Major professional services company to upgrade its New York headquarters

Ernst & Young, one of the country's leading professional services companies, has announced the company will be renovating its New York City headquarters in an attempt to earn the building an Energy Star rating.

The renovations will include a massive overhaul of the building's lighting system which will incorporate LED light bulbs throughout the 32 story tower.

The overhaul will be administered by Phillips Lightolier Energy Services, an power usage reduction solutions company, and lighting design firm One Lux Studios.

In a press statement released today by Ernst & Young, officials stated that the redesign will save Ernst & Young more than $1 million a year in electric bills, as well as help to reduce the building's carbon emissions by nearly two million pounds annually.

"Over the past few years we have been able to reduce our carbon footprint from energy. This new lighting system will add an even greater reduction. Five Times Square is seeking an Energy Star rating, and the lighting work will be a large part of our application," said Brent Summers, Director, Americas Enterprise Support Services, a subsidiary of Ernst & Young in the press release.

Currently, more than 5,500 people work in the company's Times Square office building, which was constructed in 2002.
In order to qualify for an Energy Star rating, Ernst & Young will use this lighting upgrade to reduce total electric consumption by roughly 54 percent according to the press release.

Business or home owners who would like to qualify their property for an Energy Star rating can do so by making similar upgrades to those being implemented at Ernst & Young. An energy audit from a commercial or home inspector can highlight other ways for a property to meet Energy Star specifications.

Mold outbreak threatens health of Florida law enforcement

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) employees are no strangers to taking risks on the field to get their jobs done. However, as toxic black mold threatens their office, FDLE workers are facing a whole new threat to their well being.

ABC Action News of Tampa reports that some employees are so worried about exposure to toxic black mold in their building that they now wear face masks to work in an attempt to combat potential illness.

The 19-year old building, which is occupied by more than 150 employees, has been privy to leaks in the ceiling caused by damage from several tropical storms since its construction.

In early 2011, the state approved funding for the renovation of the facility's roof, but due to bad weather and issues with the building's structural integrity, work on the office was put on hold.

Following a large flood in June, a visible mold outbreak became apparent, causing concern among workers using the facility.

Employees told the news source that after the removal of skylights in June as part of the roof's reconstruction, a 50-foot long strand of mold was visible along the vents in one of the office stairways.

The station reports that at least five employees were seen wearing face masks when they entered the building on July 20.

Officials from the FDLE told ABC that although mold remediation has been conducted to rid the building of potential toxic hazards, no air quality tests have taken place in the facility since 2008.

Though in this case toxic mold was visibly apparent, often the problem is hiding behind walls and waiting to reveal itself. Businesses or homeowners should seek a home inspection from a qualified contractor to determine if their property is at risk of a potential outbreak. 

National competition seeks winner with most energy efficient improvements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  launched their third annual Energy Star National Building Competition (NBC) on Wednesday, marking the biggest year yet for the green initiative.

The NBC is aimed at honoring an existing structure that has made the most energy efficient improvements to its design over the span of almost a year.

More than 3,200 buildings will be participating in this year's competition, the largest number of applicants yet to take partake in the initiative.

In 2010, the first year of the competition, only 14 buildings from across the nation had submitted to the months-long evaluation process, which monitors energy efficient upgrades to over 30 different types of commercial structures.

For the second year of the NBC, the number of applicants grew to 245 for the 2011 competition. This year the trend continued, and includes buildings in all 50 states, as well as Washington D.C. and U.S. territories like Puerto Rico.

"We wish the best to the thousands of teams competing, but we know the big winners will be the American people, who will benefit from the innovative ideas that emerge from the competition," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in a press release.

The winner of last year's competition was the University of Florida, which reduced the energy consumption in a parking garage on its campus by more than 63 percent during the year-long span.

Though the deadline for submissions to this year's competition has come and gone, the chance to improve the energy efficiency in your commercial space is always there. By getting a home inspection and an energy audit, you can help the EPA in its goal to reduce the nation's power consumption. 

Giraffe House re-illuminated at the Maryland Zoo with LED lighting system

Officials at the Maryland Zoo are looking at a brighter future for their Giraffe House exhibit now that it has been retrofitted with a new, energy efficient LED lighting system.

The lighting overhaul was funded through a partnership with local media outlet WJZ, CBS EcoMedia and Baltimore-based Elephant Insurance, CBS Baltimore reports.

The zoo is the third oldest in the country according to the National Association of Zoo's and Aquariums, having been opened in 1876, and has seen numerous renovations in its over 200 year history. The Giraffe House, however, which was built in 1966, has not seen a renovation of this scale since its construction.

