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Quick Links |
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FGBC News
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Articles of Interest |
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Countrywide Offers EEMs
Discounted Rates for Buyers of Green and Energy
Efficient Homes [read]
Jensen Beach Architect Shows It's Not Difficult. [read]
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Architectural Record
Post-occupancy evaluations offer a systematic process
for assessing completed projects, pointing the way to
better-performing buildings. [read]
Tallahassee's largest Solar System Woes
Devoe Moore comments on how net-metering
isn't working
Global Survey Shows "Green" Construction Costs
Dramatically Lower Than Believed.
Survey finds green costs overestimated by 300% and a
need to foster zero net energy construction. [read]
A study released by Architecture 2030
concludes that, of the energy and climate change
solutions proposed today, the one that costs the least
and offers the greatest benefits to both the planet
and the economy, is energy efficiency in buildings. [read]
Builders Turn Over A New Leaf
[read]
Leaders of Six Space Coast Cities Push Green
Initiatives
[ read]
Solar Power Industry Tests New Storage
Technologies [read]
REI explores the environmental cost of
eco-tourism [read]
How much will it cost to fix the climate?
The numbers vary.
Christian Science Monitor [read]
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FGBC Seek Board Nominations |
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Nominations Due by May 30, 2008
Dear FGBC Members:
It is time for the annual elections of the Florida Green
Building Coalition Board of Directors. If you are a
current member or would like to nominate a current
member to serve on the FGBC Board, please submit your
nomination by May 30, 2008.
If you are nominating someone other than yourself, you
must obtain the nominee's permission.
All nomination requests must include the person's name,
company and city. Please send all nominations to:
cooksb@nettally.com and they will be forwarded to
the FGBC Nominating Committee.
Board members serve for three years and must serve
within the affiliation category where they derive the
majority of their income, except for those who run under
the "At-Large" category.
Board members are eligible to serve a second three-year
term if re-elected. A
current list of board members and categories of
affiliations is located on the FGBC website. FGBC seeks
nominees in each category.
Membership will elect one candidate in each category.
Ballots will be distributed in early June. The Board
members will begin their term at the annual meeting held
during FGBC GreenTrends Conference in July.
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FGBC Unveils New Logo at Mid-Year Conference |
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A green Florida for a blue planet
 Last
week during FGBC's Mid-Year conference in Palm Harbor,
President Mike Houston unveiled the Coalition's new "a
green Florida for a blue planet" logo that
signifies
FGBC's commitment to sustainability. Members can expect
access to the new logo within several weeks via an
online ftp website. Instructions for downloading the
images will be announced soon.
In other Coalition business, the Green Commercial
Buildings Committee voted to completely revise those
standards, and the Standards Committee established a
"Green Business" sub-committee that will develop best
practices for making workspaces green. Other committee
reports will be available on the FGBC website
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Key Issues in Legislature Week Ending 4-25-08 |
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Cliffhangers range from abortion to
transportation
Key issues awaiting action as the Legislature heads into
its final week include ENERGY. The proposed legislation
would require polluters to pay for carbon emissions they
produce, lower emissions allowed for automobiles, make
it easier to build nuclear power plants, strengthen
green building codes and energy-efficiency standards for
appliances. [ more]
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West Florida Parade Home Demos Eco-Friendly |
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FGBC Certified Home Educates Consumers
To mark the Parade of Homes' 50th anniversary, the
600-member Home Builders Association of West Florida is
showcasing an innovative, eco-friendly home.
"The American Dream Home is a 'green' dream home," said
West Calhoun of West Calhoun Construction, builder of
the custom home for the association. "Our firm knew that
the home needed to showcase new and innovative ideas,
and there's no better way to accomplish that than to
build a home that is certified by the Florida Green
Building Coalition." [ more] |
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Tampa Appoints Tom Snelling As Green Officer |
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City strives to be more environmental savvy
For the first time, Tampa will have a "green officer,"
someone responsible for making sure Tampa makes strides
in becoming a more environmentally savvy city.
Mayor Pam Iorio on Monday appointed Thom Snelling to the
position.
