Regional Energy News

CCLF seeks a full-time Director of Technical Assistance & Sustainability to manage all aspects of the technical assistance (TA), sustainability and good design programs. The director will also manage social impact measurement. This newly created position will work closely with our TA, lending and external relations teams to maintain and increase CCLF’s high level of customer service by improving and expanding the TA, sustainability and good design programs. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to community redevelopment, poverty alleviation and social and economic justice.

For more information please visit the careers section of CCLF:

http://cclfchicago.org/about-us/careers.

A Full job description can also be downloaded here (.pdf)

CCLF seeks to hire a full-time Director of Technical Assistance & Sustainability

With 500 members in 42 states and 11 countries, the Eco-Dentistry Association has launched a certification program for green dental practices and named its two inaugural recipients.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/lGjoRbrp184/eco-dentistry-gro...

In the midst of a gold rush of clean technologies, some observers believe we're still years from making a dent in the national carbon footprint. But these three shovel-ready technologies show a low-carbon future is already within sight.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/B4Tdxe0Kbv4/three-simple-chec...

"Chicago’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2000", copyright CNT, 2010.

When CNT set out to inventory Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions, our goal was to give the Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Change the information it needed to better understand where Chicago’s emissions come from and to establish a baseline for comparison in future years. In addition to that, we created a portfolio of emissions reductions measures to better understand the scale and scope of actions that needed to be taken to meet the city’s emissions reduction targets.

Beyond the City-commissioned research, our broader goal is to make our climate change analysis transparent and available for cities around the world to take action on reducing their impact on climate change. Soon this research will be available in the Journal of Great Lakes Research and it is our belief that the valuable information in this peer-reviewed, scientific journal can serve as a useful tool for cities to use a model.

The forthcoming article, “Greenhouse gas emissions in Chicago: Emissions inventories and reduction strategies for Chicago and its metropolitan region”, summarizes the research methods and results CNT used to develop Chicago’s greenhouse gas inventory for the Chicago Climate Action Plan. The paper also describes the portfolio of mitigation strategies CNT investigated for reducing Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions and meeting its target of emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.

Our analysis of climate change mitigation strategies was designed to address two key questions for Chicago:

1. What are the most promising strategies for substantially reducing Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions?
2. What scale of deployment of these strategies is necessary to achieve the goal of 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2020?

CNT answered these questions by researching and developing a portfolio of 33 emissions reduction strategies tailored to Chicago. The Chicago Climate Task Force used this portfolio to select the final mitigation strategies and implementation scale for the Chicago Climate Action Plan.

With the subsequent publication of the Chicago Climate Action Plan and the ongoing efforts of the City of Chicago and many others to implement real-world emissions reductions, the details of the projects and programs has changed to adapt to the realities of program execution. Moreover, the exact greenhouse gas reduction impact of any program will depend on hundreds of small details—from participation rates to weather.

Accordingly, CNT encourages cities to use this research into the potential greenhouse gas reduction benefits of programs as a guide to compare programs and a reference as to the scale of impact, but our research findings are not the same as measured results from a specific program.

As useful as it is to estimate potential program impacts in the planning phase, nothing compares to strong program evaluation that tracks real-world results on the ground. In the end, an inventory of all emissions generated by a community will be the real measure of whether a city is meeting its emissions reduction goal. CNT looks forward to continuing to assist cities as they take climate action to help them achieve real emissions reductions that create benefits for the residents and businesses in their communities.

CNT’s version of McGraw, J., et al., “Greenhouse gas emissions in Chicago: Emissions inventories and reduction strategies for Chicago and its metropolitan region”, J Great Lakes Res (2009), doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2009.11.010, is available from our website here or by purchasing the published copy from the Journal of Great Lakes here.

Source:  Center for Neighborhood Technology Read full article at:  http://www.cnt.org/news/2010/03/05/beyond-the-inventory-communicating-greenhouse...

Recovery Act funding hasn't been squandered, it just hasn't been spent yet. While it's understandable to be disappointed about how long it's taken to get things in gear, there's no reason to overreact and attack the program now that most of the growing pains are behind us.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/7xKoB7j53H0/dont-sweat-trickl...

Balfour Beatty is working Travis Air Force Base in a pilot project to reduce energy use and change consumption habits of base residents using smart grid technology, as part of the U.S. Defense Department's growing effort to reduce its environmental bootprint.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/4qjGfgHpIZI/air-force-musters...

Balfour Beatty is working Travis Air Force Base in a pilot project to reduce energy use and change consumption habits of base residents using smart grid technology, as part of the U.S. Defense Department's growing effort to reduce its environmental bootprint.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/4qjGfgHpIZI/air-force-musters...

Balfour Beatty is working Travis Air Force Base in a pilot project to reduce energy use and change consumption habits of base residents using smart grid technology, as part of the U.S. Defense Department's growing effort to reduce its environmental bootprint.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/4qjGfgHpIZI/air-force-musters...

