By Brad N. Mondschein  - GreenEnergyandLaw.com

Hawaii's Governor and the Hawaii electric utilities have reached an agreement on transforming Hawaii into one of the most progressive renewable energy states in the country.  The agreement includes the construction of undersea cables that will connect Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i so that wind generated in Maui can be utilized in Oahu which will add 400 MW of renewable capacity.  Further, the agreement calls for 40% of the state's energy to be renewable by 2030.
The agreement also calls for a mandatory solar roofing requirement and tax credits and rebates to convert homes to solar hot water heaters.  Further, the utility will be responsibel for supplying solar water heaters to any customer and the cost will be shared between the customer and ratepayers.

The utilities are also required to implement a PV Host Program.  The program will allow the utilities to own PV systems and pay rent to property owners and/or provide electricity to property owners.  Further, the program will require a utility to purchase PV generated electricity pursuant to a feed-in tariff with the additional costs being borne by ratepayers.

The utilities have also agreed to implement a "feed-in" tariff system for renewable energy projects which will stabilize the price paid for renewable energy generated and purchased by the utility.

You probably don't notice it, but on a typical midday in a Costco warehouse very few ceiling lights are on. The buildings are designed with enough skylights to light the interior, and light-sensitive controls automatically turn off the overheads when the sky provides enough brightness.

Called "daylight harvesting," the system is a simple yet important example of the many steps taken in the warehouses to lessen their impact on the environment. Other efforts are designed to reduce the amount of waste generated by the warehouses, recycle everything from cardboard to chicken grease and use smarter packaging to decrease truck delivery trips. These are all environmentally smart programs, but in truth they have been employed at Costco for years as measures to reduce operating costs. In other words, at Costco the concept of green applies to the environment and to money.

"We have been doing these things because they were efficient and bring cost reductions," says Karen Raines, Costco's director of corporate sustainability. "And now we're finding out they're also green."

What's new is that Costco is aggressively pursuing more ways of reducing the warehouses' impact on the environment. Here's a look at the highlights.

Energy savings: a top priority

Operating nearly 400 warehouses in the United States requires a tremendous amount of energy1.9 billion kilowatts last year, to be exact. Several programs reduce energy requirements in the warehouses.

The most visible is solar panels on warehouse roofs. Costco installed the first panels in 2006; today, more than a dozen warehouses in Hawaii and California have them and more are being added every year. These systems can reduce overall electricity requirements by about 20 percent. "We're doing this primarily because it's the right thing to do, but also because it makes financial sense," says Craig Peal, a Costco assistant vice president who oversees energy-saving initiatives.

All new refrigeration, air-conditioning and lighting systems in the buildings are high-efficiency units that minimize energy usage. Older buildings are being upgraded with more efficient equipment. A recent tune-up of lighting and air-conditioning control systems in 350 warehouses reduced energy consumption by about 5 percent, says Craig.

The warehouses are also finding they can significantly reduce water consumption by using new fixtures. For example, the Costco in Grandview, British Columbia, recently installed low-flow spray valves in sinks throughout the warehouse. It was found that the new nozzles use about 48 percent less water than standard valves. Now, new building specs include these water-saving valves.

Reducing waste in the buildings

Each Costco warehouse generates tons of waste each week, in the form of cardboard, plastic, unusable produce and more. Much of it is kept out of local landfills through a variety of efforts.

All cardboard and plastic wrap is baled in the warehouses and recycled. This year, that will total some 240,000 tons of material. Recyclable paper and plastic are both sold as commodities, so keeping them out of landfills makes smart business sense, says Todd Fitzgerald, Costco corporate recycling and waste-reduction specialist.

Another big source of waste is produce as much as 1.5 tons a week per warehouse. Costco is testing programs in several buildings to keep this produce out of landfills by paying composting companies to pick it up, for a rate lower than what garbage companies charge. For example, in Palm Springs, California, two warehouses are sending the waste produce to a worm farm, where it is composted into mulch. The trimmings from meat and grease from Costco's rotisserie chickens are also reusable. These wastes have traditionally gone to rendering companies, which make them into animal feed and other products. But now, biofuel producers in some regions have started buying the meat trimmings and chicken grease.

Smart advances in packaging

Costco is examining virtually every product in the warehouses with this question: Can the packaging be smarter? The answer is often yes. For example, buyers are working with suppliers to replace the clamshell packages, which hold everything from cosmetics to calculators, with packages that use paperboard and PET plastic. The clamshell packages have PVC plastic, which isn't readily recyclable, while paperboard and PET plastic are.

