Atlas Project Support

Life Cycle Cost Analysis

2012-02-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

One of the most important considerations of investors of energy-saving or green building project is knowing if and when the investment will pay off. In order to attract investors there must be assurances that theirinvestment is profitable. Investors, owners and project managers employ varioustools to evaluate fiscal feasibility and one of the most effective means for assessingtotal cost is the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA).

LCCA is an assessment method that takes into account thefiscal aspects in the acquisition, ownership and disposition of buildingprojects. It can also be brought to bear by project managers to weed outalternative possibilities and focus in on achieving project performance goals. Whencomparing two or more design alternatives, the Energy Life Cycle Cost Analysis(ELCCA) method can be used. ELCCA is a computer model that accuratelyquantifies different design alternatives.

Federal Requirements

LCCA makes use of systematic valuations and comparisons ofavailable building design alternatives to determine the best choices in termsof total cost effectiveness including ownership, operations and maintenance ofa particular building. It follows a setof life cycle cost methodologies and procedures under the Code of FederalRegulations (CFR) and is part of the Federal Energy Management and PlanningProgram. LCCA rules conform to the requirements of energy conservationlegislation, including requirements defined by the NECPA and Executive Order13423 also known as the Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, andTransportation Management law.

Purpose of LCCA

In green building projects various costs can be identifiedthat will eventually determine the project’s Total Overall Cost of Ownership. Theseinclude: initial costs from purchasing, acquisition and construction;operation, maintenance and repair costs; replacement costs; disposal costs;energy costs; finance charges or interest payments; and other non-monetarycosts that a project may incur.

In short, LCCA is used as a tool for determining overallcost of each design alternative for the purpose of identifying the choice that willprovide the lowest TCA (Total Cost of Ownership) without compromising qualityand functionality. When performed at earlier stages of a project, particularlyduring the design process, project managers can select which alternative willresult in the lowest life-cycle cost.

Benefits of LCCA

LCCA is applicable not only to green building projectinitiatives but also capital investment decision making. It is very useful inidentifying which building alternatives will provide the most cost-effective longterm design. This establishes LCCA as a better tool for identifying the totalcost of ownership compared to other methods that focus on first costs orshort-term costs related to operations alone.

To illustrate the benefits of using LCCA we could determineif using a high-performance HVAC or glazing system is more cost-effective in the long term.. A critical part of this process is totake into account both short term and long term costs as they relate to ROI. Itis often assumed that high initial costs may out-weigh long term benefits. Thisis not always true and can be proven using the LCCA methodology. It is alsouseful to note that LCCA can be applied to various levels of complexity in aproject’s life cycle, from start-up to disposition.

LCCA and GreenBuilding

When considering energy use in cooling, heating, boiling,lighting and other operations, ELCCA can be an effective analysis anddecision-making tool for selecting the most cost-effective system options. Thereport generated by the ELCCA modeling identifies and recommends the best andmost cost-effective design alternatives for green buildings in terms of energyefficiency, comfort, productivity and health of the occupants.

ELCCA is performed as a non-static process and iscontinuously refined and adjusted whenever new alternatives are identified andadopted. The final design may be a combination of many decisions based on theidentification and selection process defined by the ELCCA. These comparisonsand decisions are properly documented with corresponding results in the finalELCCA report.

The SMART GRID and Its Technology

2012-02-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

Many are aware that existing energy supplies are economically, environmentally and socially unsustainable. This is largely dueto the prevalent supply security concerns for traditional fossil fuels,compounded by growing concerns on greenhouse gas emissions – both of whichwould double in magnitude by the year 2050. A low-carbon and sustainable energyrevolution must take place, and smart grids with its accompanying technologieswill play a major role for this to happen.

The smart grid is more than just an upgrade of the existinginfrastructure for the transmission and distribution of energy to end users.The smart grid is an array of enabling technologies, the “smart” in the termsmart grid, and this involves an integration of various technological systems:from communication, new metering technologies, improved storage devices, andenabling of low-carbon technologies. Some of these are already in existence nowand are being equipped for adaptation to both existing and totally newelectricity systems and infrastructures.

Understanding SMART Grid Technologies

To understand smart grid technologies and what they can do,it should be approached from two different perspectives: one from a purelytechnological standpoint, while the other focuses on functionalities.Technologically speaking, a smart grid is putting or integrating a digitalcommunication overlay over an existing energy network: from switching, faultsensing, and intelligent end-user devices.

From a functionality point of view, a smart grid involvesseveral areas which include: the interconnection and transactive coordinationof distributed resources including the integration of renewable energy generationsources; the automation of the distribution system; dynamic pricing and thecorresponding demand response; and the ability for end users to become either aconsumer or producer – or even both. These are some of the smart gridtechnologies and capabilities that will create value to the system, resultingto a more optimized, decentralized, but highly coordinated electricity supplyand demand system that transcend what people traditionally know of theutility-consumer setup.

Latest Trends in SMART Grid Technology Developments

Most of the existing electrical grid in the United States,such as that in California, has been in existence for more than a hundredyears. With new challenges in energy supply and demand, compounded by threatsof global warming and other environmental issues, it is imperative that thesegrids be modernized – resulting in a more efficient, more reliable, safer,interoperable and more affordable electrical system.

Large scale upgrades of old grids are in the works right nowand are slowly shifting towards new trends in smart grid technologydevelopments that are available. The global smart grid market is at $22.8billion last year in 2011, but is expected to jump up to $80.6 billion by theyear 2016 as new technologies are being introduced that can deliver and meetthe requirements smart grid reliability, stability and lower electrical rates.

Some of these new technologies include the activation of theHome Area Network (HAN) capabilities in new grid upgrades. This will provide consumerswith real-time usage and monitoring information through their smart meters andthe latest data applications such as the Green Button and the smart thermostat.Other smart grid technologies to watch out for include cloud computing, OutageManagement Systems (OMS), Vehicle to Grid (V2G), microgrids and otherintegrated technologies.

SMART Grid Outlook

With a great momentum in smart grid deployment, the marketis expected to continue hitting double digit growths in the coming years. A survey from Zpryme indicates that 8 out of10 industry executives are confident that investments in smart grids willcontinue to go through 2012 and the succeeding years. Many believe that thesmart grid is the only rational and viable long-term action that can integrateand manage all government regulation, integration of renewable energy, carbonemissions control, and other complex requirements of the volatile energymarket.

Authors Bio

Michael Vargas is the founder and principal consultant of Atlas Project Support.Michael holds both academic and industry credentials and has more than 12 years of construction and project management experience. In addition to his consulting business, Michael is a Professor in the Business School at Saint Leo University a Catholic University located in Florida. This educational component resonates throughout Michael’s professional life as he also conducts training in energy consumption and sustainability for organizations and groups. He is an Advisory Panel Member of the Green Building Council Institute’s Continuing Education Committee while chairing the Quality Sub-Committee for the Continuing Education Advisory Group (CEAG), overseeing and auditing curriculum and promoting best practices.

Vargas earned a Masters in Business Administration, a Masters in Project Management and most recently a Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis from the Keller Graduate School of Management. Michael completed a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration at San Diego State University, along with a Certificate in Green Building and Construction. He is recognized by the Association of Energy Engineers as a Certified Business Energy Professional and the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC) as a Certified Energy Plans Examiner and is a LEED Accredited Professional with the Green Associate designation supporting the US Green Building Council. Michael has a Contractor Quality Manager certification from NAVFAC.

Contact Michael at info@myatlasproject.com or at http://myatlasproject.com.

Energy Efficiency in California: Energy Commission Targets Energy-wasting Battery Chargers

2012-02-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

While California already has several policies inplace to improve energy efficiency in the state, it continues to push forward with innovative, greening policies that ensure energy efficiency in homes and commercial establishments. It has now moved forward to introduce stricter andmore specific energy-efficiency policies in the consumer segment as well.

Silencing energy-draining battery-chargers

In the second week of January 2012, California’sEnergy Commission has introduced, a new green law, which is a first in thecountry, requiring battery charges to be energy-efficient by Feb 1, 2013. This law will help to overcome the close to60-percent energy loss that 170-million ‘vampire charging systems’ cause whenthey draw electricity from electric outlets.

Energy experts have termed these commonly usedgadget chargers as ‘vampires’ as these are chargers will continue to drawcurrent from the outlet, just by remaining plugged into it, even if no device is attached to it or the device isplugged in but switched off. Currently, close to 10-percent of residentialelectricity is used up by in standby power consumption across the country,while California accounts for 13-percent in standby power consumption.

California has always set the precedent

California has always been ahead of other states inthe country with respect to lowering of energy emissions and optimizingenergy-efficiency in buildings in the state. These efforts began as early as1977, when state regulations were issued to ensure air conditioners and laterin 2009 when refrigerators, televisions of big-screen and flat-panelmanufacturers were required to ensure that their gadgets drew minimalelectricity supply.

With the introduction of the new rules, effectiveFeb 1, 2013, consumer goods, phones and power tools; and a year later on Jan 1,2014, industrial equipments such as –forklifts, industrial chargers; and by Jan1, 2017, all equipment chargers used in commercial gadgetry such aswalkie-talkies, bar-code scanners and similar commercial equipments need toachieve energy-sufficiency.

In the more the past thirty years, California’sdrive to achieve energy-efficiency has also resulted in controlling pollutionand savings in expenses on energy across the state. The state’s policies is towardsreducing energy spending and sustainable use of present energy available ratherthan developing wind, solar and other renewable power resources ornatural-gas-generating power plants.

As a result of high-rewarding energy-efficiencypolicies, the Energy Commission has announced that $36 billion helping them tofurther control the per-capita consumption to a flat rate as against over 50percent growth in power consumption in other parts of the country.

Tech-improvement, redesign to drive energy-efficiencyin battery-chargers

Scientists and Energy experts expect that givenCalifornia’s huge market, manufacturers are likely to abide by the new laws andwill lead to slow adoption of energy-efficient laws in other parts of thecountry as well. Though, there is wide-spread opposition by appliance, consumerproduct manufacturers across most electronic gadgets like tablets, cell phones,power tools and other battery-recharging devices. It is expected thatmanufacturers will redesign their battery-chargers to be more energy-sufficientand will trigger the next generation of energy-proficient devices.

AuthorBio

Michael Vargas is the founder and principal consultant ofAtlas Project Support. Mr. Vargas has more than a decade of construction andenergy accounting and utilization experience, and is a Certified BusinessEnergy Professional through the AEE, a California Association Building EnergyConsultant Certified Energy PlansExaminer, LEED Green Associate and GBCI Advisory Panel Member. Michael hasrecently become a partner in a new software development firm TitanSoft, LLC. Mr.Vargas also holds a BSBA from SDSU, MBA, MPM, Financial Analysis Certificatefrom Keller Graduate School. In additionto his consulting business, Michael is a Professor in the Business School atSaint Leo University a Catholic University. For more information contactMichael at mvargas@myatlasproject.com or via the webat www.myatlasproject.com.

Reno ESP Integrated Project Delivery Approach

2012-01-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

Technological evolution coupled with owners’ on-going demand for more effective processes that result in better, faster, less costly and less adversarial construction projects are driving significant and rapid change in the construction industry.

Reno ESP delivers a roadmap where…

facilities managers, end users, and suppliers are all involved at the start of the design process
processes are outcome-driven and decisions are not made solely on a first cost basis
all communications throughout the process are clear, concise, open, transparent, and trusting
designers fully understand the ramifications of their decisions at the time the decisions are made
risk and reward are value-based and appropriately balanced among all team members over the life of a project

This is the world of the ESP Integrated Project Delivery.

ESP Integrated Project Delivery leverages early contributions of knowledge and expertise through utilization of new technologies, allowing all team members to better realize their highest potentials while expanding the value they provide throughout the project lifecycle. The outcome is the opportunity to design, build, and operate as efficiently as possible.

ESP Training Sections (based on AIA principles):

I. Understand principles of IPD
II. Understand the value propositions of IPD from the perspective of various stakeholders
III. Organize non-traditional delivery methods and alternative team relationships for improved project performance, understanding the necessary qualifications / attributes of team members
IV. Assess interest and adequate knowledge resources within one’s team
V. Discern subtle differences between possible models for IPD
VI. Advocate the benefit of an integrated delivery model
VII. With the appropriate resources and understanding of issues , write an agreement based on integrated project delivery principles

2011-12-27T08:33:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Perez-Halperin Has Launched GC Green

SAN DIEGO -- Elizabeth Perez-Halperin vividly remembers Oct. 12, 2000, as “the day that changed my life forever.”

That was when terrorists blew a hole in the U.S. destroyer Cole docked off Yemen, killing 17 sailors. One of those victims was her closest friend from Navy boot camp, Lakiba Nicole Palmer of San Diego.

The attack, coupled with her growing belief that America’s demand for oil helps fund terrorists and their allies, has committed Perez-Halperin to new missions since she left the Navy in 2005.

Now 33, Perez-Halperin has launched a San Diego-based startup company called GC Green that secures funding from public and private sources to train and connect veterans to jobs in the green energy field. For example, filling a need for energy auditors to help homeowners save on utility bills.

Palmer continues to motivate her effort.

“She has to live beyond that day,” Perez-Halperin said.

Perez-Halperin also champions energy security by promoting alternatives to oil. That’s what brought her to Sacramento recently to urge the California Air Resources Board to continue a controversial regulation aimed at forcing oil companies to reduce the carbon content in transportation fuels.

It was brief, but riveting testimony about the loss of her friend and her own father, a veteran of the first Gulf War.

“You can imagine the frustration that I and so many others felt when we learned that our addiction to oil was helping to fund the very same terrorist organization that had attacked the USS Cole,” she said, pausing to compose herself.

Some veterans don’t see it that way. Willie Galvan, a retired Korean War-era veteran and state commander of the nonprofit American GI Forum of California, wrote a recent column critical of the air board, arguing that more regulations put the country’s energy security and businesses at further risk, especially with the economy so wobbly.

“There are those who imply that the only threat to adequate energy supplies is reliance on imported crude. But they conveniently neglect to consider that California’s regulatory structure has increasingly been the cause of declining in-state production and rising imports,” Galvan wrote.

“As for replacing fossil fuels with alternatives, the reality is they are neither sufficiently available or competitively priced,” he wrote.

Perez-Halperin and others say their primary fears are imports from countries friendly to terrorists and the risk of future war for oil. The long-term solution is to slow those imports by investing in alternative sources, they argue.

Perez-Halperin knows fuel. During her military service she served as an aviation logistics specialist providing combat support for U.S. and NATO forces. In Bahrain and other places she was in charge of transporting and ordering fuel supplies.

“I could not understand why were purchasing fuel from countries that wish us harm. It was a gut check,” she said.

After leaving the Navy, “I was searching for change and not sure where to find it,” Perez-Halperin said.

She soon discovered her calling.

“I wanted to address the environment, energy and veterans,” she explained.

That led to GC Green, which began to find its footing this year, securing various grants to train veterans and find work to subcontract jobs to others in San Diego and across the state.

GC Green has helped train over 600 auditors statewide, most of them veterans, in collaboration with other organizations, Perez-Halperin said. About dozen or so have found jobs on projects. “She’s certainly helped grow my business,” said Bruce Cheney, a disabled veteran who owns Anchors Aweigh Energy in San Diego. “We would not be where we are today without working with GC Green.”

Cheney, who shares Perez-Halperin’s view that the country’s security depends on weaning off imported oil, works with homeowners on energy audits, writing up recommendations that pencils out the cost and potential long-term savings.

His experience indicates that the average home uses far more energy than necessary. “That is too much fossil fuel and we get it from countries who don’t like us,” Cheney said.

Green energy alternatives, he continued, “create the jobs here that can’t be shipped overseas.”

Perez-Halperin Noted that she has not been able to do it alone. She credits several groups with providing support. Among those: the San Diego offices of the Conservation Services Group and Mission Continues, which helps disabled veterans give back through public service. She also attended Entrepreneurs Bootcamp for Veterans based in Syracuse, N.Y.

It’s probably not surprising that Perez-Halperin took this path. When she was just 12, she wrote an essay on freedom that touched on Operation Desert Storm to drive Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. The daughter of a career soldier, Perez received an A. She also “sees through a different lens” as a Native American, part of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians tribe near Yosemite, Perez-Halperin said.

“Environment, sustainability, is very important to me,” she said. Some of her work has been with tribal ventures.

With the last of the combat troops in Iraq now home safe for the holidays, Perez-Halperin said she is even more determined to help those returning to civilian life to find jobs.

She is also driven by memories of another friend who returned home from Afghanistan deeply depressed, committing suicide not long ago.

“This stuff is real. It is not TV,” she said. “These are real issues that America needs to face and address. What do we do when they all come home?”

Atlas Project Support Founder Michael Vargas Quoted in New Green Building Insider (GBI) Survey

2011-12-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

12/09/2011- About two-thirds of construction professionals participating in a new Green Building Insider (GBI) survey believe they are either “somewhat prepared” or “fully prepared” for any legal disputes they may encounter over the next year that involve their companies’/organizations’ green building work. A balanced representation of nearly 200 construction professionals -- including architects, engineers, consultants, construction managers, owners, contractors, and others -- over the last week responded to the survey’s 15 questions about the risks of building green as well as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and accreditation.

SURVEY RESULTS

One anonymous respondent who considers himself or herself “fully prepared” for a legal dispute involving the company or organization that he or she represents commented, “We only promote technologies that have the science to back them up ... which has demonstrated to us that most architects, engineers, and contractors either are too biased from the ‘snake oils’ of the past to even look at the facts or are simply unwilling/unable to learn anything new. Myopic self-interest on the part of many contractors is also presenting significant barriers.”

