Expert Columns
February 15, 2021 - By John Schoettler, Amazon
The next chapter for HQ2: sustainable buildings surrounded by nature
Amazon has unveiled a proposed design for the second phase of its Arlington, Virginia headquarters. In this column, John Schoettler, Vice President of Amazon's Global Real Estate and Facilities team, offers highlights of the plan, which blends architectural and ecological elements for the new PenPlace to meet LEED Platinum certification, run all-electric central heating and cooling systems on 100% renewable energy, and align with Amazon's Climate Pledge to be net-zero carbon by 2040 and advance Arlington and Amazon’s shared commitment to be leaders in the fight against climate change.
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February 8, 2021 - By Better Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy
LBA Realty: Climate Risk Assessment Report and Resiliency Plan
LBA Realty (LBA, a full-service real estate investment and management company with a diverse portfolio of industrial and office properties in major markets throughout the United States, needed to implement an actionable climate risk assessment process to address concerns at a property-specific level. This column from Better Buildings shows how a new process was created to identify, validate, and mitigate confirmed climate risk factors during the acquisition process.
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GHG Emissions - February 3, 2021 - By Larissa Koehler, EDF
In 2021 we must set more ambitious targets for zero-emission trucks and buses
Despite the historic difficulty of 2020, there were some climate and air quality bright spots. For example, the march toward zero-emission trucks and busses is on. In this column, Larissa Koehler of EDF explains why we should increase our ambition in 2021.
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January 29, 2021 - By Chris Hensley, Encycle
Commercial HVAC practices: Adaptability is key during a continually changing business landscape
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. businesses operating from commercial buildings experienced either a shutdown or a substantial reduction in facility usage in 2021. This column from Chris Hensley at Encycle explores energy usage and control decisions companies are making as they recalibrate their buildings' HVAC operational requirements.
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Energy Efficiency - January 25, 2021 - By Tanya March, Envizi
Tackle energy efficiency projects with no upfront costs
Following up on Envizi's webinar, "Optimizing the Low Carbon Pathway," this column from Tanya March, SVP North America, continues the discussion with key considerations to understand creative financing options in order to make best practices a reality.
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Sourcing Renewables - January 20, 2021 - By Ceres
Veto of landmark climate bill is a missed opportunity for Massachusetts
The decision by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to veto landmark climate legislation is extremely disappointing and a step in the wrong direction for Massachusetts’ ability to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, according to this column from Ceres. The organization is calling on state legislators to reintroduce this legislation immediately, noting that the Commonwealth cannot afford to delay the transition to a net-zero emissions future that is already underway.
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Energy Efficiency - January 15, 2021 - By Better Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy
Repurposing the Western Maryland Railway Station
The Western Maryland Railway Station in Cumberland, Maryland, built in 1913, went through various transformations before its current use for offices, a museum, and retail shops. This column from Better Buildings shows how a comprehensive building upgrade resulted in a 21 percent annual energy savings.
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Regulation - January 6, 2021 - By Caitlin Marquis, AEE
Top Energy Policy Trends from 2020–and How They Can Inform your 2021 Energy Plans
The year 2020 was certainly one for the history books, and for many of us, the cycle of bad news throwing wrenches into our lives and our livelihoods could not have ended soon enough. In terms of energy policy, however, the year brought some good along with the bad. In this column, Caitlin Marquis of AEE reflects on the trends that dominated energy policy in 2020 and will be shaping the debate for the year ahead.
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December 16, 2020 - By Tanya March, Envizi
Which renewable energy options are best for my business?
A recent Smart Energy Decisions webinar, “Optimizing the Pathway to Low-Carbon”, sponsored by Envizi, Edison Energy, and Redaptive, explored best practices for achieving Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction targets. This column from Tanya March of Envizi walks through the process of understanding which renewable energy options are best suited to your business and summarizes questions posed by attendees during the webinar.
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December 11, 2020 - By Audi Banny, IMT
All Roads Lead to Green Leasing
Real estate in the U.S. and around the world is experiencing an astronomical disruption that will reshape the future of buildings, how they are built, operated, and occupied for the foreseeable future. In this column, Audi Banny of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) explains why traditional leases aren’t working, and why green, high-performance leases are becoming the new standard.
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