Many of this month’s articles focus on renewable and alternative energy projects. Every day, developing nations across the world are making plans to rapidly industrialize their economies to improve the lives of their citizens. These countries often wish to replicate centuries of growth in a matter of decades, and must be encouraged to use sustainable energy generation methods to avoid the negation of carbon reducing efforts worldwide. Photovoltaic panels and wind turbines are  changing the nature of power generation by using abundant renewable solar resources, but it’s often more productive to make improvements to currently used sources, such as solar thermal energy collectors that have been used for decades. One such plant was recently constructed in Sicily, Italy and is projected to provide power 24 hours a day by using molten fluoride salt as a heating medium instead of traditional synthetic oils. More information about this plant can be found in our Technologies & Trends section.

The selection of green building related articles are organized into the usual three categories: Green Building Projects, Market Watch, and Green Building Technologies & Trends.  In Green Building Projects, a Florida home builder is able to find common ground between green and storm-proofing building techniques, and a USGBC study of long term energy efficiency in LEED certified buildings is opened to public participation. In our Market Watch section, read how new renewable power plants continue to outpace new non-renewable sources, and pressure mounts on the USGBC to accept sustainable forestry certifications, in addition to the current FSC certification system, for LEED credits. In Technologies & Trends, a mixed-use apartment building in Connecticut makes good use of the largest on-site power cell in the country, and a Las Vegas construction materials company finds a way to re-use glass bottles from restaurants and casinos on the Strip.  Next month, we will continue our coverage of the International Green Construction Code, which is scheduled for public comment hearings in late August.

  - Green Building Focus

In this month's issue: