Tag: Climate Change

It’s Time to Tackle Building Efficiency 

We’ve seen emissions rebound after dropping during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Transport has the highest reliance on fossil fuels, accounting for 37% of CO2 emissions from end-use sectors in 2021, while building operations accounted for 27% of total energy sector emissions (8% direct emissions and 19% indirect emissions from electricity production and heat use). […]

‘A Perfect Opportunity’: U.S. Warehouses Have Huge Rooftop Solar Potential

Covering the roofs of America’s warehouses and distribution centers with solar panels could generate enough clean energy to power nearly 20 million homes, according to a new report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. “If we want to create a clean energy future, we should look first to the already-built […]

N.Y. Correctional Facilities Expected to Save Millions with Solar

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other officials announced completion of major solar projects at five upstate correctional facilities. The projects total more than 30 megawatts (MW) and directly support New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which calls for 70% of New York’s electricity to be sourced from renewable energy by 2030. The […]

K-12 School Leaders Converge on D.C. for Clean Energy Symposium

More than 50 school leaders from 16 states recently traveled to Washington, D.C., for the first-ever Clean Energy Schools Symposium—a national meeting of school decision-makers who have flipped the switch to clean energy and are actively inspiring and supporting other schools across the country to do the same. National clean energy nonprofit Generation180 hosted the […]

How the Real Estate Industry Could Revamp Green Leases for Commercial Buildings

As real estate occupiers face increased pressure to lower their carbon footprint, and investors are greening their portfolios, green leases can benefit both landlords and tenants while also serving to decarbonize real estate. JLL’s new Green Leasing 2.0: Bridging the owner-occupier divide to deliver shared ESG value report outlines the considerations building occupiers and owners should include […]

Cintas Makes Major Switch to LEDs on ‘Path to Net Zero’

Cintas Corp. is nearing completion of a multi-year, company-wide LED lighting transition project to help reduce facility-focused energy use and support the company along its “Path to Net Zero,” a major part of Cintas’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Headquartered in Cincinnati, the Fortune 500 company provides a wide range of products and services […]

‘Best of Green Schools’ Awardees, Class of 2023

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, in collaboration with the Green Schools National Network, has announced the recipients of the 2023 Best of Green Schools Awards. The awards celebrate the leaders—individuals, schools, campuses, and organizations—advancing the groups’ shared vision of green schools. “This year’s awardees represent the leading edge of a movement to […]

The Future of Energy Efficiency: EUI and Predictive Maintenance

At the forefront of all facilities managers’ minds is the importance of reaching energy efficiency goals in the near term. All levels of government in the public sector, along with large companies of all sizes in the private sector, have set goals and expectations across the board to reduce carbon emissions, with the ultimate goal […]

Building Industry ‘Steps Up’ to Tackle Climate Change in COP27 Pledge to Global Leaders

Twenty-five of the world’s leading building industry organizations, including ASHRAE and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), have issued a joint statement to government representatives attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27). Titled “Building Industry Steps Up to Address Climate Change,” the statement serves as a pledge from the signatories that they will […]

SEC and EPA: Climate Disclosure Regulations and Programs

In August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received $5 million from Congress under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for programs to boost voluntary corporate climate reporting while the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ramps up for legal battles regarding its upcoming mandatory climate change reporting rules. To report or not to report Many […]