Tag: clean energy

New Final Rule Puts Federal Buildings on Path to Net Zero

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it has delivered on Congress’ mandate to cut emissions from new or newly renovated federal buildings through the Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings Rule. By meeting the requirements of the rule, federal buildings will reduce pollution, improve air quality, create good-paying jobs, […]

Top 10 Earth Day Must-Reads for Facilities Managers

Unless Elon Musk stops messing around with Twitter and gets us to Mars, Earth is our only home for the foreseeable future. That means we’ve got to take good care of the planet and conserve its finite natural resources. It’s also why sustainability is a hot topic all year long and why facilities managers are […]

Biden Admin Finalizes New Lightbulb Efficiency Standards

On April 12, the Biden administration finalized congressionally mandated energy efficiency standards for the most common residential and commercial lightbulbs. The standards will go into effect in July 2028 for newly produced bulbs. Over 30 years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) projects the standards will save Americans more than $27 billion on their utility bills […]

Google’s Search for an Energy Leader and What You Should Learn from It

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. You can always tell the priorities of global tech firms by who they are trying to hire. Google’s next hire? A new role for a team leader dedicated to developing a plan and budget […]

U.S. Green Building Council Seeks Public Input on New LEED Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for its draft Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design version 5 (LEED v5), the latest iteration of the globally recognized green building certification. Although the update initially focused on operations and maintenance of existing buildings, it has since been expanded to include […]

How Facilities Management Is Shaping the State of Corporate Sustainability

Every year, Atrius shares its State of Corporate Sustainability report, which gathers responses from facilities, energy, and sustainability professionals to understand the trends and challenges these teams and their organizations currently face. With sustainability becoming a bigger priority year by year, how are facilities teams contributing to progress—and what do they need to make a […]

Major Bronx Zoo Energy Upgrade to Benefit Animals and the Bottom Line

One of the largest zoos in the U.S. isn’t monkeying around when it comes to sustainability! The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced the completion of mechanical work to the heating system at the Bronx Zoo, marking a significant […]

Energy Group Slams International Code Council Over Model Building Rules

On March 18, the International Code Council’s (ICC) board of directors made determinations on a series of appeals to the draft 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), thus finalizing the latest model code that sets minimum energy efficiency requirements for new commercial and residential buildings. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit […]

DOE Offers Public Schools $180M for Clean Energy Upgrades

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has opened applications for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize, which will award $180 million for clean energy upgrades at public K-12 schools to lower costs and improve indoor air quality. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this new round of funding builds on $178 million in grants awarded […]

EPA Names Most Energy-Efficient Manufacturing Plants of 2023

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized 103 U.S. manufacturing plants that earned the agency’s ENERGY STAR certification in 2023, a designation reserved for manufacturing plants in the top 25% of energy efficiency in their sector. Together, these facilities prevented more than 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the emissions from […]