Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing eight vehicle dealerships for being the first to earn its ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy performance. Vehicle dealerships that earn the ENERGY STAR use significantly less energy—and contribute fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—than their peers. “Reducing energy use in commercial buildings is an essential part of […]
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada—home of the Las Vegas Raiders—will host Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11. There’s plenty to celebrate in this 3 ½-year-old venue, as it’s the first time the National Football League’s (NFL) biggest game is coming to Allegiant Stadium and the first time the Super Bowl is coming to […]
As the global economy continues to rapidly adopt artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure to support these systems must keep pace, according to a new report from JLL. Consumers and businesses are expected to generate twice as much data in the next five years as all the data created over the past 10 years. This growth presents […]
For the first time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will fund net-zero energy projects through its Public Assistance grant program, which covers the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, fire stations, and other community infrastructure investments post-disaster. FEMA is also funding net-zero energy projects for its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and now offers incentives through its […]
A new analysis from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that, coupled with building envelope improvements, installing geothermal heat pumps in around 70% of U.S. buildings could save as much as 593 terawatt-hours of electricity generation annually and avoid seven gigatons of carbon-equivalent emissions by 2050. “To put that in context, 593 terawatt-hours is about 15% […]
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $100 million is now available through the Clean Green Schools Initiative. The funding will support under-resourced public schools with projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve environmental sustainability, and decarbonize school buildings. “Creating a safe and healthy learning environment is critical to providing our children the best education […]
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its annual list of U.S. states leading the way on green buildings, and New York topped the list for the first time during a record-breaking year in 2023. The USGBC ranking is based on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified gross square footage per capita over […]
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS), alongside White House officials, unveiled its first set of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its South Atlanta Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC). Charging stations like these will be installed at hundreds of new S&DCs across the country throughout the year and will power what will be the nation’s largest […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $104 million for energy conservation and clean energy projects at 31 federal facilities, with more funding on the way. The projects align with President Joe Biden’s goal for the federal government to “lead by example” on sustainability. This represents the first of three disbursements from $250 million […]
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released the latest version of its energy efficiency standard for existing buildings, with an expanded focus to incorporate building decarbonization. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2024, Energy and Emissions Building Performance Standard for Existing Buildings is a code-ready building performance standard that provides processes and procedures for reducing energy consumption […]