General Motors Facilities Earn Energy Star Certification

GM Plants Recognized for Increased Energy Efficiency Reliable Planet Sixteen General Motors (GM) facilities recently earned recognition for their continued efforts to increase energy efficiency. GM’s Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan and Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana earned an Energy Star certification for superior energy performance. The certification signifies that these plants are … Read more

Are We There Yet? Changing Markets in Energy Efficiency

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Jeff Perkins, ERS, for Zondits Energy efficiency has been an evolutionary and incremental effort: evolutionary in how and why we do it, and incremental in terms of the technology and the economics to achieve it, as the state-of-the-art has continuously advanced over the years. In this article I am going to take a step back … Read more

Keene State College Makes Sustainability Strides with Carbon-Neutral Biofuel

Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits New Hampshire’s Keene State College (KSC) this week became the country’s first college or university to use recycled vegetable oil to heat buildings on its campus. The carbon-neutral purified waste oil comes from a local supplier and is used to heat 36% of the campus. The college is also looking … Read more

Fresno State Facilities Management Leads the (Green) Charge

Katie Robinson, ERS, for Zondits The facilities management division of California State University, Fresno, understands that sustainable practices can start right on their own campus. In order to inspire their students and set an example for the community, Fresno State practices what they preach with their major efficiency renovations throughout the campus. Most notably, their … Read more

Binghamton University Offers Innovative New Program

Tom Riggi, ERS, for Zondits Partly in response to an increase in student interest and awareness, Binghamton University is aiming to provide custom education and training to aid students seeking a career in sustainability. Starting this fall, BU has extended their Environmental Studies Program to include a master’s program in Sustainable Communities, where students can … Read more

How Does Your Home Energy Use Stack Up?

Betsy Ricker, ERS, for Zondits Utilities across the country are providing their customers with reports that compare an individual home’s usage to their nearest neighbors, and it evidently makes an impact. By leveraging the power of social norms and appealing to the competitive aspect of human nature, these comparison reports have reduced energy consumption by … Read more

Celebrating Energy Efficiency Day

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY DAY: 5 TIPS FOR BUSINESSES TO SAVE ENERGY Just Means, October 5, 2016 Today is Energy Efficiency Day. Companies across the nation are looking for ways to become more energy efficient, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are no exception. According to the 2015 Cox Conserves Sustainability Survey, reducing energy consumption is one of … Read more

The Results Are In: Massachusetts Ties California as Most Energy-Efficient State

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Several States Show Marked Improvement in 2016 ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard Ethan Forauer, ERS, for Zondits Energy efficiency continued to accelerate across the United States over the last year, and the improvements are evident in the tenth annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, released today by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). … Read more

Better Mortgage Rates for Green Homes

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Could green mortgages help deliver the energy efficiency revolution Europe needs? Business Green, September 20, 2016 Backed by the World Green Building Council, the “groundbreaking” energy efficiency financing project could offer homebuyers across the EU better borrowing rates on mortgages in return for purchasing more energy efficient homes or committing to implementing energy saving work … Read more

Cornell’s “Earth Source Heat” Project is Tapping Into Geothermal Heating

Cornell wants to drill 2 to 4 miles underground for enhanced geothermal heating ARS Technica, September 19, 2016 Geothermal energy—energy drawn from the internal heat of the Earth—has long been the purview of mountainous, volcano- and earthquake-prone regions like the western United States or Iceland. The US’ eastern states, on the other hand, have been … Read more