All but 13.7 percent of respondents indicated that they are “somewhat aware,” “very aware,” or “perfectly aware” of the potential risks that can afflict a green building/green construction project that their company/organization may undertake.

One respondent claiming to be “somewhat aware” of these risks stated, “It is only a risk when the construction manager is forced to cut costs on material and jeopardizes the LEED certification in the process of making a profit (or to lose less money).”

Select Comments to Open-Ended QuestionsIn addition to the summary results, here are select responses from the survey’s two open-ended questions -- question No. 12 and question No. 14:

Question No. 12 -- Which type of risk involving green building/green construction worries you the most?

“Unrealistic expectations of owners as to the ‘savings’ they should see for a green building since designers don’t seem to alert them to sometimes higher operating costs to maintain [indoor air quality] and elaborate systems used to garner LEED points.” -- Lee Holmes, a commissioning authority with Support Services of Alaska.

“Lack of knowledge industry-wide about the risk of non-disclosure, inaccurate representation, and transparency on construction, sale, and investment in LEED/green projects.” -- Michele Skupic, national director of FNF Sustainable Strategies.

“Owners’ performance expectations exceeding the design capabilities.” -- Robert O’Brien, principal at Holt Architects.

“The building performing worse than modeled because of poor installation and commissioning.” -- Les Lazareck, an engineer at Home Energy Connection LLC.

“Contractors committing to specific credits and not delivering.” -- Alicia Phinney, construction services coordinator at Defence Construction Canada.

Question No. 14 -- In your opinion, what is the best way for public officials and/or the construction industry to maximize financial benefits and minimize potential risks of green building/green construction?

“Better knowledge of any tax benefits and payback charts for energy efficiencies. This will allow a better understanding of the upfront cost on investments.” -- Andre Chamberlain, project manager at The DeRosa Group.

“By practicing all of the aspects of green solutions more and more ... to identify the best uses of different materials.” -- Ar. Nazli Hussain, owner and chief architect at Praxis Architects.

“Continuous monitoring and management of the project.” -- Edgar Almeida, technical leader at Cisco Systems.

“Have clear-cut codes and standards, publish them, and distribute [them] to the trade. Have one go-to website with information. It is up to design/construction professionals to educate/inform clients for projects.” -- DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC.

“Increase construction codes to a higher standard.” -- Michael Vargas, principal at Atlas Project Support.

GBI conducted the survey between Dec. 2 and Dec. 7, using various lists of constructional professionals from all across the construction community. For additional survey results, please call Construction Advisor Today Editor Steve Rizer at (301) 765-9525, ext. 7013.

TitanSoft, LLC Delivers New Mobile Application for Atlas Project Support

2011-12-16T22:55:00.000-08:00

TitanSoft, LLC CEO Michael Vargas and CTO Greg Miranda collaborate in delivering a new mobile application for Atlas Project Support. Greg Miranda was quoted as saying, “This is another small step forward for the company. We will continue to drive innovation as a cornerstone for our clients”.
Link to Atlas Mobile Application

Solar Energy in México

2011-11-30T06:14:00.001-08:00

With the world going green and the increasing need to reduce pollution due to the adverse effects of global warming, many countries are now taking to wind and solar energy as opposed to fossil fuels and Mexico has not been left out.

Mexico has surprising levels of solar resources that have remained untapped for a long time. This situation is slowly changing into a more promising one.

Mexico’s average solar resources for PV (5 kWh/m2/day) are more than 60%higher than the best solar in Germany (5.4 GW of installed PV). Spain andGermany are the global PV leaders, with a total of 8.7 GW, 67% of the world’sPV installed capacity, according to the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Program2008 Annual Report.

The solar potential in Mexico stands at a stunning 45 GW which is approximately 75% of the country’s electric generation capacity in the year 2008.

The countries government is in the process of implementing reforms in a bid to increase solar energy production. This goes to show that once these reforms are concretely in place, Mexico will be able to produce at least 10 percent of the energy it consumes from photovoltaic cells.

Relationships on the basis of solar energy production within the northern and central parts of the country are sprouting and working towards building an energy corridor set to produce enough energy to serve California and Arizona in the United States.

These relationships have been established through the Sonora state administration. Sonora is home to three of the sunniest and hottest cities in Mexico and is best suited for solar and wind production in Mexico.
The World Bank has also financed a project to build a Hybrid Solar Thermal Power Plant which is built to use a combined cycle gas turbine to provide electricity to one of Sonora’s three cities, Agua Prieta.

This project was meant to demonstrate the benefits of amalgamating a solar field with a convectional thermal facility using gas turbines to reduce the long term costs of the technology to reduce green house emissions.

It is estimated that solar thermal and photovoltaic electricity will account for up to five percent of Mexico’s energy supplies by 2030 and up to 10 to 15 percent by 2050.

This state of affairs in Mexico has opened up opportunities that were previously un-foreseen. Energy is the core resource of any business and having it produced in large scale is an added advantage for any business. There are other companies that work to develop a suite of business tools to help clients develop profitable scalable green businesses in Mexico.

One such company that deals with energy management is Atlas Project Support. Such companies are well equipped to help new and existing businesses harness clean forms of energy like solar energy in Mexico.

The rise in the number of businesses going green and the enthusiasm the Mexican government together with the World Bank will definitely spur the country to a more stable economy.

Atlas Project Support Leads the Way for the Emergence of the Solid Oxide fuel cells

2011-11-20T08:26:00.001-08:00

With today’s growing need for energy across the world, more people are looking at alternate forms to either augment or even replace fossil fuels. Clean energy sources such as solar and wind power have gained infavor over the past decade for providing power generation to home, but a newpower source for cars is only now becoming a practical reality.

While hybrid cars use the combination of electric withfossil fuels, the result have been only a relatively small increase in fuelefficiency. Electric cars are becoming more popular, but they have a verylimited range when compared to gas engines. Natural gas has been providing heatin homes for decades, but it use in cars has been limited due to concerns overthe pressurization.

This leaves the fuel cell as perhaps the best chance toproduce a practical energy source for vehicles that has the range of gasengines, but provides a clean energy alternative. A solid oxide fuel cellproduces electricity from the oxidization of the fuel source. Theelectrochemical conversion provided in the cell creates a highly efficientmethod of power generation for a vehicle that’s both stable, has few emissionsand a relatively low cost.

The development of the fuel cell date back to the 20^thcentury, but the program got a significant boost almost a decade ago when moregovernment incentives were used to help promote the program. Today the fuel cell car is still in theexperimental stages though it has progressed significantly over the past 10years. The recent hikes in oil prices have help to expand interest in thedevelopment of the fuel cell.

The major technical problems that must be overcome withthe fuel cell centers on the high operating temperature needed to produce theelectrical current. This result is a longer start up time for the fuel cellthat includes mechanical and chemical issues that have yet to be fully fleshedout.

Current research to improve the fuel cell is currentlybeing conducted by several companies around the world. The main effort is toreduce the temperature needed to provide the electrical current from the cellwhich would significantly reduce the cost of the materials needed to house thefuel cell.

One of the more promising areas of research, though it isstill in the initial stages is to combine gas turbines to the fuel cell to helpaugment the chemical reaction. This would be a similar step to the currenthybrid vehicles on the market which combine electrical batteries and a gaspowered engine.

There are many different chemicals including fossil fuelsthat are being tested, particularly natural gas and diesel fuels to try andreduce the temperature but these fuels have their own issues which interferewith the electrical process of the cell itself.

With the growing need for renewable energy sources aroundthe world, solving the final issues of the fuel cell may revolutionize the wayvehicles are powered leading to a cleaner, healthier environment with moreresources being used to solve other energy concerns.

Contact Michael Vargas at mvargas@myatlasproject.com for more information on how he can help with your fuel cell project.

Atlas Project Support Hot on the Trail of SDG&E

2011-11-11T07:44:00.001-08:00

This a reprint of an article written by Morgan Lee a writer for the San Diego Union Tribune describing the possible adaptation of the new tariff rate structure proposed by SDG&E:

California’s two largest utilities have joined the debate on whether rooftop-solar customers can be charged more for their use of the electricity distribution grid.

San Diego Gas & Electric, the smallest of the state’s three investor-owned utilities, asked regulators last month for permission to bill all customers separately for the use of the grid.

The proposal would have the greatest impact on those home and non-industrial business customers who generate their own electricity, mostly with solar panels, while still relying on the grid.

Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison declared a vested interest in the outcome of SDG&E’s proposal for a “network-use charge,” in filings this week with the California Public Utilities Commission. Southern California Edison seconded SDG&E’s argument that solar customers are bypassing fixed costs for service. “The resulting revenue deficiency paid by other customers is large and is expected to grow significantly,” Edison’s filing stated.

SDG&E has argued that ratepayers are increasingly subsidizing solar customers who use the grid effectively to store their excess electricity for use when the sun doesn’t shine. The utility also says solar customers aren’t paying their fair share for infrastructure upkeep and public purpose programs that ensure service to low-income customers.

Solar users and contractors say the proposed rate restructuring would hurt the savings equation that spurred the rapid expansion of solar installations in San Diego County and beyond. Utilities, the solar community argues, already benefit from local solar generation that complements peak hours for electricity consumption.
California’s “net metering” provisions allow small-scale self-generating utility customers to subtract any excess energy outflows from their metered usage. The regulations prohibit utilities from imposing new charges exclusively on solar customers, but SDG&E’s grid-use charge would be applied almost universally.

Traditional utility customers would see little impact on what they pay under the proposal. How much solar customers would pay remains unclear — bills will depend greatly on individual use on the grid.
Michael Shames, who has challenged the SDG&E proposal as executive director of the San Diego-based Utility Consumers’ Action Network, called the interest among other utilities significant and not unexpected.

“This is and has been, from day one, a statewide issue with national significance,” he said. “We know that SDG&E’s very controversial proposal, if adopted by regulators, is likely to be copied by the other two large state utilities.”

SDG&E’s Proposed Network Use Charge - Atlas Project Support Follows The Real Story Part 2

2011-11-07T19:47:00.000-08:00

Much is being said regarding the seemingly unfair position of the Investor Owned Utility San Diego Gas $ Electric's proposed new rate hike. In my first blog, I display the information from the California Center for Sustainable Energy whom abjectly will position themselves against the new rate hikes. This blog will represent the direct testimony of Thomas R. Brill to the California Public Utility Commission. Thomas is currently the Director of Strategic Analysis at San Diego Gas and Electric Company, where he also heads the Rates, Demand Forecasting, and Load Analysis Departments.

The testimony can be found here: http://www.sdge.com/regulatory/documents/a-11-10-002/Chapter%201%20Brill.pdf

The conclusion of the testimony provides the framework for the position taken by SDG&E why the rates are required.

"The underlying purpose of cost of service regulation is to ensure that the rates charged to customers that do not have a competitive alternative to monopoly service are just and reasonable. Without a change in rate design that ensures all customers pay for the services that they receive, customers that do have a competitive alternative to utility service will continue to receive electricity network use services for free. At the same time, customers that do not have a competitive alternative to utility service will face continuing rate increases as they pay more and more of these costs over time. This situation is not fair, fails to protect the interests of customers that lack competitive alternatives to utility service, and threatens the long-term growth of distributed solar power and net zero energy construction goals.

SDG&E intends, with the help of the proposals set forth in this Application, to become the utility of the future needed to help achieve California’s policy goal of creating a low carbon energy future. By approving accurate price signals that charge customers based on their actual use of services provided by SDG&E, without regard to technology choice, the Commission will take a big step in that direction."

More will follow as the Founder of Atlas Project Support Michael Vargas digs deeper with commentary from players on both sides of the story...

SDG&E’s Proposed Network Use Charge - Atlas Follows The Real Story Part 1

2011-11-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

As we may all be aware of San Diego Gas & Electric has filed their 2012 General Rate Case, which upon approval by the California Public Utilities Commission will determine its rates and tariffs for 2012-2015. the California Center for Sustainable Energy has written an article which describes their perspective here: http://energycenter.org/index.php/component/content/article/2902. Here are some highlights:

What is the network use charge?

Utility electricity bill charges are derived from two rate categories: energy consumption and distribution.

Currently, people who generate solar power are billed on the cost of energy they draw from SDG&E and credited the value of the solar energy they put back into the grid. Generally, solar customers meet their electricity demand first with the power they generate through their solar systems. When they make more electricity than they need, they put it into the grid and receive credit on their bill. When they need more electricity than their system generates or the sun is down, they draw it from the grid like everyone else. With the proposed network use charge, solar customers would not only be charged for the energy they use from the grid, they would additionally be charged for the energy they put on the grid for others to use.

What is the potential impact of the network use charge?

The proposed residential increase may not seem like much, but it could be enough to significantly reduce the value proposition for future solar buyers and could stifle San Diego's burgeoning solar marketplace, harming small businesses and the local jobs they have created.
Although SDG&E has made some adjustments to the charge for schools, our initial analysis indicates the greatest impact will likely be on municipalities, public agencies and local businesses that have invested in solar. For example, a water district that is already benefiting from offsetting 90 percent of its utility bill with solar energy production could see their current annual costs increase by almost $70,000, or over 400%.

Atlas Project Support is currently analyzing the impact of the proposed 2012 General Rate Case and will be reporting both sides of the story. Part 2 of the story will review testimony by SDG&E Representative Thomas R. Brill.

Life Cycle Analysis Help Determine Value of Green Strategies

2011-10-31T20:35:00.001-07:00

Michael Vargas

Atlas Project Support

Life Cycle Cost Analysis in Energy Projects

Life Cycle analysis helps understand the ROI on green strategies, energy savings and the cost of gaining LEED credit

Early Life Cycle Analysis helps in determining the cost-effective greener strategies

Life Cycle Analysis Help Determine Value of Green Strategies

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers certification to sustainable buildings depending on the degree of compliance it has to LEED guidelines and benchmarks. However, when the need is to assess the viability of green strategies and establish the value of each LEED does not offer statistical and analytical tools. The right tool to use for arriving at the value of green strategies is the Life Cycle Cost Analysis and Building Information Modeling.

Powerful Building Information Modeling ensures effective lifecycle cost analysis

Creating 3D virtual model of the building structure and engineering information offers the right evaluation background for evaluating the green strategies because the software allows easy scaling of the different parameters for assessment. Therefore, qualitative cost effectiveness and value of each life cycle is determined with the convergence of BIM and Life Cycle Cost Analysis.

Green strategies for evaluation

Studies using the above tools the following green strategies prove to be invaluable for sustainable buildings.

Solar Photovoltaic Panels introduced by one of the leading manufactures have thin-films for panels and considerably reduced the standard installation cost from $11.50/W to $6/W.

Wind Turbines with Vertical –axis are highly recommended for urban environments as they capture rising turbulent wind patterns effectively. However, the horizontal-axis turbines though are less expensive and offer the same overall efficiency. Locating the turbine in the most effective position on-site is crucial to its performance.

Glazing windows with low conductive heat values but allowed considerably larger quantities of light to enter the building, were found to be more effective. The heating loads dropped due to solar gains and the cooling load far outweighed the cooling load thereby saving energy.

Water cooled chillers when installed in large buildings well be effective and perhaps not so effective for smaller buildings as the installation and maintenance costs will far outrun the utility savings of $4,500/yr as well the 20% more life cycle.

Boilers performance is optimized when they are placed in the right water temperature delta. Typical costs should range at $12.10 per MBH and 83% efficiency. The 93% efficiency boilers of some brands are known to cost $15 per MBH with a payback term of 14 years.

Life cycle costing will define value of greener strategies

It is difficult for a facility owner to comprehend the costs of greener strategies proposed by the building design team. However, a detailed Life Cycle Costing Analysis will explicitly provide all the required information and the statistics to prove the true value of greener strategies as being more implicit in terms of lowered GHG emissions, better energy usage than economical.

Moreover, detailed analysis using additional tools will help in determining which type of green technology is apt for the individual building depending on the geographic location and the climate of the site of construction. Green strategies are the technology winners for tomorrow’s buildings!

Author Bio

Michael Vargas is the founder and principal consultant of Atlas Project Support. Mr. Vargas has more than 10 years of construction and energy accounting and utilization experience, and is a Certified Business Energy Professional through the AEE, a California Association Building Energy Consultant Certified Energy Plans Examiner, LEED Green Associate and GBCI Advisory Panel Member. Mr. Vargas also holds a BSBA from SDSU, MBA and MPM from Keller Graduate School. For more information contact Michael at mvargas@myatlasproject.com or via the web at www.myatlasproject.com.

Atlas Founder Michael Vargas to Present to Pacific Coast Association of Physical Plant Administrators (PCAPPA)

2011-10-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

Michael Vargas founder of Atlas Project Support will takethe stage on October 16th to address the 2011 PCAPPA conference to discuss thefuture of, alternative financing vehicles for, and available technologies inthe solar industry.

While many factors play a vital role in the manifestation of solar systems and programs, a common conundrum among academic institutions across the country is the reality of reduced budgets and ever increasing energy costs. Consideringthis challenge, schools offer a unique platform to implement the latest inphotovoltaic technology. With a targeted combination of State, Federal, andprivate investment and incentive, the opportunity for schools being a viablecandidate for solar is real.

Theopportunity to take a leadership role in the public sector still exists foracademic institutions. Withthe emergence of the PV markets in California and throughout the

UnitedStates, the communities in which theseprojects are implemented are on a path towards receiving long-term communityservice and benefit. Never has the time for innovation and expansion beengreater in our renewable energy history.

