Green Building

Solar water heating has been around since the Mayans used stones heated by the sun to warm their sacred baths. A well-designed solar thermal water-heating system can operate efficiently practically anywhere in the United States.

Colleges and Universities around the country are looking for ways to 'Go Green'. From installing solar arrays on buildings, commissioning new LEED rated buildings, to investing in fuel cells, finding the next big money saving green technology is what it's about. Although there are numerous ways to go green it's important to remember that sometimes saving energy is literally as easy as changing a light bulb.

As reported on Green Lodging News, the New York based textile and surface solutions company Designtex has cemented its commitment to operate as a carbon-neutral company. Designtex has reduced the greenhouse gas footprint of its operations to net zero - a feat that would not have been possible without a lighting retrofit provided by LED Lighting Solutions.

Homeowners with curling asphalt shingles or rotting wooden cedar shake shingles know it’s time to look for a new roof long before water leaks into their homes. For some homeowners, this major home improvement investment can be daunting. It requires research and an understanding of roofing material options to make the best selection for a home.

Last week, Cree, Inc and Habitat for Humanity broke ground on the world's first Habitat for Humanity house to be lit with all LED (light-emitting diode) light fixtures. The home will be located in Durham, NC, feature various Cree lighting products and is expected to be completed by October of this year. The Durham-based Cree LED manufacturer is sponsoring the house and many of Cree's employees are volunteering to help construct the structure.

Remember the summer of 2008? There was a gas price spike that made some question our lack of coherent national energy policy but caused others to double down and chant “Drill Baby Drill”?

In April, twenty-five cities and states received “Retrofit Ramp-up” awards from the U.S. Department of Energy’s stimulus funds (a competitive grant under the Energy Efficiency and Community Block Grant Program). These grants are beefing up existing programs and new initiatives set to launch this fall and winter that allow households and building owners to improve the energy efficiency performance of their homes and businesses.

From the world's second-most populous country comes one of the biggest carbon credit projects. India seeks to replace 400 million inefficient, incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs at a considerably reduced price to the consumer. In the bargain, India is expected to avoid the emission of 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

New Developments Signal a Fundamental Shift and Perhaps Significant Opportunity for Building Materials Suppliers