Energy Exchange

This year’s Greenbuild works to make sustainable buildings accessible to everyone

By Ellen Bell / Published: October 25, 2018

This is my fifth year attending Greenbuild and I am excited that my hometown of Chicago will again host the green building conference. I have come to appreciate the educational value and community that Greenbuild provides more and more each year, and I’m delighted Chicago will get to add to the tradition once more.

Greenbuild’s theme this year, Humans by Nature: The Intersection of Humanity & the Built Environment, covers a wide array of topics that define how we relate to the world we live in. One of these topics is enhancing building efficiency and performance, an ongoing mission that is at the very core of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Greenbuild.

Moreover, the mission statement highlights the importance of making sustainable buildings and environments accessible to everyone. As one of the founding cities of the BIT Building energy efficiency program, Chicago reflects these ideals, and the BIT Building program is a clear example of accessibility in action.

Also posted in Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, Illinois / Comments are closed

New EPA data confirms methane emissions not declining fast enough

By David Lyon / Published: October 23, 2018

Last week EPA released its annual data from large emitters, called the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). It is not a comprehensive account of all methane emissions (for that, check out our methane synthesis paper published earlier this year) but it does provided us with an important snapshot of 2017 oil and gas methane emissions.

Also posted in California, Colorado, Methane, Natural Gas, Texas, Wyoming / Tagged New Mexico, Pennsylvania | Comments are closed

New York’s broken transit system is barrier to achieving ambitious climate goals

By Andy Darrell / Published: October 18, 2018

A version of this piece originally ran on City and State New York.

New York City’s mass transit system – the foundation of the city’s density, dynamism and environmental efficiency – is in a state of emergency, putting climate goals and the health of New Yorkers at risk. Congestion pricing can help.

Also posted in Clean Energy, Congestion pricing, New York / Comments are closed

California’s move to cut utility gas leaks is a critical part of moving towards a low carbon future

By Tim O'Connor / Published: October 10, 2018

As shown by the recent special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, emissions from fossil fuel combustion in California and elsewhere present dire consequences for the planet. This means California, like the rest of the world, must take real steps now to shift toward a low carbon future.

Similar to many other developed economies, California has a vast oil and gas delivery infrastructure that is integrated into its modern way of life – a system that supports the combustion of fossil fuels in nearly every corner of society. As a result, making dramatic shifts toward a carbon neutral economy as envisioned in a recent executive order by Governor Brown will take a lot of investment. While this investment is underway, it’s appropriate to also make sure the system that delivers energy to homes and businesses is as environmentally benign as possible.

Also posted in Aliso Canyon, California, Gas to Clean, General, Methane, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

This Energy Efficiency Day, manufacturing has its moment

By EDF Blogs / Published: October 2, 2018

By: Caroline Heilbrun, EDF+Biz intern

Have you ever thought about how much energy it takes to manufacture the products you use every day?

While our nation’s refineries, factories, and plants produce some of the world’s highest quality products, the energy at work in our industrial manufacturing facilities is extremely intensive. This is due, in large part, to the inefficiencies inherent in the manufacturing process. The sparks flying from giant robotic arms along the assembly line? That is heat lost to friction. Those harmful chemicals spewing from smokestacks? They represent unused inputs. At every step of the supply chain, there is opportunity to cut waste.

On Energy Efficiency Day, October 5, we should consider the myriad benefits of acting upon those opportunities. Efficiency cost savings for the manufacturer can translate into cost savings for the consumer, higher quality products, and healthier air for people who live and work nearby. Plus, less electricity consumption means less stress on the electric grid.

Also posted in Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, Jobs, Ohio / Comments are closed

State leaders concerned about safety of reusing oil and gas wastewater

By Nichole Saunders / Published: August 30, 2018

Regulators from across the country met in Vermont this week at the Environmental Council of the State’s (ECOS) fall meeting to discuss some of the nation’s most pressing environmental challenges. I joined members of ECOS’ Shale Gas Caucus to discuss an emerging threat imminently impacting oil and gas-producing states: the question of what to do with the massive amount of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry each year.

Also posted in California, Colorado, General, Natural Gas, Ohio, produced water, Texas, Wyoming / Tagged New Mexico, Pennsylvania, produced water, Water | Comments are closed