HTTP://myatlasproject.com

My Daughter's Future

2011-09-10T14:54:00.001-07:00

By the time my little girl turns 21 in 2030, 90 percent ofcars could be electric or hybrid, according to a new study by Google.org. Cleanenergy innovations, like electric and hybrid cars, could add $155 billion peryear in GDP and 1.1 million jobs by 2030. But some of us have known for a whilethat clean energy saves money and improves the bottom line. I focus on savingmoney through clean energy in a place you might least expect it: propertyvalues.

Many building owners believe added curb appeal or interior designrenovations will bring the most benefit, but improving energy efficiency canmake property worth a lot more. For example, instead of repaving a parking lotand retiling the lobby, doing an energy upgrade (“retrofit”) might make moresense. LEED Certified buildings command rent premiums of $11.33 per square footand sell for $171 per square foot more than non-LEED competitors, according toa study by a commercial real estate research firm.

My company, Atlas Project Support, was founded on the principle thatsaving money and improving the bottom line can happen in non-traditional ways.My background is originally in traditional construction, but when I saw thebuilding industry take a severe hit two years ago I turned this challenge intoan opportunity.

So, at the same time my daughter was born, I started Atlas ProjectSupport. I now use my experience in the traditional construction industry tohelp businesses find areas where they can save money through energy efficiency.

This opportunity was made possible by clean energy policies inCalifornia like AB 32, California’s landmark clean energy legislation. This lawrequires energy providers to get more of their electricity from clean,renewable sources like wind and sun. It also requires tougher energy efficiencystandards on appliances, homes and commercial buildings.

Why are these requirements so important for consumers? Becauseconventional energy prices are volatile, experiencing dramatic price spikesthat get passed on to you and me. California’s clean energy and climatesecurity law will help level the playing field between old and new sources of energy.Once AB 32 is fully implemented, it will provide the certainty businesses needto help them invest in clean technology solutions.

Energy efficiency and clean technology are a part of my core beliefsystem because they benefit my community and help make the world a better placefor my daughter. Moving from traditional construction into this space was a wayto both pursue my dreams of making a difference while saving my clients money.

A lot of people are wary of energy retrofits because of the myths surroundingclean technology. Some believe that it will be too expensive, while others haveunrealistic expectations of what they can achieve. I try to find the middleground, and nurture the conversation about what can be done. My goal is to workwith people to understand their goals and help them make an action plan.

Small changes now will pay for themselves in a short period of time, andhelp companies continue to save money year after year. It’s critical that ourelected officials continue to lead California and our nation in clean energypolicies. Based on continuing support for AB 32 since it was introduced in2005, it’s clear the people of California support these policies and want tomake it easier for small businesses to make the change to clean technology andsave more money.

Moving forward with clean energy policies means creating moreopportunities for businesses to make more money, while making the world cleanerfor future leaders like my daughter.

--
Michael Vargas is the founder of Atlas Project Support in Bonsall. Mr.Vargas is a Certified Business Energy Professional, Certified Energy PlansExaminer, LEED Green Associate and GBCI Advisory Panel Member, and has a GreenBuilding Construction Certificate. www.myatlasproject.com

Atlas Project Supports Rolls Out New Analysis Tool for its Clients

2011-09-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

Atlas Project Support announces the release of its new proprietary analysis tool for Energy Efficiency Building Retrofits. This tool provides a construction cost estimate that is time-valued by year and quarter and localized by zip code for proposed energy efficiency measures. The tool also shows the variance from benchmarked data based on 12 months of previous energy consumption to desired efficiency goals. The tool positions Atlas to help its clients set investment priorities and allows for the formulation of business strategies based on real data.

Atlas Project Support and the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC)

2011-09-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Since 1978, in California, all new and altered buildings are required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards defined in Title 24, Part 6, of the California Code of Regulations. These standards, which are updated every few years, were established in response to a legislative mandate to reduce California’s energy consumption.

Title 24 standards are enforced by requiring building permit applicants to submit energy efficiency compliance documentation with their permit application. This documentation, often called a Title 24 report, includes calculations that show that the proposed construction meets or exceeds the minimum energy efficiency standards in effect at the date of the application.

Almost all Title 24 documentation is prepared by a specialist using state-certified energy modeling software. These specialists, who have an understanding of the Title 24 regulations, building science, mechanical systems, and how to use the modeling software, are typically called energy consultants. Currently, no special certifications or education are required to prepare Title 24 documentation for a building permit.

However, there are two voluntary certifications that identify energy consultants that have undergone special training and adhere to the highest professional levels:

- Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE); and

- Certified Energy Analyst (CEA).

You become a CEPE by passing an open-book examination and agreeing to abide by a processional code of ethics. Certification at this level demonstrates a person’s understands of the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and ensures competency and ethical behavior in the preparation or plan checking of Title 24 documents. CEA is a higher level of certification. It requires a minimum of one year of experience doing Title 24 calculations, after becoming a CEPE, and a minimum of six hours per year of continuing education. In addition, a CEA applicant must provide client references, complete a professional practices workshop, and sign an agreement binding them to conduct business in a professional manner.

Both certifications, including the examinations, application processing, and continuing education requirements are administered by a non-profit organization called the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC). CABEC also hosts an annual conference, educational workshops and webinars, and other events to guarantee that CABEC members stay well informed about current Title 24 requirements and how to best serve their clients.

A certified energy consultant typically does much more than prepare compliance documentation for their clients. They may also:

• Advise them on energy efficient building techniques, upcoming changes to the energy standards, or new energy saving equipment and building techniques;

• Assist them with state, local, and utility incentive programs,

• Provide mechanical design or third-party certification services for programs such as Energy Star or LEED; and

• Identify local jurisdiction idiosyncrasies to assure that their Title 24 report proceeds smoothly through the plan check process.

CEPE and CEA Certification is becoming increasingly important throughout California’s building industry. Some state and utility incentive programs are requiring documentation preparation by certified energy consultants in order to participate in the programs. As energy efficiency standards get tougher and more complex, architects, builders, designers, and other construction professionals will be relying on certified energy consultants to help meet these standards and build the best possible buildings.

As the organization that manages the certification process, the California Association of Building Energy Consultants is the best resource available for staying on top of changes to the Title 24 standards, finding certified energy consultants, and staying informed about energy efficiency in California.

Photovoltaic Technology and Schools

2011-08-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

A common conundrum amongst school districts across the country is the reality of lowering budgets and ever increasing energy costs. Considering this challenge, schools offer a unique platform to implement the latest in photovoltaic technology. Between State, Federal, and Private investment and incentive, the opportunity for schools being a viable candidate for solar is real. California is a great example of driving leadership across the country in photovoltaic technology deployment in this space.

DOE’s Solar America Showcase Program

Schools typically begin with a Solar Master Plan, which will then find its inclusion in Facilities Master Plans. Established and reputed scientific laboratories, actively pursuing photovoltaic energy technologies, usually mentor and offer technical assistance to schools across school districts. The Department Of Energy’s Solar America showcase program is the central agency that encourages acceleration of solar energies in principal end-use market sectors.

The program’s goal is to provide adequate technical knowledge to representatives at district level. This will empower them to recognize financing options and identify opportunities for photovoltaic technologies.

Infrastructure Requirements at Schools for Deploying Photovoltaics

A thorough understanding of the technology will reveal that, the deployment of solar energy or photovoltaic energy mandates several infrastructure and environmental requirements.

For installation of PV, the school should consider access to sunlight across several locations. The proposed real estate/structure should have minimal shading and preferably facing the South-direction.

Additionally, the strength and age of the roofing system in the school will determine the capacity of photovoltaic installations. Again, the size of the roof, the capacity of electric load and electricity costs at the school too are considerations towards energy enhancement. The school designation might also play a vital role in locating the photovoltaic installation as it should not be an identified historic or emergency shelter.

Other vital issues of installation of photovoltaic technology at school premises are theft as well as panel vandalism.

Options Available in Photovoltaic Technology

The most efficient and cost-effective photovoltaic installation options include single, poly-crystalline panels and thin-film technologies. Some of the more popular applications, which have been developed in the recent months, are cost-effective building-integrated photovoltaic, concentrated photovoltaic, solar thermal, and several similar options.

Photovoltaic Cell Design

In comparison to mono and poly-crystalline cells with average 13 and 19 percent efficiency, latest thin-film solar cells with building integrated Photovoltaic have 4 to 12 percent efficiency and are very easy to integrate into rooftops, tiles, shingles, building facades, standing seam metal roofs and similar structures. Concentrating PV efficiency can even get as high as 29%.

PV’s Most Popular Options

The most viable of these technologies for schools is the traditional poly-crystalline panel, fixed tilt carport or groundmount PV system. In this application an array of photovoltaic panels, efficiently converts sunlight into electricity with minimal movable parts, fuel wastage, with zero air pollution as well as zero Green House Gas emission during the entire lifecycle of photovoltaic energy production.

These installations on school property or even on the roofing systems have minimal maintenance costs and do not cause any sound pollution, making them ideal technology for deployment in schools.

Therefore, schools with the right infrastructure and climatic location should deploy photovoltaic installation technology and hardware for optimized solar energy production.

TitanSoft Group, LLC is now an Official Business Partner of Atlas Project Support

2011-08-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

The TitanSoft Group will develop web-based business applications that reside on our web server and have a user interface that allows users to utilize the application using a Web browser. The use of our new applications will significantly reduce the costs of integrating energy consumption and construction costing analyses while expanding the reach, integration, and efficiency of many of your business processes.

Atlas founder Michael Vargas is quoted as saying, "TitanSoft brings a whole new dimension of products to the current offering of Atlas Project Support. We are pleased on the progress made by our team of developers headed by Greg Miranda the company's Chief Technology Officer. We expect our development process to move along at a fast clip and to start delivering business solutions through web-based interface in Quarter 1 2012."

The company can be found at http//:titansoftgroup.com and Atlas Project Support can be contacted at http://myatlasproject.com.

Atlas Project Support Launches New Industrial Energy Efficiency Training Curriculum

2011-07-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Atlas Project Support offers an intensive, tailored curriculum that can be delivered independent of, or in conjunction with, construction to improve building efficiency and sustainability. In certain cases classes are conducted before any steps towards efficiency are taken, in order to educate the uninitiated on the best path to sustainability and efficiency. APS classes target a wide audience, including: municipalities, their employees, and constituents: business owners, developers, facility managers and facility owners.

Contact Lanett Blaylock Director of Business Development for more information.

LBlaylock@myatlasproject.com

My Inspirational Quote to Get Me through the Day

2011-07-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.
Dalai Lama

Green/ Sustainable Practices in Cost Estimating

2011-07-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

Every construction project begins with a pre-conceptualization plan and a cost estimate. Presently professional cost estimators assist the people involved with the project to assess the costs of the building construction in the larger perspective of its lifecycle.

Further, with all projects adopting green practices for building there is increased pressures on the final budget of any project. The role of professional cost estimators becomes critical due to this. Reconciling the initial (and today’s) cost for intangible long-term goals of sustainable buildings is the goal of adopting sustainable practices for a building. Estimating the costs of such drivers is indeed challenging and requires greater understanding of the owner’s ultimate needs and the effectiveness of the green practices prescribed by building contractors/designers/architects for the building.

Green practice certification will determine green costs

Global costs for construction of green buildings differ from country to country as raw material costs, technical costs of design, and contractors differ. Additionally, the green certification level the owner wants will become the key driver of cost estimating.

For example, in the US, the Leeds certification requires compliance to 7 mandatory green features for a building. The certified (26-32 points), silver (33-38 points), gold (39-51 points) and platinum (52-69 points) are the different rating levels and the number of green feature-points that need to be incorporated to achieve the certification levels.

Cost-estimation at Design stage is cost-effective

Logistics determine that a pre-conceptualization plan or a pre-design stage rendezvous that includes mechanical engineers (as mechanical and plumbing designs gain rating points) will help in evaluating the project scope for each of the 69 points.

Once the points or features are short-listed, the cost estimation stage arrives. It is important to know that most of project costs fall under three categories. Costs of incorporating racks for bicycles or a shower system are called additional costs and are to an extent discretionary in nature. Costs of incorporating certified raw materials such as treated wood in the place of non-certified wood are premium costs. Intangible costs such as location from schools, public transit or hospitals are purely no- cost but are important indirectly.

Greening level of the building to influence final costs

Several project life-cycle costs are determined by the level of the certification. On a point-to-point basis cost-estimation indicates that just the certified-level and the silver-level are achievable at minimal costs, while higher certifications of gold and platinum are achieved only through high-cost investments. Another important add-on cost is the administration charges towards LEED’s for monitoring the incorporation of the green features during design and construction stages.

Cost-estimating is a very complex and highly subjective process that involves discussions, analysis and conclusions. However, actual project costs will be subject to final ground conditions and the level and ease of decision making by all involved in the project. Using sustainable practices is the norm and becoming aware of the additional costs and methods to budget for them (through additional grants available for sustainable practices), will ensure you remain on top of cost-estimates and come away with increased levels of satisfaction of adopting greener, mature and more beneficial building construction.

Future of Commercial Construction: Sustainability

2011-07-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

The modern construction industry is a reflection of the remarkable strides of modern engineering. In terms of innovative material usage, design concepts, optimized functional usage of space, and structural strength in every aspect of the design, the construction industry has achieved many remarkable innovations. However, these powerful strides have taken their toll on the local as well as global environment.

Construction industry environment impacts

There are also several “unseen” environment issues in the construction process such as air pollution arising throughout the process, from excavation to the high-index glass cladding exteriors of commercial structures. The loss of energy due to wrong choice of structural materials used is legendary now. Poor construction implies poor resources management leading to ground/surface water contamination, waste disposal, land use, pollutants such as noise, water, habitat destruction etc.

Time to shift to sustainable development

The path of unplanned and exploitative construction practices need to be outdated now. The remarkable quality of research that is happening in the construction materials has lead to the development of cutting edge products that when used in conjunction with innovative design concepts will ensure we are able to overcome our over use of the non-renewable resources. Most discussions on sustainable development are invariably straightjacketed into adopting ‘recyclable’ product use.

Sustainable development the road map for commercial construction

Typically commercial construction Project Managements activities revolve around land use methods, structural installations, material usage and finally removal of waste from construction of locations. Intangible pollutants and resource depletion are the new stringent parameters that are voluntarily being included by the industrial professionals.

However, most projects migrating to sustainable development process tend to become high-budget projects. The costs of sustainable development are the great trade-off for long-term quality development and need to be adapted eventually. Sustainable development is fast defining the framework around which emerging government guidelines for commercial construction is being defined. Besides, the construction industry professionals too need to follow certain unsustainable practices such as under-cutting on costs to bag contracts as these impacts the quality of the construction materials and the overall operations.

Intelligent Design is the Key to Sustainable Development

Sustainable development has more to it than the intelligent use of raw materials. Design is the fundamental concept for quality sustainable development. Designs need to incorporate following parameters resource extraction, depletion, proper land use, waste disposal technologies, community impact, destruction of Habitat and the possibilities of economic development. Sustainable Development begins and ends with proper evaluation, planning, structuring, implementation, maintaining and at the end of a project life cycle, revisiting the entire process for sustainability. It is a continuous process and requires great commitment and the will power aided by governmental laws as in

Several government regulatory bodies offer assistance the public in adopting and migrating to these newer, greener technologies with tax rebates for low energy usage etc.

My Inspirational Quote to Get Me through the Day

2011-06-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ~Roy Disney

Future of Commercial Construction: Sustainability

2011-06-19T10:38:00.001-07:00

By Michael Vargas

The modern construction industry is a reflection of the remarkable strides of modern engineering. In terms of innovative material usage, design concepts, optimized functional usage of space, and structural strength in every aspect of the design, the construction industry has achieved many remarkable innovations. However, these powerful strides have taken their toll on the local as well as global environment.

Construction industry environment impacts

The most glaring construction industry impact on the environment has been in the unrecognized exploitation of non-renewable resources for use at various stages in the construction lifecycle. Very large-scale commercial projects tend to be high environment–degraders, especially due to regressive planning leading to energy wastes and waste products due to poor construction practices. Most often, the generated waste is either dumped in landfills or even worse is disposed into the sea.
There are also several "unseen" environment issues in the construction process. Considerations such as the air pollution that occurs throughout the process, poor land management leading to disruption of the existing ecosystems, or to the light pollution of the high-index glass cladding exteriors of commercial structures are rarely a focus of the preconstruction process. The poor selection of building materials in the commercial construction space is also a major flaw in the "unseen" construction process. The production of new building materials accounts for nearly 25% of all energy exerted in manufacturing and yet 30% of all landfill waste comes from construction debris. This type of commercial construction implies poor resources management ultimately leading to ground/surface water contamination and pollutants such as noise, water, habitat destruction etc.

Time to shift to sustainable development

The path of unplanned and exploitative construction practices need to be outdated now. The remarkable quality of research that is happening in construction materials has lead to the development of cutting edge products that when used in conjunction with innovative design concepts will ensure we are able to overcome our over use of the non-renewable resources. Most discussions on sustainable development are invariably straightjacketed into adopting 'recyclable' product use.

