Zero energy is big plus in home building

A leading expert on green building says more homes are being designed to use less energy, a trend that will help reduce our dependence on oil and gas.

Buildings are responsible for about 48% of all carbon emissions, so more zero-energy houses would have a huge positive impact on the environment, David Johnston, said.

There's more in this USA Today story.

Going for a deeper shade of green

Simple weatherization programs are nice, but the biggest bang for the buck comes from a more comprehensive approach, according to a study by the UCLA Labor Center.

The group calls for a "deep green" approach to energy efficiency, which includes a whole-house approach. It includes an energy audit that could lead to a full scope of improvements and upgrades in older and poor neighborhoods where cutting power bills would generate meaningful money savings and create a wider variety of jobs.

A broader approach would create work for electricians, plumbers, architects, and contractors - way beyond the $15 or so average wage of a weatherization worker, the report says. With some construction trades devastated and unable to find work in this economy, the "deep green" approach could be a lifesaver, the report states.

There also is a huge pool of opportunity. In Los Angeles, for example, 90% of all residential and 77% of all commercial properties were built before 1978, and would likely benefit from upgrades, according to the study.

Here at the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, we are all over energy retrofits. We are working with 36 cities and three counties to upgrade lighting, air conditioning systems, and expect to expand into residential and commercial properties as well.

REC Solar--New Chapter Sponsor!

Many thanks to Kevin Scheidt and Nicole Leisle from REC Solar for their SILVER SPONSORSHIP!

*REC Solar has also sponsored events in FY2009-10 in Kern and TK Branches, and we thank them for their continued commitment to the USGBC Central California Chapter. Kevin Scheidt serves the USGBC CC as an Director on the Chapter board, and we appreciate his dedication to and belief in the mission of the organization. Thank you.

Biomimicry Challenge: IDEO Taps Octopi and Flamingos to Reorganize the USGBC

A few months ago, the Chapter Department at USGBC submitted a challenge to Fast Company magazine as part of their “What would you ask Nature?” Biomimicry Challenge. The challenge was to look at USGBC’s chapter network and find ways to be more resilient and organic in the way we organize, communicate and work on initiatives. IDEO and the Biomimicry Guild (for free) took up the challenge and interviewed a small group of national staff (Amy King, Margo Street, Elizabeth Frisch and Lisa Whited) and chapter leaders (Dan Geiger, Stace McGee, Kathy Zarsky and Prudence Ferriera).

Fast Company and Designers Accord wanted to use the challenge as a REAL-WORLD BIOMIMICRY CHARRETTE to start a larger conversation between biologists, designers and businesses about the potential of using nature-inspired design to solve technological, product and organizational challenges. It is a Design Workshop asking What If? How? The “solutions” are more metaphor and inspiration at this point than anything tangible to implement. However, for me they represent the possibility to apply design thinking to our chapter organization and become beautiful, elegant and simple.

Enjoy the article and please share any insights it might inspire with me.

Thank You,

Richard Graves

Vice President of Community
US Green Building Council

TO READ THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE

Residential Retrofit Forum

SAVE THE DATE:

JUNE 2, 2010

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGION

HOME STAR RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT FORUM

$600 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR CA HOME ENERGY UPGRADES

The Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County and Southern California Edison, in conjunction with the California Energy Commission, invite you to attend a San Joaquin Valley regional action clinic to implement the HOME STAR Residential Retrofit Program. The HOME STAR Residential Retrofit Program, often called “Cash for Caulkers,” will provide

financial incentives for residential energy efficiency measures, in conjunction with utilities and local government programs. California is expected to receive about $600 million in

homeowner incentives, and the San Joaquin Valley needs to be ready to implement this important plan.

This no-cost event will be held:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2010

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON AGTAC

4175 SOUTH LASPINA ST. TULARE, CA

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROVIDED

This workshop will provide contractors with an opportunity to learn about the upcoming home energy retrofit program and efficiency measures, and the accreditation and training programs

available to them. Contractors will need BPI certification in order to take advantage of the program.

This event will also offer to community colleges and workforce investment boards critical networking opportunities to share information on current and potential policies and programs

within their organizations.

To RSVP for this important no-cost event, call 559.625.7126 or toll-free at 800.772.4822

Announcing a USGBC Interview with CABSC Executive Director, Dave Walls

The USGBC made significant strides in moving our mission forward in the context of the excitement around the release of multiple green building codes and standards [see USGBC’s March press release on IGCC-189.1] Our collective work to bring about an age where green building is becoming such common parlance that we’re now putting it into the building codes of the nation’s most populous state is clearly a metric for success as we continue to drive the market, the industry, and our communities towards sustainability. We know that you agree that better, safer, healthier, greener building codes are fundamentally important for the advancement of our mission. We are very pleased to announce the release of an interview with California Building Standards Commission Executive Director, Dave Walls. Based on our work with all 8 chapters in California, we believe that this will provide clarity and uniformity of message and position on what this new addition to Title 24 means for California, and to the building industry.

For the complete interview with CABSC Executive Director, Dave Walls CLICK HERE