In many cases, products and their packages can be designed to be greener. For example, by making square plastic milk bottles, 224 gallon-size bottles can now fit on a pallet, compared to 210 round bottles. It doesn't sound like a lot, but spread out to all warehouses, the larger pallet count saves 521 truck trips to the warehouses per year, eliminating fuel usage and exhaust emissions. The same approach is being applied to dozens of products, from laundry detergent to nuts.

Costco is committed to shrinking its carbon footprint in real, sustainable ways, tapping the same innovative spirit that has helped the company be successful, says Karen. "We're doing what we've always done, by trying to be efficient and cost-effective on things," she says. "But we're also looking at where we can do a better job."
 

The Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled its new ENERGY STAR rating is for solid-state lighting products, starting with undercabinet shelf-mounted task lighting, portable desk task lights, recessed downlights and outdoor step lights and pathway lights.
 
The new program, which was launched Sept. 30, will include both residential and commercial applications intended for general illumination. DOE is following a two-phase approach for the program —the first phase allows for early participation of a limited range of market-ready products while the second phase sets out more rigorous performance targets for future products.
 
The first group of products eligible  for the ENERGY STAR program will take advantage of the directional nature of LED technology. These products include undercabinet shelf-mounted task lighting, portable desk task lights, recessed downlights and outdoor step lights and pathway lights.
 
By 2011, the ENERGY STAR program will allow all types of SSL applications for general lighting. Until then, the ENERGY STAR program will identify specific types of lighting applications to be added to the program. Some applications include street and area lighting, parking garage lighting, cove lighting, replacement lamp applications and wallwash applications.

Aggressively replacing the world's incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) could reduce lighting energy demand by nearly 40 percent and cut greenhouse gas emissions from day one, according to a new study.

The report released by the Worldwatch Institute concluded that by 2030, these savings would add up to 16.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide-more than twice the amount released in the United States every year. Electric lighting consumes more than 19 percent of the world's electricity, the report states, causing as much greenhouse gas pollution every year as half of all the light passenger vehicles on the road worldwide.

CFLs help lower energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they use about 75 percent less energy than traditional lightbulbs.

"CFLs are a winning technology, cleaning up pollution and saving consumers money on their energy bills at the same time," says Alice McKeown, a researcher for the Worldwatch Institute.

Fortunately, strong growth in CFL production and sales can be seen worldwide. Between 2001 and 2006, production of CFLs in China-which accounts for roughly 85 percent of global output-tripled from 750 million units to 2.4 billion units. Sales of CFLs in the United States alone rose by more than 300 percent early in the decade, growing to 397 million units in 2007. At the same time, the total number of CFLs in use worldwide nearly doubled from an estimated 1.8 billion to 3.5 billion in 2003.

"CFLs are an important part of the solution to climate change and are available today, not somewhere down the line," says McKeown. "We need to double our efforts to flip the switch for consumers worldwide."

A Maui-based renewable energy firm has joined with an international light bulb maker to create and sell a new line of energy-efficient lighting products.

HNU Energy (pronounced “H-new”) of Maui is working with Marexim, a lighting manufacturer with headquarters in New Zealand. HNU Energy says it has exclusive manufacturing and distributing agreements with Marexim, which makes bulbs for home use, businesses and street lamps.
The product that HNU Energy helped create — trademarked as the Energy-Saver Safety Bulb — is a line of seven bulbs that use 85 percent less energy and last up to 15 times longer than standard light bulbs. They have a lifetime of nine years or 50,000 hours.

Marexim says the new bulbs compete with compact florescent lamps, or CFLs, which last for years, but have problems with breakage and disposal because they contain mercury and lead.

HNU Energy and Marexim’s bulbs are made of lead-free glass and contain no liquid mercury. They also look like typical bulbs, versus the ice-cream-swirl look of CFLs, and provide stronger, brighter lighting.

Retail prices of the bulbs vary because of bulk order options. Marexim has four other distributors on the Mainland and 27 worldwide. HNU Energy is a spinoff of HNU Photonics, a 3-year-old high-tech firm on Maui that specializes in inventing and making optics and laser products such as medical devices and telescope and camera lenses. It is headed by Dan O’Connell, formerly of Oceanit.

SkySite Property and the International Council of Shopping Centers have been working together to green the retail industry since May 2008. The ICSC launched their Sustainable Energy and Environmental Design initiative in March 2007 and called upon SkySite Property to create and administer their sustainable retail real estate informational web portal.