"The [new LED system] changes the whole lighting in this barn. It benefits the animals, the visitors and particularly benefits the keepers who take care of the animals. It’s a nice initiative, a nice grant for us to receive and it’s a good partnership," said Maryland Zoo CEO Don Huthinson in the story.

The source reported that the zoo invested more than $150,000 into the Giraffe House annually, and that the use of energy efficient lighting will help the zoo lower habitat costs in the long run.

The zoo had faced financial setbacks in 2008, when it was forced to cut several programs, including its lizard exhibits, and reduce its animal collection by lending out some of the zoo's most prized creatures in order to stay in the black financially. WBAL TV, a local NBC affiliate, reported that the zoo was able to rebuild its reputation and recently announced plans to further expand facilities.

Maryland Zoo management predicted the upgrades to the facilities will save the zoo 2191 KWh of electricity, as well as reduce Co2 emissions by more than 17,000 lbs in the first year.

LED lighting can be used to save money in many different environments. To take advantage of the cost-cutting benefits of installing LEDs in your house, as well as explore other ways to lower your monthly utility bills, contact a home inspector for an energy audit of your property. 

Maryland apartment building wins award for energy efficiency

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced this morning the recipient of a coveted honor recognizing excellence in environmentally-friendly design.

The USGBC National Capital Region (NCR) 2012 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Project of the Year designation was awarded to a Blair Towns, aproject that has helped to revitalize downtown Silver Springs, Maryland.

Constructed just outside of Washington D.C. in 2004, Blair Towns was designated the first LEED Certified multi-family residential project in the country.{I would try switching some of this information around to make it more concise within a single paragraph}

The residence complex continued to receive plaudits after its construction, including its designation the first LEED Platinum residential development in 2011.  Blair Towns received the award following a 2009 transportation study that showed residents of the tower were 75 percent more prone to opt out of using their car in their daily commute compared to others in the city.

"The 2012 Awards of Excellence judges consistently cited the complexity of achieving LEED EBOM Platinum in a residential setting, and being the first to do so since no adaptation existed," said Emily Zimmerman, Executive Director, USGBC NCR, in a press release, adding that the USGBC is, "pleased to give this year's award to a project and company that continues to test the bounds of what's possible."

Blair Towns is part of a larger urban-campus known as The Blairs, which was developed by Tower Companies as an energy efficient live-work-play infill project to revitalize downtown Silver Springs, according to the press release. The Blair Towns portion of the project includes 78 multi-family units in a low-rise structure.

Maryland residents don't need to look toward newly-constructed developments like Blair Towns to reap the benefits of an energy efficient lifestyle. A home inspection and energy audit for older properties can highlight ways to weatherproof and conserve energy in a home, and can even potentially tell a homeowner how they can successfully seek an LEED certification.

Federal government pledges millions for energy efficiency upgrades at transit hubs

On Monday, federal transportation officials announced that they would be pledging $787 million to update power resources at transit depots across the country.

The money will be dispersed across 48 states along with Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico in an attempt to not only reduce energy consumption at mass transit centers but to create jobs as part of President Barack Obama's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

"For millions of Americans, these investments mean that they may more reliably and safely get to work to earn a paycheck or get to daycare to pick up their children on time, or simply have new choices to enjoy the communities in which they live," said Federal Transportation Administrator Peter Ragoff in a press release.

The project includes the allocation of $40 million to the state of Maryland to rebuild the 65 year-old Kirk Division Bus Depot in downtown Baltimore. The new project would feature two brand new energy efficient buildings that will house new, cleaner running buses, as well as reduce operating costs such as electric, water and heating bills.

Another $1.65 million will be given to the Maryland Department of Transportation to make energy efficient upgrades to the Cherry Hill Transportation Hub, providing upgrades like improved weatherstripping measures.

Maryland has seen an influx of new green initiatives, as numerous programs have been enacted or announced that will overhaul commercial and residential development throughout the state. This includes a recent announcement by the Baltimore Convention Center that they will be pledging $10 million to remodel the facilities in an attempt to reduce the centers operating costs.

For Marylanders who want to take advantage of energy efficient practices to lower their energy bills, an energy audit from a home or commercial inspector can help identify measures to lower overall power consumption.  

Study shows energy efficient homes more profitable for sellers

By making your house more energy efficient before selling, you're probably making it more valuable in the long run, a new study purports.

Homes sold between 2007 and 2012 in California were, on average, 9 percent more valuable if they had energy efficient features compared to similar homes in the area, according to the report released July, 23.

The study was conducted researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). They monitored the sale of more than 1.6 million homes over the five year period, developing an analytical approach that eliminated other factors like demand, local crime rates and school program quality, to measure how environmental impact factored into property values.

According to the report, a home with an Energy Star or an LEED certification, which grade a house on how well it conserves energy, sold at markedly higher prices than homes that didn't have the designation.

