you think your facility is not being victimized because you have a fleet of hybrid cars or solar panels on the roof -- think again. What about every product and service your facility will purchase over the next 12 months? It's time to wake up and recognize that energy is a component of EVERYTHING - EVERYTHING. Facility managers everywhere should send a message to the pin heads in Washington who are driving up the expenses in our buildings and our vehicle fleets!

THIS IS A CALL TO ARMS !

By the way, I hope you don't have misguided anger or resentment toward the oil companies. If you do, please answer this question: If asinine government policies forced YOUR organization's product or service to have limited supplies combined with steady and growing international demand - would YOUR stockholders refuse the profits? Would you give back the bonus awarded to the facilities department? Would your organization consider a 5 - 10% profit margin to be obscene?

Last point -- we need to remember that crude oil and natural gas are renewable resources that are also 100% organic & all natural. Tell that to the next hippie burnout that complains about the styrofoam coffee cups in your break room. Watch his eyes get wide as his brain struggles to comprehend what you've just said.

This is a call to arms! We're getting ripped off by OUR government, not the oil companies. Write to your elected representatives and to learn more about the petition, go to:

http://www.americansolutions.com/

Poor Richard

Disgruntled FM, Taxpayer and Voter

Johnson Controls 1895 Energy Control System Named ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark

At an event celebrating more than a century of ingenuity and innovation, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) announced its designation of the Johnson Controls, Inc. automatic temperature control system as a historic mechanical engineering landmark. The invention of the first reliable and economical multi-zone temperature control system in 1895 by Johnson Controls founder Warren S. Johnson led to massive growth at the company and helped launch the modern building controls industry. S. Allan Johnson, great- grandson of the inventor, attended the event, along with more than 200 Johnson Controls employees, retirees and customers.

“ASME is pleased to honor an invention that changed the world in the late 1800s and which still helps companies and organizations keep their buildings comfortable and energy-efficient more than 100 years later,” said J. Lawrence Lee, Ph.D., P.E., chair of the ASME History & Heritage Committee.

Johnson Controls has grown to become the largest public corporation headquartered in Wisconsin. The company continues to globally lead the building controls and HVAC equipment industry, though it long ago diversified into the automotive industry through its automotive experience (seats and interior systems) and power solutions (automotive batteries) divisions.

"Milwaukee is proud to be the home of Johnson Controls, a global leader in the field of environmental technology for over 100 years," said Richard “Rocky” Marcoux, commissioner of the City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, speaking for Mayor Tom Barrett. "Johnson Controls provided some of the first 'green collar' jobs by helping businesses and homes save energy, which contributes to a cleaner environment. I fully expect Johnson Controls will continue to bring its ingenuity and innovation to environments around the world for future generations," he noted.

“The technology of the 1890s has come a long way since they had to bang on the pipes to alert custodial staff that it was too hot or too cold. Professor Johnson’s invention has evolved into the modern controls industry, including refrigeration, fire and security systems for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings,” said C. David Myers, president, building efficiency, Johnson Controls. “Our employees worldwide share my pride in accepting this honor.”

The event featured the unveiling of a bronze landmark plaque that is being mounted on the Johnson Controls building efficiency headquarters, the Brengel Technology Center at 507 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee. The facility, one of the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)-certified in the world, now also includes a showcase of actual components from an 1895-era Johnson Controls system.

The ASME historic landmark designation is the eighth in Wisconsin and one of about 250 landmarks recognized worldwide. Other ASME Wisconsin landmarks include Milwaukee’s East Wells Street Power Plant (1918) next to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater; the Port Washington Power Plant (1935), the world's most thermally efficient steam plant for many years; the Appleton Vulcan Street Power Plant (1882), the first Edison hydroelectric central station; and the Evinrude Outboard Motor (1909), also developed in Milwaukee.