SkySite Property is a Chicago-based green consulting firm that educates clients on green building practices. Since SkySite and ICSC launched ICSCSEED.org four months ago, the site has been gaining momentum in the green community.  “SkySite’s collaboration with the ICSC  has provided a one-stop shop for retailers looking to green their business,” said Jeff Grossberg, CEO of SkySite Property. “SEED provides a unique opportunity for retailers who want to incorporate environmentally-friendly practices or who want a complete green makeover.”

Visitors to ICSCSEED.org will find a wealth of information at their fingertips:

• Premium content, including the latest green news, research, white papers, case studies and best practices
• The SEED community site, with forums, blogs and other networking features on green ideas
• Online green building tools
• A green product and service provider directory
• Event, symposium and conference calendars
• New sustainability initiatives and technologies

“As SkySite and ICSC move forward with the SEED partnership, I expect the face of the retail industry to change considerably,” Grossberg said. “When more and more retailers learn that going green will save money while also saving the planet, I anticipate there being a race to the green finish line.”

Check back to the website regularly as timely content is continually added.

Best Buy has announced plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 percent per square foot across all United States stores and operations—including its corporate headquarters, fleet and distribution centers—by 2012.

Best Buy plans to measure emissions on a per-square-footage basis to account for improvement while maintaining company growth initiatives. A recent nationwide inventory indicated that U.S. operations and stores emit approximately 62 pounds of GHG per square foot annually. Electricity use represents 77 percent of the emissions, followed by heating, ventilation and air conditioning at 13 percent; gas for fleet and service vehicles at 5 percent; and diesel for fleet vehicles and natural gas at 2 percent each.

Best Buy has outlined specific steps designed to help reach its reduction target, including:

• New stores built with high-efficiency lighting, HVAC systems and skylights.
• Addition of skylights and upgrades on lighting and HVAC systems in existing stores and operations.
• Implementation of a no-idling policy nationwide for truck fleets.
• Upgrades and networking of the centralized Energy Management System to better track energy spikes across stores and operations.
• Tests of renewable energy sources, including solar panels, in select stores.

“We're proud of the efforts we've made over the past decade to decrease our energy use,” said Brian Dunn, Best Buy president and COO. “And I'm even more proud of the employees and teams across our stores and operations who challenge us every day to make a bigger difference through better business practices. This commitment to reduce our emissions signals our willingness to invest in even more efficient operations today, which will save money over time and help us meet the expectations of our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Best Buy recently announced its GHG initiative to Climate Leaders, an Environmental Protection Agency industry-government partnership that works to develop comprehensive climate change strategies for business. The 226 corporate members of Climate Leaders represent more than 10 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and have pledged GHG reductions equivalent to the emissions of 9 million cars annually.

Supermarket retailer Giant Eagle Inc. achieved gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program—the first-ever gold certification in new construction for a supermarket—for a store in northeast Columbus, Ohio.

“Becoming a LEED gold-certified supermarket underscores Giant Eagle's commitment to environmental responsibility,” said Giant Eagle senior vice president of sustainability Robert Garrity. “It is a continuation of our work thus far and a step toward future initiatives. It also fits Mayor Michael B. Coleman's 'Get Green' initiative.”

In December 2004, Giant Eagle opened the first LEED-certified supermarket in the world in Brunswick, Ohio. Since then, Giant Eagle has also opened the first LEED silver-certified supermarket in Pittsburgh in April 2007.

Giant Eagle's Conservation Department has been working since 1992 to help the company save energy, recycle packaging and develop long-term environmental initiatives.

In 2006, Giant Eagle diverted more than 595 tons of plastic from bags and other products from landfills. Every year, Giant Eagle recycles more than 1,200 tons of cooking oil, fat and bones and hundreds of tons of cardboard and paper. All Giant Eagle supermarkets include designated plastic bag recycling stations; they also offer reusable bags for 99 cents and blue reusable hot/cold bags for $1.99.

Many of the sustainable features in Giant Eagle's LEED supermarkets already have been incorporated in existing stores, including high-efficiency lighting, the purchase of wind energy, and as the use of white roofing, variable speed fans, and occupancy sensors.