"This is the first systematic evidence of the financial value of green label homes as measured in the marketplace," said Nils Kok, a visiting professor at UCLA who participated in the research said in an interview.

The authors of the study found that buyers who purchased energy efficient homes were more likely to employ energy efficient methods in other areas of their day-to-day life by doing things like buying hybrid cars.

The main factor homebuyers alluded to when discussing the purchase of an energy efficient home was the potential savings that they could accrue from lowered monthly bills.

Homeowners currently hoping to make a profit off of the sale of their current residence should seek an energy audit from a home inspection contractor to determine what ways they can improve their home's energy efficiency.

New nationwide initiative expands to help rural residents lower energy costs

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Tuesday that they would be enacting nationally a program that has previously helped rural South Carolina farmers improve their energy efficiency.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack pledged that the government will put $250 million into a new program that offer loans to rural farms and communities in order to make energy efficient upgrades to their properties.

The recipients of the USDA loans would then be able to repay the government over time through the money saved on their energy bills, eventually reaping more savings in the long run after the loans are paid off.

The USDA program is modelled after a state-run initiative in South Carolina that provided the same terms to its rural population in an attempt to lessen the state's impact on the national grid. The program helped over 25 homes through the state-sponsored Black River Electric Cooperative, which provided new insulation along with other energy efficient features to lower income residents.

"Most people don't have the money to just go out and put new insulation on their homes. If money's tight, that's not one of those things you're just going to go out and do," said Sherri Woodward, a spokeswoman for Black River, told the Associated Press.

The proposed plan calls for energy audits from certified home inspectors to determine if potential candidates would benefit from the energy upgrades and save enough to repay their loans without increasing their current bills.

For homeowners at any income level, a home inspection is the first step they should take to determine which ways they can practice better energy efficiency to lower their monthly bills.

California offers solution to large monthly bills through energy efficiency

Officials in California outlined a potential plan on Tuesday that would promote energy efficiency in houses throughout the state by making it easier for homeowners to work with banks and the state government to meet their power needs.

The California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) is a state run initiative that aims to bring down energy bills for cash strapped homeowners by implementing more green technology in homes and businesses by researching executable alternatives to current consumer practices.

The group released a report that proposed more collaboration between banks, state government and energy companies to make energy efficiency more attractive to homeowners.

The report alludes to the fact that in 2011, one in every three homeowners in the state were underwater with their mortgages, meaning they owed more in loans than their home was actually worth.

As a solution, CalCEF Entrepreneur-in-Residence Lori Bamberger said in the report, "By coupling the worlds of borrower protection and energy efficiency, we can protect homeowners from the unforeseen surprise of high energy bills and ultimately stabilize loan portfolios, improve home values and meet our climate targets."

Steps proposed by CalCEF include improving the marketing and sales aspects of the homebuying process. The report proposes that sellers educate buyers about the current energy efficiency of the property. Another component of the plan involves both government agencies and financial institutions creating incentives for prospective homebuyers to make environmentally-friendly upgrades.

The authors of the report hope that, by implementing their proposed policies, California can be a model for energy efficiency nationwide, as homeowners throughout the country struggle to pay their monthly bills.

No matter what state they reside in, a household can work to lower their monthly energy costs by taking advantage of a home inspection or an energy audit to help them develop a plan of action to make their home more environmentally-friendly. 

Energy efficiency overhaul planned for Baltimore Convention Center

The Baltimore Convention Center (BCC) is taking energy efficiency to task by implementing a $10 million overhaul of its existing facility. The BCC hopes to save $18 million over the next 15 years through the power-saving upgrades.

Through an energy performance contract (EPC) with Constellation Energy, one of Maryland's largest energy providers, the project will aim to conserve 100 million gallons of water over the same period, along with efforts to offset 6,058 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

“The Convention Center project is another step in our efforts to reduce Baltimore City government’s electric power use by 20 percent by 2015,” said Theodore Atwood, director of the Baltimore City Department of General Services in a press release.

Constellation plans to undertake numerous upgrades for the BCC, which will make it one of the most energy efficient convention centers in the country, according to a July 16 report from the Baltimore Sun.

The upgrades planned for the BCC include replacing current lighting fixtures with LED powered models, repairing  the existing HVAC system, improving weatherstripping on the structure and installing low-flow plumbing in the center's bathrooms. Constellation also intends to put in place a "cool roof" to reflect heat off of the building.

The BCC recently hosted the Affordable Comfort, Inc. (ACI) Home Performance Conference in March, which touted new technologies that are used  in making a house more environmentally friendly.

For Maryland residents looking to lessen their home's impact on the environment and do their part in helping the state reach its energy goals, seek an energy audit from a home inspector to learn more about power efficiency methods.