Sustainable development the road map for commercial construction

Typically commercial construction Project Management activities revolve around land use methods, structural installations, material usage and finally removal of waste from construction of locations. Intangible pollutants and resource depletion are the next wave of issues being considered by progressive designers and contractors.
However, most projects migrating to sustainable development process are perceived as high-budget projects. The costs of sustainable development are the great trade-off for long-term quality development and make fiscal sense in terms of asset lifecycle. Sustainable development is fast defining the framework around which emerging government guidelines for commercial construction is being defined. The current landscape of the commercial building space where unsustainable practices such as under-cutting on costs to bag contracts need to be seen for what they are: the degradation of the quality of the construction materials and the overall operations.

Intelligent Design is the Key to Sustainable Development

Sustainable development has more to it than the intelligent use of raw materials. Design is the fundamental concept for quality sustainable development. Designs need to incorporate parameters for resource extraction and depletion, proper land use, waste disposal technologies, community impact, potential destruction of habitat and the underlying holistic economic development. Sustainable development begins and ends with proper evaluation, planning, structuring, implementation, maintaining and at the end of a project lifecycle, revisiting the entire process for sustainability. It is a continuous process and requires commitment by all the stakeholders.

Green Building Construction and Operations

2011-06-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Michael Vargas

When the Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Non-residential Buildings, otherwise known as the California Energy Code or Title 24 Part 6 of the California Code of Regulations, were established in 1978, more than 72% of the state's existing 13 million residential buildings were built before this code was implemented. On top of that, there are commercial structures standing in over 5 billion square feet of California land.
Now, California has rolled out one of the most stringent building codes in the country in terms of reducing environmental impact and has mandated adherence by all new residential and commercial buildings including shopping malls, schools, and hospitals. CAL Green, as the new code is named, has taken effect immediately right from the start of the year 2011 and the state has taken sufficient measures to ensure that all policies are adhered to in the coming periods.

Understanding Green Building Certifications

Companies as well as private individuals interested in green building construction and operations need to have a clear understanding of the basics of the various different programs available in this area. Knowing so can open their enterprises or their homes to all the potential grants and funding opportunities available to them. These green building programs include:

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) – LEED is internationally recognized and has been at the forefront in providing the practical guidelines for green building construction and operations. This program was created and initiated by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED consists of nine rating systems for the design, construction, and operation of buildings, homes, and communities.
Energy Star – This program is focused not so much on the construction side but gives more emphasis on energy use, particularly on standards for energy efficient consumer products. The program is spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. Basically an Energy Star certified homes or buildings are at least 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard structures and should also be 15 percent more efficient than the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) standard. Although certification lasts only a year, the process is not cumbersome and is provided free.
Green Globes – Operated by the Green Building Initiative, this certification program was based from a Canadian protocol and offers a unique, easy to use, and affordable online assessment and rating system for new constructions as well as existing homes and buildings.
National Green Building Standard -- This certification is focused on green building construction and operations for residential areas. There are four levels of certification available including Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald. Under this certification, homes should have the following categories incorporated either with a new construction or renovations.

Green Building Standards – California Style

Starting this year, California has implemented its new green building code named CALGreen, featuring a host of new regulations that would speed up the process for the state to meet its environmental goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 3 million metric tons by the year 2020. These new codes is mandatory for all new residential and non-residential structures with green building measures enforced by January 2011 and water measures by July 2011. CALGreen requires builders and designers to incorporate the following standards and requirements:

Mandatory indoor water use reduction by 20 percent. Additional reductions of 30 percent, 35 percent and 40 percent are voluntary goals.
Non-residential buildings shall have separate meters for indoor and outdoor water use. It is also required to use moisture-sensing irrigation systems for large landscaped areas.
Mandatory 50% of construction wastes should be diverted from landfills. For voluntary diversion, new homes should have a goal between 65 to 75 percent while commercial structures should be 80 percent.
Inspections of energy systems including cooling and heating systems and other mechanical equipments are mandatory for non-residential buildings that are built larger than 10 thousand square feet.
Interior finish materials should be low-emitting from pollutant materials. This includes paint, vinyl floorings, particle boards, and carpets.

Aside from CAL Green, California also legislated AB1103 which requires commercial building owners to disclose the energy data and rating information for a particular building to prospective buyers, lessees and financers. This legislation aims to motivate property owners to improve the buildings energy efficiency performance.
Other California legislation related to green building construction and operation included a law banning the energy-consuming 100-watt incandescent bulbs and implemented this a year ahead of the federal standard. The federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 bans the use of these bulbs by the year 2012, but with California making a move a year ahead, the state is already expecting up to $35.6 million in savings from their electricity use.

DOE Announces Over $30 Million to Help Universities Train the Next Generation of Industrial Energy Efficiency Experts

2011-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the availability of more than $30 million to train undergraduate- and graduate-level engineering students in manufacturing efficiency to help them become the nation's next generation of industrial energy efficiency experts. Through the Industrial Assessment Center program, university teams across the country will gain practical training and skills that will enable them to conduct energy assessments in a broad range of manufacturing facilities and help them compete in today's economy. These groups of student engineers will help local companies and factories to reduce energy waste, save money, and become more economically competitive.

"Through this industrial efficiency training program, students will gain hands-on experience and training for jobs in a growing global sector, while at the same time, reducing energy waste for American businesses and helping to make our manufacturing facilities more competitive," said Secretary Chu. "This program will make sure that the next-generation of American workers has the education and skills they need to further our transition to a clean energy economy."

Through these university-based Industrial Assessment Centers, engineering students will receive extensive training in industrial processes, energy assessment procedures, and energy management principles, which will be put to use working directly with small and medium-sized industrial and manufacturing facilities around their communities. Under this funding opportunity, each Industrial Assessment Center will be expected to train at least 10 to 15 students per year, conduct approximately 20 energy assessments annually, and perform extensive follow-on reporting, tracking, implementation, and management-improvement activities.

Under this competitive funding opportunity, 20 to 30 universities will be selected as Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) and will be eligible to receive $200,000 to $300,000 per year for up to 5 years for the training and energy audits. Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative methods to better ground students in core engineering, energy, and business principles and increase their understanding of management systems, industrial technologies, supply chains, energy efficiency, and sustainability. In addition to conducting assessments at industrial plants, IACs will be expected to promote interaction with private sector partners that could provide valuable workforce development support, such as scholarships and internship opportunities. Applications are due by Tuesday, August 2, 2011. More information and application requirements can be found on the FedConnect website.

The Industrial Assessment Program has had a rich history of training students and performing energy assessments for small-to-medium manufacturing plants for more than 30 years. Nearly 3,000 students have graduated from the Industrial Assessment Center program and more than 60% have gone on to careers in the energy industry. From the program's inception in 1976 through 2009, the university teams have conducted nearly 16,000 energy assessments at U.S. manufacturing plants nationwide. These assessments have helped save over 500 trillion BTUs of energy – equivalent to the energy consumed by 6.8 million vehicles in a year – and have helped participating manufacturers save more than $3.8 billion in energy costs.
DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) works to contribute practical solutions for some of the nation's top energy challenges through a combination of transformative research and development and targeted education and assistance in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

My Inspirational Quote to Get Me through the Day

2011-05-19T10:33:00.003-07:00

I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
Frederick Douglass

Secretary Chu Announces New Funding and Partnership with Google to Promote Electric Vehicles

2011-04-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC - As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to reduce U.S. oil imports by one-third by 2025, Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced new steps underway at the Department of Energy to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles. This includes the availability of $5 million in new funding for community-based efforts to deploy electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and charging stations. He also outlined a partnership with Google Inc. and more than 80 EV stakeholders to help consumers find charging stations nationwide. Secretary Chu and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made the announcement on a conference call with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, and St. Paul Mayor Christopher Coleman - leaders of three of the nation's nearly 100 Clean Cities Coalitions.
"The Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative is bringing together local governments and industry to demonstrate the benefits of advanced technology vehicles and help communities use less oil and gasoline to power their vehicles," said Secretary Chu. "The initiatives announced today are just the latest steps in our broader efforts to reduce America's dependence on oil, improve our energy security, and save families and businesses money."
Under the $5 million in electric vehicle funding announced today, local governments and private companies will partner to apply for funding to help accelerate installation of electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure. Communities will work to develop plans and strategies for EV deployment, update their EV permitting processes, develop incentive programs, or launch other local or regional initiatives that improve the experience of EV users and help bring these highly energy-efficient vehicles in the marketplace. More information on the Funding Opportunity Announcement, including application instructions and deadlines, is available FedConnect.net under the title "DE-FOA-0000451 Clean Cities FY 2011 FOA."
In a related effort, DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is joining with Google Inc. and various industry leaders to provide consumers with consistent, up-to-date information about the EV charging stations in communities nationwide. Drawing on Google Maps, this new collaboration will coordinate an online network of all U.S. charging stations and will serve as the primary data source for GPS and mapping services tracking electric vehicle charging locations. More information is available on the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC).
The Clean Cities Program is a public-private partnership that brings together federal, state and local governments, the auto industry, private sector fleet operators, and community leaders to help communities make their vehicle fleets more energy efficient. Since its inception in 1993, Clean Cities Coalitions and its stakeholders have saved nearly 3 billion gallons of gasoline. The Clean Cities Program supports a broad portfolio of technologies, including alternative and renewable fuels, fuel economy measures, idle reduction technologies, and emerging technologies like electric vehicles. Read more information on the Clean Cities program.
Tucson, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; and St. Paul, Minnesota have been three of the leaders nationally in developing policies to reduce the dependence on oil and gasoline locally. Projects underway include the deployment of electric vehicles and chargers, E85 flex fuel vehicles and infrastructure, biodiesel facilities that turn used cooking oil into vehicle fuel, natural gas vehicles, and consumer education efforts.

Certification Holders Earn More

2011-03-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

The most recent AACE International Salary and Demographic Survey indicates that the average individual who has earned at least one AACE certification will earn 17.4% more than an individual without the AACE certification. Based upon 2009 data, the normalized salary statistics show that the individual without a certificate earns $86,944 while the counterpart with the same experience earns $102,041. The increased earning power reported by individuals with an AACE certification compared to individuals without a certification has been supported by salary surveys for several years.

There are numerous factors that may lead to these results. Studies conducted by the American Society of Association Executives indicate that individuals with higher levels of academic achievement and more education tend to seek additional certifications more than the average professional. Their research suggests that individuals with a certification or actively pursuing a certification invest 25-30% more in professional development and continuing education than their counterparts without a certification. It appears that the cost engineering employment marketplace tends to reward individuals who invest in their professional development and demonstrate their commitment through the rigors of qualifying for AACE certifications.

Atlas Project Support

Largest Solar Concentrating PV Project Set to Rise in Cali

2011-03-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Interesting Article posted recently...

Can solar concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, which uses a hybrid of solar cells and solar thermal technologies to generate electricity, ever become mainstream? A new project shows it just might: Tenaska Solar Ventures will develop 150 MW of CPV systems that will produce electricity for San Diego Gas & Electric, the companies said Thursday.

The 150 MW project, which will use gear from CPV tech maker Concetrix Solar, dwarfs the previous largest planned CPV project of 30 MW project announced last year. Project developer Cogentrix Energy said it would use equipment from California-based Amonix to build that 30 MW power plant and sell electricity to Utility Public Service Co. in Colorado.

A CPV system relies on mirror and lenses to concentrate and direct sunlight onto solar cells, which typically use multi-layers of gallium arsenide, germanium and other materials in the III-V semiconductor group. These multi-junction solar cells are expensive but much more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity than silicon solar cells that are common in solar panels on the market today. The use of optics to concentrate the sunlight makes it possible to use only slivers of the multi-junction solar cells.
Although CPV technology sounds promising, it has struggled to attract project developers. One key reason is the competing solar technologies, such as solar panels using silicon solar cells, have become much cheaper in the last two years than they were five years ago when CPV seemed like a cost-effective alternative. Plus, project investors tend to shy away from new technologies until they see proof that the new technologies can deliver good returns.

“CPV is an example of a type of technology that the (U.S. Department of Energy’s) loan guarantee program can help to bring projects to fruition and reduce risks perceived by the private sector,” said Tom Kimbis, director of policy and research at the Solar Energy Industries Association.
The largest CPV installation in the U.S. currently is the 1 MW project completed by SolFocus at Victor Valley College in Southern California last year. CPV technology is more suitable for sunny and dry climates because its equipment works best in cloudless days. Large-scale projects that serve utilities are more likely to be built in the southwestern region of the country, said Shayle Kann, managing director of solar practice at GTM Research.

The Tenaska project is set to rise on 1,057 acres in Southern California’s Imperial County and will be named Imperial Solar Energy Center West. The company expects to complete the power plant in 2015 and has signed a 25-year power sales agreement with SDG&E, which lags behind two other main utilities in the state in meeting a mandate to buy 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 (the utilities have until 2013 to meet that requirement).

SDG&E was able to get to 11.9 percent of its electricity from clean power in 2010, compared with 19.4 percent by Southern California Edison and 17.7 percent by Pacific Gas and Electric, according to the California Public Utilities Commission. The three utilities also have been signing power purchase agreements or planning their own projects to meet a 2020 requirement to raise that clean power level to 33 percent.
Concentrix’s parent company, France-based Soitec, plans to build a CPV equipment factory in the San Diego area that will have 200 MW of annual production capacity, the company said. The factory will make the equipment for the 150 MW Imperial project, and Soitec expects to start delivering equipment in early 2013. But the factory project appears to be contingent on Tenaska getting an Energy Department loan guarantee for the power plant project. Neither Tenaska nor Soitec disclosed the cost of the power plant or the power plant project.

By Ucilia Wang

California Association of Building Energy Consultants Southern California Regional Meeting

2011-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

CABEC would like to invite you to attend an upcoming “Regional Meeting”, on Friday, March 25 from 2:30 to 5:00 at the Farrar GREEN Home in Escondido

This meeting will feature a slide show and a tour of the Farrar Green Home (www.farrargreenhome.org), and a presentation given by Mark Madison of Energy Code Works, Inc. on “Strategies for Above Code Title 24 Compliance”. This afternoon meeting will be followed by an optional social hour gathering near the home’s location.

For more information and a sketch of the home, please refer to the attached flyer.

CABEC Members may attend the meeting for free.

For more information contact:

Kim Coolbaugh

CABEC Executive Director

kim@cabec.org

(877) 530-3045 Phone

(858) 530-3045 FAX

CA Energy Commission Helps Launch New Energy Upgrade California Program

2011-03-01T16:31:00.001-08:00

Energy Efficiency Program to Reach 100,000 Homes and Create Clean Energy Jobs for Californians

The California Energy Commission joined regional efforts to increase energy efficiency and encourage clean jobs with the statewide launch of Energy Upgrade California, the new energy efficiency program. Part of this comprehensive program is the integrated Web Portal, http://www.EnergyUpgradeCA.org which provides easy to use tools and resources to property owners to help them improve their energy and water efficiency, save money and increase building comfort.

"Energy Upgrade California is exactly the kind of innovative program that will help Californians do more for less money by encouraging property owners and contractors to take advantage of energy efficiency information, incentives, rebates and financing options," said Robert Weisenmiller, Ph.D., Chair of the Energy Commission. "Consumers can put more money in their pockets by investing in the long-term benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy property improvements."

Energy Upgrade California is an unprecedented collaboration between the California Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, utilities, local governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to promote and finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for homes and businesses, reduce energy use and help train contractors and building professionals. These efforts will support construction-related jobs that lead to increased sales for local building suppliers and retailers.

More than $1.2 billion from a variety of funding sources will be leveraged through Energy Upgrade California including $146 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants awards administered by the Energy Commission, $13 million from Employment Development Department Workforce Investment and more than $1 billion from investor-owned utilities for residential and commercial building upgrades

Through Energy Upgrade California, local governments and utilities are supporting a suite of consumer and contractor resources including the web portal that features consumer and contractor information on energy efficiency and renewable energy building improvements, residential and commercial financing options and utility incentives, and scholarships and training for contractors.

The Energy Upgrade web portal is a one-stop clearinghouse for information, incentives, scholarship and rebates including alternative financing for residential and commercial building improvements and financial incentives by lenders. All 58 counties have their own page that highlights the services and energy efficiency opportunities available for their residents.

Using the program's Web portal, property owners can enter their zip code or county name to learn about available upgrade programs, rebates, financing options and participating contractors available to them.

Initially, the program will be available for single-family homes and multi-family properties of up to four units. Later in 2011, the program will expand to multi-family properties of five or more units. In fall 2011, the program will be expanded to include commercial properties.

Upgrades are available in two rebate packages: the Basic Upgrade Package and the Advanced Upgrade Package. The Basic Package consists of seven required elements designed to improve energy efficiency by approximately 10 percent, and includes a fixed rebate of $1,000. The Advanced Package is customized for the property owner, with rebates based on the energy savings achieved between 15-40 percent, with rebates ranging from $1,250 to more than $4,000 (depending on the utility provider and energy savings achieved).

More information:

http://www.EnergyUpgradeCA.org

CONTACTS:

Statewide Public Relations

Bill Maxfield

(831) 227-6469

media@energyupgradeca.org

Los Angeles County

Melinda Barrett

County of LA, Office of Sustainability

(323) 267-2022

mbarrett@isd.lacounty.gov

Alameda County

Ayaka Emoto

(415) 227-4917

EnergyUpgradeAlameda@allisonpr.com

Don't forget to sign up! Registration is open for the 2011 "Riding the Wave of Change" Conference in San Diego, Oct. 20-22

2011-02-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

It’s time to register for the California Association of Building Energy Consultants’ "Riding the Wave of Change" Conference in beautiful San Diego taking place from October 20 to October 22 (Thursday-Saturday). Panama Bartholomy of the California Energy Commission will be our opening keynote speaker on Thursday. The remainder of the conference agenda is filling up, and at this point in time, includes a variety of informative sessions on 2013 code changes and changes to CABEC’s certification programs, the latest updates on what’s happening with the state and utility energy programs, a business development roundtable, and a closing keynote by Charles Segerstrom of Pacific Gas & Electric.