Walls six inches thick, a trellised outdoor dining area, prismatic skylights, high-efficiency lighting and cooling are among the eco-friendly features of the first 7-Eleven to be designed to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/uFCKskh_tLA/7-eleven-opens-fi...

Walls six inches thick, a trellised outdoor dining area, prismatic skylights, high-efficiency lighting and cooling are among the eco-friendly features of the first 7-Eleven to be designed to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/uFCKskh_tLA/7-eleven-opens-fi...

Walls six inches thick, a trellised outdoor dining area, prismatic skylights, high-efficiency lighting and cooling are among the eco-friendly features of the first 7-Eleven to be designed to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/uFCKskh_tLA/7-eleven-opens-fi...

As a recently-minted author, I now understand you can never receive enough publicity for your new book. I've resolved to do my part to promote other new books on the sustainable real estate front. Here, then, are some recommendations for insightful green reading.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/Uxw7cb6bVKU/three-tips-good-g...

As a recently-minted author, I now understand you can never receive enough publicity for your new book. I've resolved to do my part to promote other new books on the sustainable real estate front. Here, then, are some recommendations for insightful green reading.

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/Uxw7cb6bVKU/three-tips-good-g...

CNT lost a cherished colleague and co-conspirator for the Common Good, Jan Metzger, who died after a two year battle with cancer on February 22, 2010. Jan joined CNT in 1995, bringing to CNT her smarts, community activism, and ability to make change from the local to the national levels.

Jan was a committed, feisty, and strong woman who was a dedicated resident of Wicker Park – she was a long-time member of Association House board and recently retired as the President of Special Service Area #33. Under Jan’s leadership, the neighborhood developed a community plan that met the needs of new and old-time residents. 

Jan was very strong advocate for community involvement. During the Washington Administration, she was a school organizer who was deeply involved in the School Reform movement. She was a participant in the historic Education Summit that led to the creation of local school councils with parent leadership and control.

Jan was determined to change the way we did transportation and land use planning in the region. She worked on creating an accountable regional transportation and land use agency, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). She then focused on the policies that it should embrace.

At CNT, Jan invented a new citizen participation tool called Transopoly® which gave the average person a voice in transportation and other infrastructure planning process. Various communities used the tool to help with budget decisions, including CMAP in updating the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan for Northeastern Illinois, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District in meeting future public demand for transit, South Bend, IN, to facilitate transportation planning and build public consensus among residents, and the City of Chicago in developing public priorities for the future of Chicago’s North Milwaukee Avenue Commercial Corridor.

One of Jan’s passions was social justice. Three years ago, she had an “ah-ha” moment when the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority honored Jane Addams by renaming the Northwest Tollway after a woman who “lived locally and didn’t drive!” and at a “visioning” session with regional planners who used a Burnham quote, “With things as they would be, every business man in Chicago would make more money than he does now.”  Jan felt that urban planning had to offer more than the vision of business success.

So began her research on the role of women in the Burnham Plan during which she found, that while there were great leaders like Jane Addams who were making a difference in Chicago during the 1900s, they were not invited into the planning process. It was an old boys club. Well, Jan went on to research and write about these city-building women in a book called “What Would Jane Say?” It was published in 2009 and CNT hosted the first reading. Nine staff members portrayed these leaders and told Jan’s story. Several of the Jane readers accompanied Jan as she read and presented her work around town.

Jan touched many lives in her 60 years of activism. She loved her family and enjoyed life. She had a great sense of fun! She had the shortest commute of all the staff to CNT – she lived across the street! She embodied the location efficiency ideals of CNT!

One of the places that she and her partner John Paige loved was New Orleans. They would leave on the City of New Orleans® train from Chicago’s Union Station at 8:00 PM and arrive the next day in New Orleans. Jan and John recently made that trip and were able to enjoy the good food and the marvelous New Orleans jazz scene.

Jan recently celebrated her 60th birthday with a Mardi Gras bash. Friends and family gathered to celebrate her remarkable life. In keeping with her love of New Orleans and Wicker Park, CNT staff gathered on Friday, March 5 to celebrate Jan’s life with a toast and a traditional New Orleans second line parading through the ‘hood.

She is survived by her partner, John Paige; her sons Timothy, Christopher, and Andrew Metzger. The family is hosting a memorial service at the Northwestern University Settlement House where she had her book release party (1012 N. Noble) on Saturday March 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM.

Here are a few other memories of Jan from long time friends and colleagues:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=janice-l-metzger&pid=140164338

http://8monthsafuera.blogspot.com/2010/02/goodbye-to-fierce-role-model-and-dear.html

http://oururbantimes.com/obituaries/urban-activist-janice-metzger-dies-lung-cancer-february-22-2010-age-60

http://wickerparkbucktown.org/2010/02/in-memoriam-janice-metzger-wpb-commissioner/

http://lakeclaremontpress.blogspot.com/2010/02/farewell-jan-metzger-age-60.html

Pictures and video from CNT’s gathering and second line on March 5, 2010.

Source:  Center for Neighborhood Technology Read full article at:  http://www.cnt.org/news/2010/03/03/remembering-jan-metzger/

CNT lost a cherished colleague and co-conspirator for the Common Good, Jan Metzger, who died after a two year battle with cancer on February 22, 2010. Jan joined CNT in 1995, bringing to CNT her smarts, community activism, and ability to make change from the local to the national levels.

Jan was a committed, feisty, and strong woman who was a dedicated resident of Wicker Park – she was a long-time member of Association House board and recently retired as the President of Special Service Area #33. Under Jan’s leadership, the neighborhood developed a community plan that met the needs of new and old-time residents. 

Jan was very strong advocate for community involvement. During the Washington Administration, she was a school organizer who was deeply involved in the School Reform movement. She was a participant in the historic Education Summit that led to the creation of local school councils with parent leadership and control.

Jan was determined to change the way we did transportation and land use planning in the region. She worked on creating an accountable regional transportation and land use agency, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). She then focused on the policies that it should embrace.

At CNT, Jan invented a new citizen participation tool called Transopoly® which gave the average person a voice in transportation and other infrastructure planning process. Various communities used the tool to help with budget decisions, including CMAP in updating the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan for Northeastern Illinois, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District in meeting future public demand for transit, South Bend, IN, to facilitate transportation planning and build public consensus among residents, and the City of Chicago in developing public priorities for the future of Chicago’s North Milwaukee Avenue Commercial Corridor.

One of Jan’s passions was social justice. Three years ago, she had an “ah-ha” moment when the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority honored Jane Addams by renaming the Northwest Tollway after a woman who “lived locally and didn’t drive!” and at a “visioning” session with regional planners who used a Burnham quote, “With things as they would be, every business man in Chicago would make more money than he does now.”  Jan felt that urban planning had to offer more than the vision of business success.

So began her research on the role of women in the Burnham Plan during which she found, that while there were great leaders like Jane Addams who were making a difference in Chicago during the 1900s, they were not invited into the planning process. It was an old boys club. Well, Jan went on to research and write about these city-building women in a book called “What Would Jane Say?” It was published in 2009 and CNT hosted the first reading. Nine staff members portrayed these leaders and told Jan’s story. Several of the Jane readers accompanied Jan as she read and presented her work around town.

Jan touched many lives in her 60 years of activism. She loved her family and enjoyed life. She had a great sense of fun! She had the shortest commute of all the staff to CNT – she lived across the street! She embodied the location efficiency ideals of CNT!

One of the places that she and her partner John Paige loved was New Orleans. They would leave on the City of New Orleans® train from Chicago’s Union Station at 8:00 PM and arrive the next day in New Orleans. Jan and John recently made that trip and were able to enjoy the good food and the marvelous New Orleans jazz scene.

Jan recently celebrated her 60th birthday with a Mardi Gras bash. Friends and family gathered to celebrate her remarkable life. In keeping with her love of New Orleans and Wicker Park, CNT staff will gather on Friday to celebrate Jan’s life with a toast and a traditional New Orleans second line parading through the ‘hood.

She is survived by her partner, John Paige; her sons Timothy, Christopher, and Andrew Metzger. The family is hosting a memorial service at the Northwestern University Settlement House where she had her book release party (1012 N. Noble) on Saturday March 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM.

Here are a few other memories of Jan from long time friends and colleagues:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=janice-l-metzger&pid=140164338

http://8monthsafuera.blogspot.com/2010/02/goodbye-to-fierce-role-model-and-dear.html

http://oururbantimes.com/obituaries/urban-activist-janice-metzger-dies-lung-cancer-february-22-2010-age-60

http://wickerparkbucktown.org/2010/02/in-memoriam-janice-metzger-wpb-commissioner/

http://lakeclaremontpress.blogspot.com/2010/02/farewell-jan-metzger-age-60.html

Source:  Center for Neighborhood Technology Read full article at:  http://www.cnt.org/news/2010/03/03/remembering-jan-metzger/

Green building materials manufacturer Serious Materials will retrofit all 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building to quadruple their energy efficiency -- but without discarding the 26,000 panes of existing glass.
 

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/3mL_mPYvtb4/tall-order-seriou...

Green building materials manufacturer Serious Materials will retrofit all 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building to quadruple their energy efficiency -- but without discarding the 26,000 panes of existing glass.
 

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/3mL_mPYvtb4/tall-order-seriou...

Green building materials manufacturer Serious Materials will retrofit all 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building to quadruple their energy efficiency -- but without discarding the 26,000 panes of existing glass.
 

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/3mL_mPYvtb4/tall-order-seriou...

From corporate real estate to organizational leadership to the potential for intelligent organization of larger-scale energy and water systems, recent articles illustrate the integration of green building into daily practice.
 

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/wTbTUTVBPpo/crossing-chasm-gr...

From corporate real estate to organizational leadership to the potential for intelligent organization of larger-scale energy and water systems, recent articles illustrate the integration of green building into daily practice.
 

Source:  Greener Buildings Read full article at:  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenerBuildings/~3/wTbTUTVBPpo/crossing-chasm-gr...