The role will be in addition to his existing duties as
the city's deputy director for growth management and
development services. One of his main roles will be to
help Tampa become a Certified Florida Green Local
Government by October 2010. [ more |
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JEA Issues Renewable Energy RFP |
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Deadline for submission is May 16, 2008
The Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) has issued an
RFP seeking solar and wind resources of greater than
1 MW. Contact: Jay Worley, (904) 665-8729
A complete list of active RFPs can found on
EERE. |
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Orlando Receives Solar Initiative Funding |
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'Solar America Cities' program advances solar use
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it
will make available up to $2.4 million to 12 U.S. cities
to advance solar energy. Through the U.S. Department of
Energy's Solar America Cities partnership, a select
group of U.S. cities, one of which is Orlando, is
working to accelerate the adoption of solar energy
technologies for a cleaner, more secure energy future.
These partners have made a commitment to power their
municipalities with clean, safe, reliable energy-solar
energy.
Solar America Cities are chosen for their commitment and
comprehensive approach to overcoming barriers to and
developing infrastructure that supports increased
deployment of solar technologies in their
municipalities. The cities' solar projects further the
Solar America Initiative (SAI), which aims to make solar
electricity from photovoltaics cost-competitive with
conventional forms of electricity from the utility grid
by 2015.
Cities designated as 2008 Solar America Cities will each
receive up to $200,000 from DOE to help support their
solar efforts. [ more]
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Florida's Green Economy Takes Giant Strides |
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North Florida Gets Nation's Largest Bio-Mass Plant
Since last year's Climate Change Summit, Florida's
"green" economy has grown significantly. Progress Energy
along with Biomass Gas & Electric of Atlanta recently
announced a partnership to build in North Florida the
largest waste-wood biomass plant in the nation,
converting waste wood to electricity.
FPL Group, one of the largest utilities in the country,
has a number of solar and wind energy projects across
Florida, including a $2.4 billion investment in a 300
megawatt solar facility.
Also, during the Governor's trade mission to Brazil last
year, a $183 million agreement was signed between
Renewable Fuels of Tallahassee LLC and Controlsud
International Group to build a system that converts
trash into energy in Tallahassee.
Additionally, other companies are expanding conservation
efforts and investing in upgrades at existing facilities
to increase energy efficiency and save money while
stimulating our economy.
Finally, in November, Florida was home to the first
carbon-neutral college football game between Florida
State University and the University of Florida in
Gainesville.
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Sunshine Can Fuel Economic Revival |
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Solar infrastructure is investment in our future
Solar energy infrastructure is an investment that will
not only save residents money on their power bills and
reduce the release of greenhouse gases, but it would
help nurture an industry that can provide tens of
thousands of jobs across our state.
Florida has already taken steps toward truly embracing
this energy future. Last year lawmakers set aside $3.5
million in solar energy incentives that provided rebates
to residents and businesses for the purchase of solar
energy equipment. Public demand for solar equipment
proved so overwhelming that the money was exhausted in
just six months. Today, a waiting list of more than
1,400 solar systems is petitioning for new rebates
totaling another $2.4 million.
To capitalize on this success it's critical for the
state to continue to move ahead with this effective
program. Gov. Charlie Crist asked state lawmakers this
year to expand the incentive program from $3.5 million
to $10 million, with at least $50 million more for
economic development grants and rebates to those
pursuing alternative energy technology. [ more] |
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Central Florida Builders Focus on Energy, Water |
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Court buyers by upgrading green features
Beazer Homes USA, which is building in 10 communities in
the Orlando area, recently launched a nationwide program
called eSMART by Beazer Homes. The Atlanta-based company
says that every home it builds from now on will feature
"high-performance products" that will have "an immediate
impact on the home's annual operating costs."
Castle & Cooke, another California-based company active
in Central Florida, has all of the builders in its
Oakland Park community in west Orange County using a
range of products and techniques that meet
Florida Green Building Coalition certification,
from tankless, gas-fired water heaters to
drought-tolerant landscaping. [ more] |
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EPA Launches New Energy Efficiency Program
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Campaign urges 'save green by going green'
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched
a national campaign to help Americans join in the fight
against climate change. The campaign, "Change the World,
Start with Energy Star" helps people make important
energy-efficient changes at home and at work that can
add up to significant reductions in emissions of
greenhouse gases.
Buildings contribute about 40 percent of the nation's
emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse
gas, as most of the energy used in buildings comes
from the burning of fossil fuels. These emissions can
be reduced substantially through energy efficiency and
the steps of the Energy Star pledge. If every American
household took part in this new Energy Star pledge, it
would save more than $18 billion in annual energy
costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the
emissions of more than 18 million cars. Individuals
can take the pledge at:
http://www.energystar.gov/changetheworld
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Sincerely,
Suzanne B. Cook, CAE
Executive Director
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