Of course, you will want to be on hand to visit a variety of excellent vendor exhibits, showcasing state-of-the-art products, technologies and programs. Evenings will be fun-filled, beginning Thursday with a cruise on Mission Bay on the William D. Evans Sternwheeler, including free appetizers and a drink. After the reception, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy San Diego on their own. On Friday evening CABEC will host a dinner at the Harbor House at Seaport Village located on the San Diego Bay, where you will have an outstanding meal, spend time with old and new friends, and enjoy some great entertainment.

If you haven’t already registered, please register now! Registration includes Thursday and Friday lunch, Friday and Saturday breakfast, and the Thursday and Friday evening recreational events. The "Early Bird" rate (until July 31, 2011) for CABEC Members is $325 and for Non-Members $425. Starting August 1, 2011, the cost will increase to $375 for CABEC Members and $475 for Non-Members. For more information or to register, click here.

The Bahia Resort Hotel is offering a block of rooms, including parking and high-speed Internet, to CABEC Members for $129 (plus taxes) per night. Discounted rooms are very limited--our room block is already 1/3 full. Please don’t wait too long to register. Once our block of rooms is gone, rooms will be available at the prevailing rate at the time of reservation. To register for your hotel room, click here or call 800-576-4229 and mention that you are with the CABEC Conference. If you wish to reserve a King Suite, you will need to specify that you want a King Suite instead of two Queen Beds.

You won’t want to miss this exciting and informative Conference! Please feel free to contact me (kim@cabec.org) or Nina Deeds (nina@cabec.org) with any questions you may have. I look forward to seeing you in October!

Department of Energy to Expand Partnership with National Parks

2011-02-25T13:12:00.001-08:00

Program announces new pilot programs and are seeking ideas to reduce petroleum consumption

February 25, 2011

The U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative today announced the expansion of the ongoing collaboration with the National Parks Service's Climate Friendly Parks program. The goal of this new partnership is to reduce air pollution and preserve the environment and the National Parks' natural resources. Clean Cities has been working with the National Park Service since 1999 to support the use of renewable and alternative fuels, electric drive vehicles, and other energy-saving practices to help preserve air quality and promote the use of domestic energy resources in the parks. The expansion includes additional support and pilot projects at three national parks. The focus of the partnership is to identify options that assist national parks in reducing gasoline and diesel consumption.
As part of the initiative, National Parks will work with local Clean Cities Coalitions to prepare project ideas focused on purchasing alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles, installing alternative fueling infrastructure, and educating the public about the benefits of petroleum reduction. The Department will provide technical assistance in developing project proposals which then can be submitted to the National Parks Service for potential funding.
Pilot projects for this new initiative are underway in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Mammoth Cave National Park. With the help of the Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition, Yellowstone National Park is purchasing two hybrid electric buses that run on E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Additionally, Grand Teton National Park is replacing several of its ranger vehicles with new hybrid vehicles. The Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition is assisting Mammoth Cave National Park in the deployment of five propane school buses, five electric utility vehicles, and two propane-capable pick-up trucks.
Clean Cities is part of the Vehicle Technologies Program within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Established in 1993, Clean Cities supports nearly 100 local coalitions that promote the use of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles. More information on existing projects and proposing new projects can be found on the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative website. Visit the Clean Cities website for information on other exciting work that's helping to deploy these transportation technologies.

The Total Cost Organization - Quality Control Processes in Cost Management

2011-02-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share a small portion of my recent white paper on the AACE concept of Total Cost Management. If you are interested in reading the paper, please send an email request to mvargas@myatlasproject.com.

"Total Cost is not easy. It can be complex in the early years when changes are being made to culture and processes. It takes a lot of work and the execution can be difficult, but it works and the payback on your investment can be very high. For several years, leading-edge companies have applied the principles of Total Cost Management. TCM helps these companies focus on the business processes and activities giving rise to costs and consuming resources. Key elements of TCM are activity-based costing, process value analysis, and performance measurement. These tools have increased cost accuracy and have identified and eliminated duplication and non-value-added activities..."

Average Life Cycle of Building Components

2011-02-12T15:30:00.001-08:00

Life Cycle Cost Analysis power tool to estimate life cycles of building components and implement design features based on their capabilities

Average life cycles of the building components will determine overall costs of replaceable Units

Average Life Cycle of Building Components

Determining the life cycle of building components involves detailed evaluation of host of materials, components devices used in any facility to determine their average life cycles. Adopting the economic evaluation method will ensure that the detailed analysis is verifiable and quantified. Incorporating the average life cycle costs at the design stage will ensure that under the given constraints which of the building components are ideally suited for the entire life cycle of such a building.

Average life cycle of some of the common building components

A building is usually evaluated for its components in terms of building enclosures, roofing system, material costs of windows, interior products, plumbing systems, electric systems and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

The Building enclosure made from Masonry, steel frames systems would be an average of 40 to sixty years for exterior masonry and a life cycle of 35years for wood framing systems used in masonry exteriors. The roofing system is crucial to the overall costs of a building. The average life cycle of asphalt system could range between ten to twenty five years while elastomeric systems would include an average life cycles of fifteen to thirty years. However, pitched roof shingles using asphalt had longer average life cycles of twenty-five years and metal around fifty years. Clay tiles have the maximum average life cycles of seventy years and are therefore the most recommended for roofing systems.

Windows/shutters with metal windows have average life cycles of fifty years. Revolving doors have a life time of a mere fifteen years and Overhead doors with maximum life cycle costs of forty years. Perhaps building components used for interior purposes have minimum life cycles and are a repetitive cost in most cases, paint, vinyl flooring etc have brief average life cycle of around five years and will require to be replaced at least four to five times in a building life cycle. Paint is very vital recurring cost and has average life cycles of ten to three years depending on the type of paints.

Plumbing systems such as the copper piping have average cost lives of twenty to thirty years depending on the brand and quality. So on an average a school building would be considered to have a life-cycle of fifty to sixty years then the overhauling of copper components would occur approximately two times. Other plumbing systems that are smaller like water heaters, pumps have average life cycles of ten to twenty years. In the Heating and air conditioning section of building components, the average life cycle of boiler is about twenty years while most other components including electric systems display average life cycles of twenty to thirty years.

Life cycle costing critical to assessing average life of components and recurring maintenance costs

It is critical that design professionals and facilities planners conduct detailed component based life cycle costs as part of the overall cost estimation of any construction project.

DOE Pursues SunShot Initiative to Achieve Cost Competitive Solar Energy by 2020

2011-02-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

I thought this was an interesting announcement and hence the reprint:

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced additional details of the Department of Energy's "SunShot" initiative to reduce the total costs of photovoltaic solar energy systems by about 75% so that they are cost competitive at large scale with other forms of energy without subsidies before the end of the decade. By reducing the cost for utility scale installations by about 75% to roughly $1 a watt—which would correspond to roughly 6 cents per kilowatt-hour—solar energy systems could be broadly deployed across the country.

This will increase American economic competitiveness and help the United States regain leadership in the global market for solar photovoltaics. As part of the SunShot initiative, Secretary Chu announced today that the Department of Energy is awarding $27 million in projects to support the development, commercialization, and manufacturing of advanced solar energy technologies.

"America is in a world race to produce cost-effective, quality photovoltaics. The SunShot initiative will spur American innovations to reduce the costs of solar energy and re-establish U.S. global leadership in this growing industry," said Secretary Chu. "These efforts will boost our economic competitiveness, rebuild our manufacturing industry and help reach the President's goal of doubling our clean energy in the next 25 years."

The SunShot program builds on the legacy of President Kennedy's 1960s "moon shot" goal, which laid out a plan to regain the country's lead in the space race and land a man on the moon. The program will aggressively drive innovations in the ways that solar systems are conceived, designed, manufactured and installed.

In addition to investing in improvements in cell technologies and manufacturing, the SunShot initiative will also focus on steps to streamline and digitize local permitting processes that will reduce installation and permitting costs. To achieve the SunShot goal of reducing the total installed cost of large scale solar electricity by about 75%, DOE will be working closely with partners in government, industry, research laboratories, and academic institutions across the country.

SunShot will work to bring down the full cost of solar—including the costs of the solar cells and installation—by focusing on four main pillars:

* Technologies for solar cells and arrays that convert sunlight to energy
* Electronics that optimize the performance of the installation
* Improvements in the efficiency of solar manufacturing processes
* Installation, design and permitting for solar energy systems.

For more information and to follow the initiative's progress, visit the SunShot Initiative website.

Atlas Project Support to Focus on Energy Project Economics

2011-01-22T19:15:00.000-08:00

As I was researching the latest concepts in selling energy efficiency projects with the primary focus distilling the economics of the process, I can across a white paper written by Gerald Church, Joule Energy Inc., Glen LaPalme, PL Energy LLC, and Gregory Stevens, Alternative Energy Systems Consulting titled, Energy Project Financial Analysis: What Have We Been Missing?. The paper encapsulated the inherent issues I have encountered with advocating energy retrofit/RCx markets. Basically, I have encountered projects that make fiscal sense in terms of the economics for the private enterprise yet have not come to fruition. The white paper states the dilemma as follows,

According to the Department of Energy, energy efficiency projects are the most attractive investments in industry with internal rate of returns above 20% and investment risk rivaling the safest opportunities available anywhere. Given this attractive combination, why are energy projects so difficult to sell to management? Part of the problem rests with a structural component where most projects enter from the facilities side and have to be sold to management bottom-up. In addition, the project champion often has minimal financial skills, limited budget authority, and/or not part of the decision making framework. A more fundamental issue rests in how payback analysis is frequently run as the only decision tool, presented to management, and competes with a broad range of other company capital investment projects, many that get funded despite their inferior performance. How do we change this current business dynamic to motivate greater energy project investment, which is just sound business?

I am researching solutions for this dynamic and hence this post or shall I describe it as a survey of my peers. I am hoping to generate some comments from this post. Let's start a dialogue.

Atlas Project Support Leverages Strategic Alliances

2011-01-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Atlas Project Support in conjunction with Reno Contracting and key partners has made it to the shortlist of qualified companies for the County of San Diego As-Needed Water and Energy Conservation Services.

WATER AND ENERGY CONSULTANT SERVICES in support of the 2009-2012 Strategic Energy
Plan. Specific work could include but is not limited to the following areas:
1. Whole Building/Site Energy/Sustainability Assessments – Preliminary and investment grade to develop energy/water/GHG emissions conservation/efficiency/reduction measures
a. HVAC Systems and Controls
b. Lighting Systems and Controls
c. Renewable Energy (Existing and potential opportunities)
d. Process Systems that use energy, water or produce GHG emissions
e. Plumbing/irrigation systems and equipment for water conservation and efficiency
f. Building envelope (roof, walls, slab, fenestration, shading)
g. Landscaping/stormwater/heat island impact/recycling
h. Smart building metering/sub-metering/data acquisition/reporting
i. Demand management opportunities
j. On-site transportation
k. Vehicle Fleet alternative fueling/ charging systems and mileage and efficiency
standards and practices

2. Building Energy/Water Usage Analysis and Recommendations
a. Benchmarking such as EPA EnergyStar
b. Measurement and Verification including energy bill normalization for weather and operational changes
c. Cogeneration system feasibility
d. Ongoing energy reporting services
e. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) tracking
f. Carbon footprint calculations
g. Project life cycle cost analysis
h. Computer Energy Modeling
i. Opportunity ranking by ROI, LCCA, GHG emissions reduction, etc.

3. Fiscal Opportunities Management – Identification and processing of utility and other organization loans, incentives, grants, rebates and other funding opportunities

4. Project Management and Construction Administration
a. Assist with energy reporting for utility and governmental programs
b. New construction document review
c. Energy project bid evaluation
d. Submittal review
e. On-site observations

5. USGBC LEED/Green Building Consulting Services
a. Identification and evaluation of sustainability opportunities
b. Coordination leader for LEED registration, scorecard maintenance and certification
i. New construction and major renovation [NC]
ii. Existing buildings [EBOM]

6. Project Design Services
a. Construction documents for opportunities identified and selected during Whole Building Energy/Site Energy/Sustainability Assessments
b. Building Information Modeling
c. Energy/Sustainability opportunities identified by the County of San Diego

7. Sustainability/Energy Program Support
a. Climate Action Plan/GHG Inventory
b. Energy Action Plans
c. Assistance with RFI/RFSQ/RFP/RFB preparation

8. Commissioning Services
a. Commissioning for new buildings, including those seeking LEED certification
(Fundamental and Enhanced)
b. Recommissioning or retrocommissioning for existing buildings

Atlas Project Support to Provide Certified Energy Plans Examiner Services for LEED for Homes

2011-01-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

There is a new energy modeling requirement for all LEED for Homes projects.

All LEED for Homes projects in California---low-rise single-family, low-rise multi-family, and mid-rise multi-family (up to 6 stories) ---registered with USGBC after January 1, 2011, must have energy models submitted by a current CEPE or CEA.

From the latest CA Rating System:

Prerequisites

EA 1.1 Performance of ENERGY STAR for Homes. Meet the performance requirements of ENERGY STAR for Homes, including all of the following:

a) Demonstrate at least a 15% improvement above Title-24 2008 (using TDV kbtu/ft2-yr) using a whole-building energy model developed by a current Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE) or Certified Energy Analyst (CEA). All elements within the energy model must be verified by a certified third-party HERS Rater. All projects, including gut-rehab projects, must be modeled as “new construction”.

Note: For buildings modeled in parts for the purposes of code compliance (e.g.in mixed-use buildings), it is acceptable to either combine the results of the various energy models or use only the results of the residential model.

From the MF Mid-Rise Rating System for California:

Prerequisites

EA 1.1 Minimum Energy Performance for MID-RISE.

Meet the following performance requirements:

a) Using the output of a whole building simulation model and the load modifications outlined in Appendix A, demonstrate at least a 15% reduction in energy use in the proposed building when compared to a baseline building meeting the requirements of Title-24 2008 (using TDV kbtu/ft2-yr). The whole building simulation model must be developed by a current Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE) or Certified Energy Analyst (CEA). All elements within the energy model must be verified by a certified third-party HERS Rater. All projects, including gut-rehab projects, must be modeled as “new construction”.

Note: For buildings modeled in parts for the purposes of code compliance (e.g.in mixed-use buildings), combine the results of the various energy models.

Atlas Project Support and JX Crystals

2011-01-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

I just had a conversation with Lewis Fraas President of JX Crystals.
JX Crystals is a spin-off from the Boeing Company with licenses for key patents on IR sensitive Gallium Antimonide photovoltaic cells. JXC broadened the usefulness of GaSb cells to include not only efficiency boosting aerospace solar cells but also Thermo PV cells and TPV Combined Heat and Power systems. JXC has established a strong patent position in TPV technology and is currently seeking investors and strategic partners to develop a 1.5 KWe residential home cogeneration system that can supply heat, hot water and electricity from natural gas or propane.

JXC has an international patent position on a novel, low cost Solar PV module design and has started manufacturing product in China for 500 kW projects there in 2006 and then for the Global Market. The design is a low concentration 3 Sun approach that replaces 2/3 of the expensive crystalline solar cells in a module with low cost metal mirrors. JXC sees this effort as a first evolutionary step toward the ultimate goal of high efficiency and high concentration for utility scale PV power generation.

JXC is also doing R&D on 40% efficiency solar cells and systems, including a new cassegrainian concentrator concept with distinct advantages for 4 junction PV stacks. High concentration and efficiency go hand-in-hand toward full scale utility power generation that will be cost competitive with fossil fuels.

Lewis contacted me with the following information:

Congratulations!

I just finished reading your article. I have been a champion of CPV and a contributor to this technology for the last 30 years. I keep wondering when CPV is going to enter the popular solar PV press. Your article is the first I have seen in the popular solar press. You did hit the nail on the head. CPV can bring solar electricity cost down to grid parity.

It is important to get more info out on CPV and get national support. If not, we may loose out on CPV to China like we lost our in Si PV.

His book attempts to bring out more info on CPV. It is as follows:

Solar cells and their applications

2^nd Edition

Lewis M. Fraas, Larry D. Partain

Nov 2010

ISBN: 978-0-470-44633-1

Atlas Project Support - Stakeholder Communication Strategy

2010-12-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can't get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn't even matter."

— Gilbert Amelio
President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp.

One of the most critical developments for the success of any company is its approach to its communication process. Communication is defined as the process of sending and receiving symbols attached with meanings (Schermerhorn, 2008, p.321). The components of communication include a source and a receiver. The source encodes an intended meaning into a message which in turn the receiver decodes into a perceived meaning. The channels of communication are the conduits through which messages are sent. It is imperative for company’s to understand how their cultures impact the transmission of messages and their employees’ ability to decipher the messages with the correct meaning. With the process of translating the communications having so many potential obstacles, companies cannot ignore the loss of productivity that is associated with feedback breakdown in its communication process.

When a company is reorganizing itself in the wake of a overhaul of its management hierarchy, a revised vision and mission statement created by its president is mandated. I have included a representation of the typical model for communication.

1) What is the nature of communications in organizations?

2) What are the essentials of interpersonal communication?

3) What are the barriers to effective communication?

4) What are Atlas Project Support's current issues with its organizational communication?

http://www.mentaloptima.com/index.1.jpg

According to the survey of employers in the US and Canada, companies with the most effective communication programs achieved a 91% total return to shareholders, while those with the least effective communication programs earned a 58% total return. The study also found that a significant improvement in communication effectiveness is associated with a nearly 20% increase in a company’s market value.

Specifically, the study identified nine communication practices that are directly linked to an increase in market value (see Figure 1, below). The three practices associated with the largest increase are:

· driving managers’ behavior to communicate effectively;
· connecting employees to the company’s business strategy; and
· following a formal communication process.

Figure 1. The effect of communication practices on market value

The functioning of good communication depends on many factors. The most important is the promotion of Interpersonal Relationships.

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Participation in interpersonal relationships is vital due to the requirement of 360 degree feedback that is a prerequisite of good communication. The involvement of everyone in an organization providing feedback is mandatory.

Any company can undertake the following ideas to improve its communication process.

“What can you do to make sure people understand you? First, realize everything you say or don't say affects your operations and the way people work. Then follow these suggestions:

Know your audience. You'll never get anywhere if people aren't on the same wave length as you. You must key your words and examples to the people you're talking to.
Know what you're talking about. If you don't understand an idea, you'll never be able to explain it to someone else. Get all details down pat.
Avoid ambiguity. Many words have vague meanings: area, several, data, business and the like. One of the worst offenders: they. "They want it done this way."
Say what you mean. It pays to be explicit. If you want your secretary to have a report typed in one hour, be certain to say so.
Take time to explain. We tend to assume everyone knows as much about a subject as we. Yet, this isn't always the case. Suit the facts and details you cite to the background of your audience.
Don't run off at the mouth. It's just as bad to say too much as too little. Experience indicates the effectiveness of a verbal communication varies inversely with its length. An oversimplification, perhaps, but true.
Establish rapport. People communicate best when they are at ease with each other. Rapport isn't a one-shot goal in day-to-day office work. It's a continuing process you must work at and cultivate. No need to be a wild extrovert; just be honest, helpful and friendly.
Beware of double meanings. Some words sound alike even though they have different meanings: stationery and stationary; led and lead; base and bass and so on. Other words, spelled the same, have different meanings, depending on whether you are using them as nouns or verbs. Nearly all words have more than one meaning (look up fix in any dictionary). Make sure you and your audience is on the same page.
Avoid extremes. People resent and ignore exaggerations such as, "This is the sloppiest work ever done." (Pollock, 2008)

Many times when the communication process is understood in a company, action can be taken to fix that problem. By diagnosing the problem and developing a strategy, organizational performance can be increased.

Atlas Project Support - Stakeholder Year End Comments

2010-12-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

Atlas Project Support has had quite a dynamic year in terms of development and outreach. With unexpected retraction in some areas of the business, the year has been an eclectic mix of adaption and transformation. As the Founder of the company; I have three thoughts about the company and its outlook for 2011. The scope of introspection examines three main functional areas of the company. The areas include the markets Atlas competes in, the stability of the economic strata we all exist in, and the ability of the private sector to achieve buy-in on what Atlas promotes as solutions to deficiencies in operations.

Atlas Project Support provides City, State and Federal entities with professional consulting/advisory services for the assessment, development, strategic planning and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation measures; and the acquisition of renewable energy generation facilities. As a secondary market, Atlas helps Private Sector clients evaluate advanced end-use technologies and create strategic plans to reduce building operating costs, increase occupant comfort, and conserve energy and materials. The last market Atlas has penetrated involves “Construction-Based” (AEC) entities. Energy efficiency is now part of virtually every construction-based project. Atlas combines a deep and broad experience in construction management with advanced energy efficiency expertise, to support construction based entities incorporating energy efficiency into their client offerings.

Considering these three markets, the healthiest has been the policy-driven growth of public MUSH (Municipality, University, K-12 Schools, and Hospitals). To quote Donald Gilligan, president of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO), “US energy service companies (ESCO) are doing approximately $3.5 billion per year in the MUSH market but there’s still $80 billion or more in the potential market…” Atlas has created strategic alliances with various businesses providing a broad range of comprehensive energy solutions, including energy savings projects, energy conservation, energy infrastructure outsourcing, power generation and energy supply, and risk management. This market will continue to be a point of focus for the upcoming year.

As I examine the Private Sector, I will save many of my thoughts for later in this discourse. I will mention at this point something that we all acknowledge. “The market potential for energy efficiency retrofits in commercial real estate is projected to total $190 billion over the next ten years,” according to a new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). In terms of translating this into business for Atlas Project Support, the focus will be to continue the dissemination of educational and training services to clients that are attempting to conceptualize goals of increased operational efficiencies while lowering operational costs. The greatest innovation for the Atlas Project Support offering for the upcoming year lies in a new financing vehicle we have developed providing clients solutions for avoiding “first” costs in executing energy savings projects.

The last Market consists of many traditional construction-based companies moving into the expanding energy space. Whether through the design or construction of the built environment, many companies are evolving or being forced to integrate sustainable practices into their offerings. The primary forces of this process are driven by the depressed economy and stagnancy of leveraged money distribution. With the market outlook remaining flat into the first quarter 2011, it is plausible that this segment of Atlas’ business will continue to grow. I have included the following chart depicting the trends in commercial construction spending.

Source – Historical: Census Bureau; Forecast: Reed Construction Data
Even with a modest U.S. economic recovery under way, overall nonresidential spending is expected to edge up 3.1% in 2011, according to the AIA’s semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast, a survey of the nation’s leading construction forecasters. Considering the pessimistic forecast, this market will drive business for Atlas Project Support by using our technical expertise in construction controls, energy management, and as a strategic ally in positioning for the procurement of projects.

Atlas always looks to the UCLA Anderson School of Management for economic forecasts. In a report titled, “Risky Business,” UCLA Anderson Forecast Senior Economist David Shulman lays out the Federal Reserve’s plan to “expand its balance sheet” by $600 billion over the next eight months through the purchase of intermediate-term bonds in an effort to lower long-term interest rates and thereby stimulate consumption and investment. Shulman believes that this policy will be “modestly helpful,” noting that recent economic data have been encouraging. As I interpret the data available for the overall condition of economy I can only foresee greater political uncertainty, lagging institutional investment, and a general “wait and see” sentiment.

With continued uncertainty in so many fronts, the question moving forward for Atlas Project Support deals with our ability to “manufacture” projects. Whether in the realm of the photovoltaic market or energy efficiency space, what will drive customers to Atlas? Atlas has staked its position in the PV space with its participation in the state of California Department of General Services Solar Power Purchase Program and many other formed partnerships. Will private sole-sourced opportunities exist in that space? Proven partners such as Reno Contracting, Rosendin Electric, and SolFocus have driven business in 2010. Atlas expects flat growth among large clients and will refocus on smaller integrators seeking to expand their presence in the commercial and public domain space. Atlas Project Support will divert most of its efforts in the renewable energy space towards this “new” target.

In the energy efficiency space, our financing brokerage offering has positioned Atlas Project Support as best in class among turn-key Energy Management Consultants. Atlas Project Support is dedicated to providing its clients with access to needed equity and debt capital to finance, design, build, or acquire energy plants and other types of energy infrastructure and assets. Our key strategic partners finance and manage investment vehicles institutionally capitalized by world class investors. Atlas Project Support will create the opportunity to have various finance sources review the provided documentation for consideration. Atlas works closely with both sides of the finance structuring to protect our clients best interest. Our strategic and financial guidance to our partner companies infuses a layer of risk management by allowing your resources to be expended on real funding opportunities. Will projects materialize to utilize this new product offering? This remains that largest question for me as I guide the company moving forward. Will the adoption of such an innovative approach result in actual projects or will the markets simply not provide the projects

As the driving force behind Atlas Project Support, I foresee many opportunities for the upcoming year. The company’s evolution remains our utmost concern moving forward. The uncertain nature of the markets, policies, and product adoptability will be continuously examined areas that will call for greater scrutiny and analysis. Atlas has taken numerous measures to ensure its fiscal strength and proper positioning in the energy space. With the continued reliance on strong partners and innovative service offerings, I am confident in the extension of Atlas’ position as a leader in the consulting space. With a renewed vigor, Atlas will continue to serve its clients by being the best energy management services company offering renewable energy program management, project management, energy efficiency assessments, California Title 24 Compliance, LEED building certification and energy efficiency training/education.

Contact Information
Michael Vargas
Principal-in-Charge
F: 206-203-3968
Email: mvargas@myatlasproject.com

Atlas Project Support - Green Buildings, LEED, and Energy Star

2010-12-11T23:31:00.001-08:00

The current economic situation brought about by the global financial crisis has left a tremendous impact on commercial development resulting in drastic slowdowns or discontinued projects. Building owners and developers are looking towards better standards to ensure sustainability and minimize cost, and part of this involves retrofitting existing buildings with energy efficiency improvements or incorporating these requirements in upcoming designs and builds.

At the forefront in establishing these standards is the LEED or the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification provided by the United States Green Building Council, as well as the Energy Star certification provided by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States. New buildings built to these standards or old buildings retrofitted with these green practices that includes energy conservation, efficiency and sustainability will eventually outperform all other non-green structures, as released from a recent study by the CoStar Group.

Not only are these practices beneficial for sustainability, energy savings and keeping pace with the green movement sweeping the country and other international societies, investing in green buildings can also provide a good boost to your bottom line – even if this is your sole motivation for pursuing such changes.

Understanding Terminologies

While many may be familiar with the Energy Star logo in its 20 years of being a reliable indicator for efficient energy performance, the program goes beyond certifying refrigerators and computers as it also focuses on improving energy efficiency in buildings and structures with the aim of reducing GHG or greenhouse gas emissions. As a technical assistance and recognition program spearheaded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star helps building owners and managers with the resources they need to help them assess, implement, and reduce energy use and greenhouse gases.

LEED on the other hand is a green building certification program that assesses all the various green aspects of a building and certifies them according to certain standards met. The different types of LEED certification are offered through the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council or USGBC who also provides certification credits to users according to the green building categories they are focused in, which may or may not include energy efficiency. Using the tools and resources provided by Energy Star and incorporating it with LEED certification will ensure that the green building is energy efficient.

Going Green: LEED, Energy Star and Existing Buildings

The primary reasons for going green on new building projects or retrofitting existing structures will include improvement of energy efficiency, less impact on the environment and increased utilization of green and renewable materials. However, these may not be the only reasons why building owners and managers should go green, as studies indicate that green buildings fetch higher sales prices, higher occupancy rates and higher rental rates – which will all go to the bottom line.

Green buildings with high LEED and Energy Star ratings will be more commercially attractive to tenants, and more so if both these programs are used in conjunction with one another in achieving even better green practices in a particular building. LEED paves the way on how well a building will perform across all green metrics, while Energy Star helps achieve reduction in operating costs through a significant reduction in energy usage.

Green Building Initiatives in California

By implementing a statewide Green Building Code called CALGreen, California became the first to implement such regulations and it would be a matter of time before other states would follow suit. The code has several parts, starting with the mandatory basic CALGreen code, and then followed by optional Tiers 1 and 2, also called reach codes, that have provisions that would go beyond the basic codes.

The mandatory portion of CALGreen is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by three million metric tons by the year 2020. This new code will be used in conjunction with existing and long-successful infrastructure enforcements in the state that focuses on health, fire, safety, energy, and structural building codes. However, CALGreen is different than other private green building certification programs as property owners are not obligated to pay additional fees for certification, but will require field inspections to ensure compliance to the basic codes.

Solar PV and CPV Article as Published on Green Building Pro

2010-12-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Solar PV and CPV Technology’s Market Trends
Written by Michael Vargas

http://www.greenbuildingpro.com/articles/57-features/2565-solar-pv-and-cpv-technologys-market-trends

Conclusion
With the emergence of the PV markets in California and throughout the United States, the communities in which these projects are implemented are on a path towards receiving long‐term community service and benefit. Public policy relating to environment and economic development can be the major benefactors of these projects. Never has the time for innovation and expansion been greater in our renewable energy history.

About the Author
Michael Vargas is the founder and principal consultant of Atlas Project Support. Mr. Vargas has more than 10 years of construction and energy accounting and utilization experience, and is a Certified Business Energy Professional through the AEE, a California Energy Commission Certified Energy Plans Examiner, LEED Green Associate and GBCI Advisory Panel Member. Mr. Vargas also holds a BSBA from SDSU, MBA and MPM from Keller Graduate School and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Business Administration. For more information contact Michael at mvargas@myatlasproject.com or via the web at www.myatlasproject.com.

Atlas Gets Solar PV and CPV Article Published on Green Building Pro, a social community and online publication

2010-12-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

Atlas Project Support continues its prolific dissemination and championing on the Solar Industry with another opportunity to provide information on the Technologies driving innovation in the space.

Mr. Vargas,

I want to write you and let you know that your article you sent in will be posted in our community, and I will be promoting it through our social media channels. I apologize in the delay on this, but we took a lot of time this month sifting through editorial submissions. I will let you know once it's up, and want to thank you again for your submission.

Best regards,

Mitchell Funk, LEED Green Associate
Editorial Assistant - Green Building Pro

Atlas will post the article upon publication.

Atlas Project Support to Present at Engineering Sustainability 2011

2010-11-30T14:24:00.000-08:00

Michael Vargas Founder and Principal Consultant at Atlas Project Support has been selected to present an oral presentation and a poster presentation at Engineering Sustainability 2011, which will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, April 10-12, 2011. The poster session and social is scheduled for Monday, April 11 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. The paper is scheduled to be presented in the oral session "Green Building and Energy II" on Monday at 1:30 pm.

Michael's topics to include: Concentrated Photovoltaic Technologies and How Applying Green Building Techniques and Products Affects the Bottom-line. Contact Michael at mvargas@myatlasproject to discuss.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection and gratitude and we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you just how important you are to us. That's right, YOU! We are thankful for every member of the Atlas community! We appreciate your participation, your motivation, your personal and professional transformation...and we are proud of all your successes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Development of the Californian Solar Energy Market

2010-11-22T08:28:00.001-08:00

California has for many years valued the advantages of using solar and other types of renewable power for industry and commerce, both in terms of cost efficiency and in making a greater use of natural resources. In terms of solar energy in particular, California has historically played an important role.
History
The idea for using sunlight to generate electricity utilizing silicon-based solar cells was patented in 1954, and was followed the next year by the launch of the first photovoltaic product, which had only 2% efficiency. Efficiency levels increased so that by the mid 1960’s they had reached 10%. However, the discovery of solar energy as a power source goes back much further in time. It was in 1839 that Alexandre Edmond Becquerel found that when certain materials are exposed to light, they give off electric currents. This discovery was expanded on in 1876 when Grylls Adams found that selenium photovoltaic cells could convert light into electricity at an efficiency rate of 1-2%.
From the 1970’s onwards continual developments took place and laws were passed to facilitate the use of PV solar electricity and other types of solar energy on a large scale. This began with the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) in 1978. In the same year the Energy Tax Act (ETA) was passed. This was in response to the energy crisis at that time, and provided tax credits for people who invested in energy conservation. This resulted in the development of and investment into large scale solar and wind energy systems, which included the largest PV manufacturing plant in the world in 1979, which was situated in Camarillo, California. This was the first time that more than a megawatt of solar PV energy per annum had been produced.
California’s Role
The Camarillo plant wasn’t the only first for California, which also commenced construction of the largest solar thermal facility in the world in 1986. This was situated in the Mojave Desert and has continued to produce energy for over 20 years. Another first for California was the first grid-based photovoltaic system in 1993, which enabled the distribution of solar PV power and was built in Kerman.
The Assembly Bill 1890 (Statutes of 1996) played a crucial role in the development of the solar energy market as it granted incentives related to grid-tied solar PV systems. Further legislation followed and as a result of Senate bill 90 (Statutes of 1997) the Emerging Renewable Program began. Under this Program rebates were offered to consumers in order to stimulate demand for renewable energy systems. For larger systems the investor-owned utility companies were required to help with the installation of PV self-generation systems in schools, government buildings and businesses. By the end of 1999, 70,000 solar PV systems were installed.
Various further initiatives have taken place from 2000 onwards to encourage the production and use of solar electricity in California, some of which were allocated State funding. The 2001 Assembly Bill 29x granted funds for municipal utility and investor-owned customers, and also introduced a Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program in respect of bigger renewable energy development. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) gave businesses and consumers tax credits if they invested in fuel-efficient appliances and products. All of these incentives have had an impact on the production and use of solar energy and by 2006 the figure for annual solar cell production hit an estimated 1868 megawatts. In the same year California hit the news headlines with its California Solar Initiative.
California Solar Initiative
Under this initiative customers of certain investor-owned utilities in California can receive solar rebates. This initiative forms a major part of the Go Solar California campaign, which also offers rebates through the many publicly owned utility companies. Under these schemes rebates are available for homes and buildings for commercial, government, agricultural and non-profit purposes. This provides many opportunities for companies involved in construction in any of these areas.
With such strong foundations California is well placed to continue in the development of solar energy projects that can bring substantial cost benefits to industry and to the economy in general. As can be seen, laws relating to renewable energy utilization develop continually. Experts in the field of Energy Management can help construction and engineering companies take advantage of many of the incentives on offer as they keep abreast of all the latest developments. By employing an expert in renewable energy you can ensure that your construction projects incorporate the latest energy efficient methodologies resulting in tremendous long-term savings.

Innovation in Energy Efficiency

2010-11-20T22:17:00.001-08:00

The ever-increasing demand for more energy used for residential, commercial and industrial uses prompted governments from around the world and the United States to focus and allocate resources for the development of innovative technologies used to increase energy efficiency. The implementation of energy efficiency redesigns or retrofitting is a very productive and more practical alternative to building new carbon-emitting power plants.

Current technologies used in energy efficiency retrofitting can reduce energy consumption in homes and commercial buildings by up to 40 percent, with savings of up to $40 billion a year from energy bills. These current retrofitting initiatives will be beefed up with further innovations in this field at enterprise or even state-level projects that will receive financial support from the Department of Energy.

These projects are also part of the ongoing national strategy to remove the barriers to making these energy efficiency retrofits available to the American masses. These projects will also promote and create more domestic jobs while integrating these energy efficiency technologies to commercial and residential building markets.

Federal Support for Innovation Projects in Energy Efficiency

The Department of Energy is pouring in $28.5 million in investments in support of energy efficiency projects starting with 12 pilot projects located in various states and territories. These projects are expected to lower energy consumption by residential and commercial users as well as create more jobs in these sectors.

The funds will be awarded through the State Energy Program of the Department of Energy. The program is already provided financial and technical assistance to various states in support of their energy efficiency development projects. These programs are also focused in ensuring the country’s energy security through the development and deployment of clean and reliable renewable energy. These new funds will be given on top of the already existing formula grants given to all states and territories.

State Energy Efficiency Innovation Projects

The latest investment project by the Department of Energy in line with its State Energy Program is categorized into two sections, namely:

• Strengthening of the Building Retrofits – includes $25.5 million that will be used for the development of targeted building retrofit markets.

• Stimulating Energy Efficiency Action – includes $3 million for state policy and program frameworks for short and long term energy efficiency programs

The following energy efficient projects from various states were selected by the Department of Energy as recipients to this new release of federal funds. Some of these projects includes but are not limited to the following:

• Multi-state partnership project (Massachusetts, Alabama, Virginia and Washington) – will target 12,150 homes for energy efficiency retrofit by 2013, and 75,000 homes by 2021. The main objective is to create a sustainable change in the market geared towards home energy improvement.

• Nevada – In line with its own Home Performance with Energy Star Program, the state will implement energy efficiency retrofitting projects.

• Maine – Using a multi-year energy efficiency strategy, Maine is planning to develop innovative retrofit projects geared towards small to medium scale multi-family apartment buildings.

• Michigan – the state is promoting a self-sustaining financing programs used for improving energy efficiency retrofits in convenience stores, grocery stores and restaurants.

Other Innovative Energy Efficiency Projects

Energy efficiency developmental projects are not only promoted as a state initiative but by organizations and business entities as well. These projects are not only very innovative but are highly creative as well, but are all geared towards the optimal usage of energy as well as minimizing energy wastages during use. Some of these projects include:

* Smart Grid and Transportation

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is working with Viridity Energy to develop a system that can capture the wasted energy when a train brakes. These energies will then be collected and stored in batteries which will then be transmuted back into the smart grid. Initial tests are being conducted at Philadelphia’s busiest subway line. If proven effective, this can be rolled out to other public transport systems across the country.

* Wireless Electricity

Energy is transmitted from one point to another using wires and cables. The intrinsic resistance in these cables account for the loss and wastage during transmission. As a resolution to this, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is developing technologies that will eventually do away with the use of electric wires. The significant implications of this technology have prompted several companies to start generating commercial applications where this technology can be used.

Energy Efficiency Loans

2010-11-13T19:58:00.001-08:00

It is possible to obtain a 3% loan from the California Energy Commission in respect of energy efficiency projects in the State of California, but these loans apply in particular circumstances and there are certain terms and conditions attached. This favorable interest rate is fixed throughout the repayment term.
There is no minimum loan amount and the maximum amount that you can borrow is $3 million. This limit applies for each separate loan application. The first set of loan applications are being taken from small cities and counties in California that receive the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) through the Energy Commission. After the first 30 days, application is open to all eligible energy projects and applications will be dealt with in the order in which they are received. As well as cities, counties and special districts, other eligible groups are public schools and colleges, public hospitals and public care institutions.
Suitable Projects
The loans are intended to finance specific energy efficiency projects. Some examples of projects for which the loans are appropriate include:
• Street lights, other lighting systems and LED traffic signals
• Motors and pumps
• Automatic energy management systems
• Insulation of buildings
• Energy generation projects including those using renewable energy
• Modifications to air conditioning or heating systems
• Equipment for the treatment of waste water

There are some projects that the loans don’t apply to, which comprise of those relating to: swimming pools, zoos and aquariums, gambling businesses, and golf courses.
Conditions of the Loan
California Energy Efficiency Loans have terms and conditions attached to them, which are:
1) Any project that the loans relate to must be completed by 31st March and funds from the loan must have been fully used up by this date.
2) A loan must not be used to replace any amounts already spent or amounts expected to be received for the project, but should instead supplement existing funds.
3) The loans must be fully paid back within 15 years, and repayments will be funded from the savings in energy costs resulting from the energy efficiency measures.
4) Repayments will be set in accordance with the yearly energy savings that ensue as a result of the energy efficiency procedures.
5) The term of the loan must not exceed the life span of the equipment that it is funding.
6) Any invoices relating to the project must be dated after the date on which the loan is awarded otherwise they will not be reimbursed. If the loan is not awarded, any costs relating to the project will not be reimbursed.
Eligibility Criteria
In addition to the conditions above, there are a number of criteria which must be met in order to qualify for an energy efficiency loan:
• The project to which the loan relates must be technically feasible as well as economically feasible
• Applicants must be eligible as mentioned above, loans must be fully completed and repaid by 31st March 2012 and must not involve any activities that are prohibited
You can apply for an energy efficiency loan by visiting the California Energy Commission Website at: www.energy.co.gov. We can also provide help and advice on loan eligibility as well as energy efficiency measures that you can adopt for your projects.

Innovation in Renewable Energy

2010-11-12T06:45:00.001-08:00

Several years ago, the concept of harnessing the power of the sun or the wind to generate sustainable amounts of energy seems like a farfetched idea coming straight out of a science fiction novel. Now, the growing popularity of solar powered generators and wind turbines as viable sources of renewable energy is slowly embraced by governments and private organizations worldwide. But these technologies were just a beginning of a revolutionary industry as new innovations and advancement continue to reshape the energy industry as it is known today.

Spurred by support from the federal government, particularly through the roll out of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the deployment of renewable energy technologies are gaining ground in various sectors including residential and commercial users. New advancements of existing technologies as well as the emergence of entirely new concepts are starting to take shape in the country’s green manufacturing sector – all aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increase employment opportunities, and ensuring America’s future with reliable and sustainable energy sources.

Innovative Renewable Energy Projects

The following discusses some of the latest renewable energy projects and innovations that are set to create upcoming trends in the energy industry in the next few years.

* Park Spark

This contraction built by 33-year old Matthew Mazzota may appear like an ordinary gas-powered street lamp fitted with two oil tanks but it is actually more than that – it can run on dog poop. Located at a Cambridge, Massachusetts park, the left oil tank has a receptacle to accept dog poop placed in a biodegradable bag. Bacteria will then act on the waste material, generating methane in the process which is collected and used to light the lamp. This innovative idea may not only put an end to the unwelcome spots commonly seen on the local dog run, but it can also minimize city resources allocated to power similar lamps on parks and urban streets.

* Biomechanical Energy Harvesting

Prototypes of a gadget that makes use of what was termed Biomechanical Energy Harvesting technologies can capture energy expelled during knee movements while a person walks or runs. Developed at the University of Michigan, the prototype may not be enough to generate kilowatts of electricity but is capable enough to power iPods and other similar devices. The prototype is still too bulky for commercial availability and developers continue to streamline the design for practical usage.

* Poop to Power

Here’s another waste-recovery story. Reports released from different sources have stressed the economic viability of biogas recovery systems. Since 2008, the University of Texas at Austin released a study that standard microturbines used to convert biogas into electricity can produce an output of 88 billion kWh and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 3.9 percent.
In a similar report from AgSTAR, the average per-cow gas generation can yield 2.5 to 3 kWh per day through anaerobic digestion. To be financially viable, a farm would need 500 heads of cows or more than 2,000 swine. Aside from that, the digester solids which are by-products of the anaerobic process can be used as cattle bedding, which can save an 8,000-cow dairy farm a million dollars a year from cattle bedding expenses.

The technology can be very economically viable for dairy producing states such as Calfornia, the leading dairy producer in the country. A typical cow excretes 120 pounds of manure each day, which for California would translate to over 70 billion pounds of waste every year. With up to 3 KWh “cow power” generated from a single cow each day, harnessing this same power from thousands of cows within the state can really churn out megawatts of power in a daily basis.

In relation to these developments, researchers from Hewlett-Packard are now making studies on how dairy farms can power electrical-hungry data centers. These data centers generate wasted heat, and if combined with power generated from cow manure, a viable heat and power hybrid system can be established.

* Solar Microinverter

Renewable Energy award winner Enphase Energy from California received $22.5 million investment funds to further develop and commercialize its innovative solar microinverter system. The system allowed rooftop solar systems to generate 25% more power by solving an inherent problem with the use of traditional inverters.

Existing inverters are large and will limit the output of the whole solar panel system and will produce energy based on its lowest generating panel. The new microinverters can be installed directly under each individual panel, allowing it to maximize output while converting the solar-generated DC current into usable and grid-compliant AC current.

* Solar Thermal

New York State recently unveiled its Solar Thermal Roadmap which is projected to generate 2.6 billion dollars in revenue and create 25,000 green jobs. The state will have an equivalent of 1 million solar hot water collectors or 500,000 residential systems with a solar thermal capacity of 2GW in the coming decade, which will eventually make New York the national leader in solar heating and cooling.

Although the New York plan is smaller compared to the solar thermal market in Germany which churns out 200,000 solar hot water systems each year, this development is still very significant for the United States. There was no significant headway achieved in previous years related to the use of solar thermal technologies, as compared to other renewable energy sources such as solar PV and wind energy – until now.

* Clean Coal

A new consortium led by West Virginia University plans to develop and test new technologies related to carbon capture and sequestration. This consortium will include other academic and research institutions such as the University of Kentucky, Indiana University, the University of Wyoming, the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Joining them are other renowned institutions in the energy field such as the US-China Clean Energy Forum, World Resources Institute, Duke Energy, American Electric Power, LP Amina, Babcock & Wilcox and General Electric.

California’s Renewable Energy Goals

2010-11-07T08:05:00.001-08:00

Current plans for the use of renewable energy in California are for 33% utilization by 2020. This replaces the previous goal that required Californian utility companies to provide 20% of the electricity supply from renewable sources by 2010. The latest target is the second improvement in California’s renewable energy goals; the previous objective was to reach 20% utilization by 2017.
The current aim is the result of Executive Order S-14-08, which was signed by the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger in November 2008. Under this Executive Order procedures for the licensing of renewable energy projects were also improved. This involves the production of comprehensive plans by State agencies regarding the prioritization of regional renewable projects. These plans take account of the renewable resources available in a specific area and protection of local habitats, with the aim of generating efficient energy whilst minimizing any harmful effects to the Environment. As such a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the California Energy Commission and the Department of Fish and Game, resulting in a Renewable Energy Action Team (REAT).
In addition to this a further Memorandum of Understanding was signed by various bodies in order to speed up the permitting process and therefore lessen the time taken to develop renewable energy on land that is federally owned. The intention was to reduce application time by 50% for larger projects by identifying renewable energy development areas and then producing a best practices manual. These measures make it easier to build renewable energy sites in California, which use wind solar and geothermal energy.
Benefits
This new approach abolished the need to fill in several separate application forms relating to the use of areas for the production of renewable energy. Instead there would be a more direct application review process.
Apart from benefiting the Environment, the use of renewable energy is more cost effective. This applies not only to the reduction in energy costs for industries and companies that use renewable energy, but there are also advantages to California’s economy as a whole. According to a study by UC Berkeley, a total of 1.5 million jobs have been created during a period of 35 years because of green energy production. Therefore, these latest plans should see increasing benefits in this respect.

Ambitious Targets
California is viewed as a global leader in the field of green energy, but these plans were seen by many as being over ambitious. However, if you take into account the amount of renewable energy resources available in California, such as the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, these plans should in theory be achievable.
A 2009 Government report suggested that the target of 33% utilization by 2020 would be easily achievable if all the proposed renewable energy projects went ahead. The energy generated through these projects would equal 24,000 megawatts of electricity, which would be enough to provide power for 18 million homes. This is in addition to any renewable energy that was already being produced.
There has already been a vast increase in renewable energy projects. Wind, solar and geothermal projects that were built in 2008, in California, were capable of producing four times as much renewable energy as that achieved in 2007. Figures for 2008 indicated that these sources alone could generate 516 megawatts of electricity, which is a substantial amount as a single megawatt can provide power for 750 homes.
It is often the case that not all planned projects go ahead, and this especially applies in times of recession. However, action to date has been encouraging, and California continues to be a leading State when it comes to renewable energy. Other States also have targets to meet, but they are not quite as ambitious as those of California. In February 2009 legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate required utilities nationwide to obtain a minimum of 6% of energy from renewables by the year 2012 and at least 25% by 2025.
Although California’s target of 33% is not yet a legal requirement, the Governor of California is still trying to push through a renewable energy bill, and has received a lot of support in favor of the bill.

The Adoption of Clean Technologies and Sustainable Industry Practices in the Greater San Diego Area

2010-11-04T16:57:00.001-07:00

San Diego has been known throughout the world for decades as a vibrant center and research corridor where technological and entrepreneurial initiatives emanate, where innovative ideas give birth to equally innovative companies and products. This collaborative and collegial atmosphere makes San Diego the ideal place for clean technology innovation and development.

This role is recognized officially by the state of California, with Governor Schwarzenegger designating the region as the official Innovation Hub or iHub of the state, which will play a major role in the adoption of clean technologies and sustainable industry practices for the economic, environmental and social benefit of the Greater San Diego Area – positioning the region as an innovative global leader in the clean tech and low carbon economy.

Clean Technologies and Sustainable Industry Initiatives in San Diego

As the Innovation Hub of the State for telecom and biotechnology developments, San Diego aims to replicate these successes, this time as the center for development of clean technologies and companies. In line with this, the region formed CleanTech San Diego, a non-profit membership organization that will catapult the region at the top of the clean technology economy.

CleanTech aims to stimulate advancement and innovative work related to the adoption of clean technologies and sustainable industry practices that will benefit the greater San Diego economically, environmentally and socially. This will be accomplished through a series of programs that includes education, outreach, leadership opportunities and policy advocacy. The organization has diverse memberships from various sectors that include: academic and research institutions; business and financial leaders; government and non-profit organizations.

Policies promulgated by the federal, state and local governments make the region very favorable for the cleantech industry. According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, there are over US1.2 billion in total investments in 2006 with more pouring in during succeeding years, fueling the growth of cleantech startups in the region.

There are now over 200 companies involved with clean technologies located in the area, involved in various industrial focus that includes:

• Energy generation and energy efficiency
• Renewable energy such as wind and solar
• Water and waste water technologies
• Transport technology
• Recycling and waster
• Manufacturing and industrial
• Energy infrastructure
• Energy storage
• Air and Environment
• Agriculture
• Advanced materials

Trends and Market Outlook in Clean Technologies and Sustainable Industry

The recent global economic crisis has created budget deficits as well as high unemployment rates hanging above like a gloomy specter over the state of California. Despite these scenarios, the market outlook for clean technology remains bullish with investors and developers remaining aggressive in pursuing projects in this industry.

With state funding heavily declining, academic institutions involved in clean technology seeks more funds from private companies and other partnerships, which will eventually tap the money allocated for renewable energy development from the American Recovery and Reinvestment stimulus bill. While many are still waiting for the realization of these funds, others have already set forth and went ahead with developmental works which include the following diversities.

* Bio-Fuels

San Diego aims to maintain its leadership position in clean technology trends particularly in the area of biofuels, considered the “Holy Grail” for this industry. Researchers from USCD’s Division of Biological Sciences are working with scientists from Scripps to develop algal biofuels as society’s best hope for clean bioenergy resources. Such developments will eventually reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce environmental impact, counteract the effects of global warming, and fuel the cars of the future.

CleanTech San Diego, BIOCOM and the San Diego Regional EDC has launched the Biofuels Initiative focused on the commercialization and applications of renewable fuels and petrochemicals derived from biological sources like algae and similar products. A study by SANDAG or the San Diego Association of Governments confirmed the economic viability of the algae industry which can generate $60 million in revenues and 500 new jobs for the San Diego area.

* Solar Energy

The California Solar Initiative maintains a goal of installing 1 million rooftops with solar panels as part of the state’s mandate to reduce greenhouse gas levels to 1990 levels by the year 2020 through the increased use of renewable energy resources. San Diego’s cleantech initiatives fall perfectly with this mandate as it pushes towards more use of renewable sources of energy.

Part of this is the extensive use of solar energy such as the 900 MW solar farm in the Imperial Valley which will make use of 36,000 solar panels spread across 10 square miles and geared to becoming the largest in the world. Aside from this, the San Diego mayor is developing a financing program that will enable city residents to install solar panels in their own homes over a 20-year period – which they will pay back through property taxes.

* Geothermal Energy

The Imperial Valley also has a long history of geothermal energy which can play a major role in San Diego and California’s clean technology initiatives. The California Energy Commission reported that there is a potential of over 2,000 MW that can be generated from the Valley. The only holdout is the need for transmission lines that will connect these green energy supplies to the major population centers.