The Giant Eagle in northeast Columbus features:

• Natural light: 82 skylights integrated with the electrical lights to deliver daylight to the store while offering a consistent lighting level and minimizing electricity usage.
• Fresh air: Air quality sensors constantly monitor for carbon dioxide to ensure fresh, clean air throughout the store. Air quality is improved by the use of adhesives, sealants, paints, carpeting and wood products that are low in volatile organic compounds.
• Water conservation: Parking lot landscaping planted with drought-tolerant vegetation that requires no irrigation.
• Water retention: A retention pond holds excess water, preventing it from contributing to the storm water peak flows that affect many natural rivers and streams.
• Greater energy savings: The store is designed to consume 20 percent less energy than comparable, conventionally-designed supermarkets, with all of the store's electricity produced by green energy sources.
• Use less heating and cooling: Increased insulation, an Energy Star roof and daylighting help the store save energy year round.
• Cleaner atmosphere: The store doesn’t use ozone-depleting refrigerants in its refrigeration and cooling systems.
• Recycling and recycled materials: A majority of construction waste, such as steel and drywall, was sent to various companies for reuse. Nearly all wood used in the site is harvested from sustainable services. All cabinetry is free of urea formaldehyde and all gypsum wallboard is made from 10 percent recycled materials. Nearly all food by products, such as cooking oil and trimmings, are transformed into other areas including bio-diesel fuel, animal feed and lubricants.

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom this week launched a city-wide rainwater harvesting—the collection and reuse of rainwater for non-drinking uses. The initiative aims to conserve drinking water amidst a statewide drought, support sustainable greening of city yards and spaces, and help divert stormwater runoff from the city’s sewer system, San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

“Rainwater harvesting is a simple, safe and sustainable way to help conserve our precious drinking water supplies, green our city and protect our environment,” Mayor Newsom said. “This initiative alone won’t end the drought or fix our climate crisis, but reviving this ancient practice can be part of the solution to our modern challenges.”
Newsom called upon the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Building Inspection to lay out the details of the plan.

“A 60-gallon rain barrel is really just a starting point for most people,” SFPUC General Manager Ed Harrington said. “We’re hoping that as people get more comfortable with the concept, they will want to add more rainbarrels or install a larger rainwater harvesting system to fit their needs.”

Rainwater harvesting is the practice of capturing rainwater that runs off hard surfaces like roofs and pavement. Although the practice originated thousands of years ago, it is uncommon in urban areas that are served by municipal water sources. San Francisco’s combined sewer system, which treats both stormwater and sanitary sewage, also will benefit from minimized neighborhood flooding and reduced combined sewer discharges into the San Francisco Bay or Pacific Ocean during major winter storms.

Mayor Newsom also announced a new pilot program that offers city residents discounted rain barrels. Residents can go to BigBlueBarrel.com for more details.

North Carolina’s Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro are the first in the hospitality industry to achieve platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

“When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 41 percent less energy and 33 percent less water without one iota of compromise in comfort or luxury and with minimal additional construction costs,” said Dennis Quaintance, CEO and chief design officer of parent company Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels. “It just goes to show what a determined team can accomplish if they use common sense and get a little bit of help from the sun.”

The businesses—in Greensboro, N.C.—have 100 solar rooftop panels that heat water for the AAA Four Diamond hotel.

Quaintance collaborated with subcontractors on many details and personally tested most products.

“We finally found one that works wonderfully and uses a third of a gallon less with each flush, and it did not cost one cent more than a conventional toilet,” he said.

The hotel and restaurant is on track to save 2 million gallons of water in the first year—a savings of more than $13,000.

“I've come to believe that it is an urban legend that employing sustainable practices with new construction is too expensive,” Quaintance said. “We are very happy with the results, including the costs and returns, of everything that we did. It’s not easy—but it’s not hard, and it’s definitely worth it.”

Some of Proximity and Print Works environmental features include:

• Recycled 87 percent all 1,535 tons of construction debris.
• Forty percent of the building materials are from local sources.
• Used more than 20 percent recycled content.
• Restored 700 feet of an adjacent stream.
• Installed the first regenerative drive elevators in North America, generating electricity on the descent for the ascent.
• Ninety-seven percent of occupied space is lit with natural lighting.
• Used energy recovery systems to fresh outside air to guests.
• Sourced 90 percent of the furniture locally.
• Commissioned local artists and craftspeople for original art in every guestroom, a cantilevered reception desk, spiral staircases in the lobby, furniture and accessories.

“Proximity Hotel is especially to be commended for achieving LEED Platinum. This facility is one that both the community and its guests can be proud of,” said Rick Fedrizzi—president, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC.

“Proximity is a showcase for high-performance, energy-efficient, healthy environment and an inspiration for others.”