San Diego’s untapped eastern county has vast supply of geothermal, solar and wind energy that remains untapped and just waiting for the right channels to harness these clean and sustainable energy sources. With the regions adoption for clean technologies and sustainable industry practices, it would only be a matter of time before the region can become a leading producer of renewable energy that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions not only for the state but for the whole country.

Class-Action Suit Against USGBC

2010-11-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this, I was flabbergasted. There are many interesting angles to this entire story. I believe the most interesting aspect of the case revolves around the ability of LEED accredited professionals to execute the standards provided by the USGBC. This poses a greater question, Are the accreditation standards of the GBCI sufficient? I say yes, but am looking for feedback from cyberspace to draw some hard conclusions...

If you haven't read it yet, here is the story,

"A class-action lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) last month in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The class-action lawsuit, filed by Henry Gifford of Gifford Fuel Saving Inc. and others, claims that the USGBC has engaged in deceptive trade practices, false advertising and anti-trust in promoting the LEED certification program.

Court documents state, “USGBC’s LEED rating system is supplanting building codes in many jurisdictions, undermining marketplace competition and obscuring other building standards that are proven-unlike LEED-to reduce energy use and carbon emissions …” The suit goes on to state, “When LEED accredited professionals design and build buildings instead of skilled professionals … with years of experience making safe, comfortable and energy-efficient environments, the marketplace, consumers and the environment, often suffer.”

Gifford has spoken out about the LEED rating system before. In a September NPR interview he said, “It’s impossible to go out and buy a building with a guarantee for how much energy it won’t use. And the LEED system, by basing everything on energy predictions, continues that. This is one of the reasons why it’s so popular-because it’s painless.”

Court documents note that the class-action suit is brought on behalf of the following classes:

• “All those who paid for LEED certification for property they own in reliance on defendant’s deceptive marketing claims that LEED-certified properties use 25 percent less energy and achieve CO2 emissions reductions over non-LEED-certified properties …

• All persons who design energy-efficient buildings and whose livelihoods are injured by USGBC’s monopolization of the market through fraudulent and intentionally misleading representations in the marketing and promotion of their LEED product line …

• All taxpayers whose city and state tax dollars are spent on the costs of LEED certification in publicly commissioned buildings …; and

• Trades injured by USGBC’s deceptive trade practices because they lose money and valuable time to comply with LEED specifications and the buildings they do build do not use 25 percent less energy, or any less energy, than non-LEED certified properties.”

Solar Power Towers coming to California

2010-11-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

The United States of America will now produce clear power that can light up as many as 11000 to 277500 homes in the country. The Sectary of Interior Ken Salazar has given a go ahead to the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating system, a project proposed by BrightSource of Oakland that can produce up to 370 megawatt of clear energy and generate nearly 1100 opportunities for employment. The project, located in San Bernardino Country, California, is the inaugural large-scale solar energy project on US public soil to use the power tower.

Key features of the project.

* The project, which will be in three phases, will finish by the year 2013.
* This know-how takes the help of mirror fields so that solar energy is pointed on the power tower receivers closer to every array. To generate electricity, Steam from the solar boilers in the towers is used to drive a turbine and electricity is produced.

How will it help the Administration.
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating system will be one project that will be a win-win situation for both the administration and BrightSource.

* This will give a boost to administration’s efforts for quick growth of production of renewable energy on public property on a large scale. Whereas the Sectary of Interior had given a green signal to first of such projects on October 5, with Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating system, this figure has reached to 3.
* A day later, Salzar also signed a lease deal with Cape Wind to generate 468 megawatts of clean renewable electricity for Nantucket Sound Communities by purchasing a 130 turbine offshore wind farm.
* This would be the first lease on the Outer Continental Shelf to develop commercial wind energy.
* All these efforts will help USA to build a clean energy economy that could generate 1124 megawatts of clean energy to lit-up between 337000 and 843000 homes.
* It will reduce carbon emission and help the nation as a whole by making USA independent in its energy needs and strengthen its national security.

How will it help BrightSource Energy.

* The decision gives the power to Interior’s Bureau of Land management to give a site in the Southern California’s Mojave Desert, close to the Primm, Nevada border, to BrightSource so that they can use it for 30 years, provided they comply with all conditions including rent.
* BrightSource will be eligible to recover 30 percent of their cost, which the energy developers can recover under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided they have started the construction work before or in 2010. The U.S. department of Energy has also awarded them $ 1.37 billion in conditional loan guarantees as per the provisions of Recovery act.
* The project Ivanpah is processed by Bureau of Land Management and the California Energy Commission (CEC) cooperative model established by an October 12, 2009 agreement. It is based on an agreement between Secretary Salazar and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, which tells the Interior and state agencies to take initiative to develop renewable energy in the land of California, which is best suited to the environment.

Environmental hazards And public accountability.
Keeping with the norms of the state- private partnership and the fact that it is working on harnessing alternative means of energy, BrightSource is required to make its share of contribution to protect the environment. BrightSource will be needed to acquire around 7300 mitigation acres. According to a plan of the US Fish and Wildlife services, which BrightSource has to follow, it has to test 3 million Desert Tortoise selected by Bureau of Land Management in California for diseases and then monitor them by locating them to a more suitable place. The company will also have to contribute to the joint compensation fund created by Federal and State agencies and operated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the negative effect it causes to various resources including water and wildlife.

As a part of its social duty, BrightSource has allowed its solar energy enhancing projects to go through various public scrutinies for environment hazards. These include:

* Public scoping in 2007
* Draft environment Impact Statement in 2009
* Full public involvement in 2009
* A supplement draft in 2010 before a final environment Impact Statement was prepared.

As noted by Salazar, important changes were made in the project. The size of BrightSource’s project was cut by 15%, from 4,073 acres down to 3,471 acres and the number of heliostats (solar mirrors) from 214,000 to 173,500 by the Bureau of Land Management after this scrutiny.

Reacting to these changes made in the project after public scrutiny, Salazar said, “Since it is essential that we learn from our past experiences to make certain that we wisely develop clean energy at the appropriate places, I am happy that changes have been made to improve the project.”

Federal Financing for Renewable Energy

2010-10-31T17:15:00.001-07:00

The need to develop reliable and sustainable sources of energy is more evident now after the recent global financial crisis that gripped the country and the rest of the world. As industries rebound slowly and working in a concerted effort to put the country back in its feet, the demand for energy is expected to increase significantly as forecasted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

It is vital therefore that optimal use of energy is realized by applying extensive energy efficiency restructuring and other measures, as well as beefing up energy manufacturing through the development of renewable energy sources. The following describes some of the most recent trends and advancements in renewable energy development as supported through federal financing awards channeled to these sectors.

* Clean Energy Commercialization

The Department of Energy has awarded more than $63 million dollars in support of the commercialization of clean energy technologies which include $11 million coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

From this fund, $5.3 million shall be distributed to universities at the forefront of clean energy research, while the remaining $57 million will go to 33 small businesses across the country to develop and improve manufacturing process geared towards the production of clean energy. Included are 21 renewable and clean energy technologies which include the following commercialization projects:

• Algae-based biodiesel
• Fuel-cell technologies
• Biomass Fuels
• High-temperature electrical insulation for geothermal energy applications
• Solar cell technologies
• Wind power technologies

These projects also include development programs on the efficiency side such as:

• Organic light-emitting diodes
• Innovative capacitors
• Permanent Magnets
• Lightweight materials for advanced vehicles
• Low-cost micro-channel heat exchanged
• Advanced laser-based sensors
• Energy-efficient styrene production
• Energy-efficient ethanol production

* Geothermal Power Technologies

The Department of Energy also selected seven projects related to the research and development of cutting-edge geothermal power technologies. Traditional geothermal power plants make use of reservoirs that reach levels of up to 360°F to generate steam. These new technologies will use binary-cycle technologies, enabling power plants to draw energy even with lower-temperature resources.

* Wind Energy Development

The Department of Energy is allocating $5 million to support further development in wind energy, including projects that will improve short-term wind forecasting, and the development and deployment of wind turbine technologies that are faster and smaller in scale. These midsized wind turbines can generate rated capacities from 200 to 500 kilowatts, making it ideal for on-site installation at schools, farms, factories, community, tribal, and other remote locations. Installation on-site will minimize the need to additional transmission infrastructure.

* Biomass Research and Development

$16.5 million will be awarded by the Department of Energy for the advancement in technologies used in the thermochemical conversion of biomass for use as biofuels that are compatible with existing fueling infrastructures used in transportation. The award also includes funds for the design and development of landscape that can produce feedstock for bioenergy without damaging the wildlife resources and existing ecosystems. This development of biofuels is aimed at reducing the dependence of the United States on foreign oil.

* Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems

The Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories is planning to invest $8.5 million for the Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems or SEGIS program. These funds will be matched by the SEGIS contractors to eventually come out with more than $20 million for these projects. These projects are aimed at improving the reliability of the nation’s electrical grid through the integration of solar energy technologies and increasing the amount of photovoltaic (PV) electricity flow into the grid.

* Renewable Energy Feasibility Studies for Rural Businesses

Grants of up to $50,000 will be made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enable small rural and agricultural businesses to conduct studies on how they can integrate and install renewable energy systems into their production areas. The systems should be located in a rural area owned by the recipient and should produce heat, electricity or fuel from renewable sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro-power, biomass, or hydrogen-based energy sources.

* Innovation Ecosystems

The Department of Energy will also provide funds of up to $10,000 each to universities and non-profit organizations to hasten the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies for deployment to the market. 10 teams will be awarded each year and each will be allotted 6 months to develop and complete a prototype. These teams will then compete for a $100,000 prize and will be used for the commercialization of the developed technology.

CALGreen: The Latest Changes

2010-10-29T17:14:00.001-07:00

California has always been at the forefront in protecting the environment and the fight against climate change. The state is taking this step much farther with the promulgation of the first-ever mandatory Green Building Standards Code nicknamed CALGreen, which requires all new building in California to comply with energy efficiency standards and environmental impact regulations set by the code. These regulations aim to achieve major reductions in energy and water consumption as well as significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions towards a clean and greener California.

The CALGreen code is voluntary for the time being but will eventually become mandatory after January 1, 2011 and will be adopted by all local jurisdictions. Once a green building passes the required inspection process, a CALGreen compliant label can then be accorded to the property – all these without the need to use costly third-party green certification programs.

In the words of Governor Schwarzenegger himself, “The code will help us meet our goals of curbing global warming and achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 and promotes the development of more sustainable communities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency in every new home, office building or public structure.”

Understanding CALGreen Building Standards Codes

The CALGreen mandatory code provisions will be the baseline for green building practices in the state. The initial Green Building Standards Code was developed by the CBSC or California Building Standards Commission and the HCD or California Department of Housing and Community Development with extensive collaborations and discussions with architects, builders, environmentalists, local officials and other experts in the state. Part of the requirements of CALGreen includes but is not limited to:

• New buildings constructed shall have 20 percent water consumption reduction, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills and use low pollutant-emitting or low VOC materials.
• Separate water meters for indoor and outdoor water usage in non-residential buildings
• The required use of moisture-sensing irrigation systems for landscape projects
• Mandatory inspections of energy systems which includes air conditioners, heat furnaces and other mechanical equipment for non-residential buildings that are over 10,000 square feet. This will ensure that these energy systems operate at maximum capacities and at optimum design efficiencies.

Other mandatory measures included in CALGreen will address planning and design issues in site development; disposal and recycling; air quality; material conservation and resource efficiency; water resistance and moisture management; building maintenance and operation; pollutant control; indoor moisture control; and environmental comfort. It is estimated that once fully implemented, these provisions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3 million metric tons by the year 2020.

Latest Trends and Developments with CALGreen

There are several ongoing collaborations at local jurisdictions in relation with CALGreen’s implementation. Many of these collaborative have already been involved with Build It Green, which was previously been engaged in documents produced for green building. These collaborative will assist local jurisdictions in adopting the green building ordinances set forward by CALGreen.

Members of the collaborative as well as Build It Green are fully supporting CALGreen basic code and applaud this work by the California Building Standards Commission, the California Department of Housing and Community Development and the State Government of California. Aside from these collaborations, half-day seminars are being conducted on a regional basis to provide the public with an overview of the mandatory standards and compliance checklists as well as the voluntary tier structure that are all parts of the code.

The new building code is a living and continually evolving document that will require a continuous collaboration, update and reporting process between the involved state agencies and the end users. CALGreen is something that no other state has done and will significantly revolutionize building practices that will pave the way for a cleaner and greener future.

Concentrated Photovoltaic Technologies

2010-10-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

The popularity of PV or photovoltaic solar panels make them quite familiar terms with the general populace particularly in California, the country’s leading producer of solar-power generated electricity. Some may also be familiar with solar thermal systems that make use of solar energy to create heat to generate power through turbines. However, many still do not see solar energy as viable alternatives to produce electricity due to high start-up costs and other issues related to the manufacture and use of photovoltaic panels.

A new technology is emerging that will change all that. Called concentrated or concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, the system makes use of lenses or mirrors to concentrate solar energy onto tiny solar cells that are highly efficient in converting solar energy into electricity. Such arrangement is meant to address the number one problem with the use solar PV systems – the expensive silicon-based solar panel.

Although many journals have already reported significant claims on how effective this technology is on a laboratory setting, the challenge remains on whether this technology will be viable in the commercial market. Several companies have taken up this challenge and are now making significant headway by bringing out CPV panels out into the market.

Understanding Concentrated Photovoltaic Technologies and Its Benefits

As mentioned earlier, the difference in CPV technologies with traditional solar PV cells is on the way sunlight is concentrated up to 650 times onto high performance solar cells. This will increase the generated electricity which can be maximized further with the use of tracking systems where the CPV panels can be mounted.

CPV panel efficiency considers the panels as a whole and is much lower than cell efficiency. Efficient CPV panels can reach 25%, which is typically twice the efficiency of traditional PV cells. As this efficiency increases the cost for harnessing solar energy decreases resulting to less raw materials required, lower manufacturing costs and reduced land utilization.

The following discusses some of the additional benefits that can be realized with the use of concentrated photovoltaic solar panel technologies.

* Dual Land Use: CPV panels are mounted on elevated tracking systems which can allow utilization of the land underneath for planting crops.

* 95% Recyclable: unlike traditional PV panels, CPVs use glass and aluminum as their two main materials which can then be recycled. Useful life of solar panels is typically 30 years.

* ROI in six+ months: early technologies used to manufacture solar panels make use of manufacturing technologies require as much energy as they can produce over a 20-year period, resulting to poor net energy gain. These new CPVs are much more efficient that users can realize payback within a short period of 6 months.

* Similarity to Auto Industry: the manufacture of CPV panels makes use of automated manufacturing systems similar to the very stringent auto industry. This manufacturability makes it more cost-effective than traditional solar panels.

California Companies Engaged in Developing Concentrated Photovoltaic Technologies

In California, several young or start-up companies are making waves in the development of concentrated photovoltaic technologies. These companies include but are not limited to:

* SolFocus: This Company is based in Mountain View, California and has raised $95 million in required funds that will be used for the deployment of its CPV systems for commercial use.

* GreenVolts: Based in San Francisco, GreenVolts is now selling a concentrated PV system mounted on a sun-tracking mechanism, enabling it to increase sunlight concentration of up to 625 times, producing energy at half the cost of traditional photovoltaic cells.

* Silicon Valley Soar: This company markets a flat plate internal concentrator for their CPVs, delivering twice the concentration while reducing 50% of the silicon usage requirements. Unlike other systems, this unit does not require a tracking system. This reduces the number for moving parts which further reduces the cost.

* Amonix: This company is a veteran in high concentration PV systems and has now receive venture capital investments of up to $129 million to hasten utility-scales deployment of its products to commercial and residential use.

* Pyron Solar: This company based in San Diego now has a 6.6 kW prototype that floats in water as a cooling system to prevent panel damage.

Recent Developments in Concentrated Photovoltaic Technologies

2010 is the year when the federal Bureau of Land Management has given its go signal for several giant solar energy projects in California that will literally make the state’s deserts bloom with glass panels, steel blocks and giant turbines to generate electricity harnessed from the sun. Many of these projects will make use of CPV systems to capture and concentrate solar energy.

Last May, the Victor Valley College and the company SolFocus completed the largest solar power plant in North American utilizing concentrated photovoltaic technologies. The power plant has a capacity of one megawatt which is more than enough to provide Victor Valley College with clean and renewable energy.

Not only will this plant generate significant amounts of energy without significant impacts on land and water, it can also generate green jobs and be used as training facilities for future solar energy professionals – ensuring a bright future for all.

Advantages of Using an Energy Consultant

2010-10-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

When you hire an experienced and qualified Energy Consultant you save a tremendous amount on costs due to the application of energy efficiency measures. It is important that these measures are incorporated at the outset, starting at the planning stage, because it is more difficult and costly to adapt a building once the construction is complete. Taking appropriate energy efficiency measures is also kinder to the Environment as current developments take environmental concerns into account. Apart from these benefits, buildings have to comply with the standards set out in the Californian Building Energy Standards Title 24. It is therefore vital to consult with a professional who holds the Title 24 Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE) Certification.

In addition to the roles mentioned above Atlas Project Support can assist you in several other areas. We have a wealth of experience in the construction industry as well as in energy efficiency and can therefore project manage the entire build for you. Atlas also provides ongoing support and training in energy efficiency. As well as CEPE certification we have received numerous other certifications and have many satisfied clients who we have worked with on large scale projects.