Sustainability
Commercial building and facilities management resources for corporate facility executives, building operators and facility managers in all industry and service sectors. Sustainability articles below.
Better Buildings, Better Plants Partners Have Saved $6.7 Billion
The Department of Energy program's partners represent more than 3,200 facilities and roughly 12% of the U.S. manufacturing energy footprint.
Moerings USA To Represent GSky Living Green Wall Systems
Moerings USA will represent GSky® living green wall systems with architects, landscape architects, and developers in the upper Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic U.S.
ALDI Lauded As Industry Leader In Sustainable Refrigeration
The EPA's GreenChill Partnership has recognized ALDI as the grocery retailer with the most GreenChill store certifications in the past year.
New Tool Offers Hospitals Improved Energy Efficiency
The new Energy to Care Dashboard Tool from ASHE offers an at-a-glance view of healthcare facilities’ energy use.
Saving Energy, One Flicker At A Time
Learn how software technology can monitor energy consumption while improving cost savings and the lifespan of critical assets.
Montréal’s Sun Life Building Earns LEED® Platinum Certification
The facility is the first century-old building in North America to obtain triple Platinum certification for excellence in environmental performance and digital connectivity.
Energy Efficiency Can Get U.S. Halfway To Climate Goals
A new ACEEE report shows that energy efficiency can slash U.S. energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050 and get the nation halfway toward its climate goals.
An Industry First: Excel Dryer Publishes Health Product Declarations
The high-speed, energy-efficient XLERATOR®, XLERATOReco®, and ThinAir® Hand Dryers were reviewed and their materials verified by a third party.
Million Cool Roofs Challenge Finalists Named
Each of the 10 projects has received $100,000 to help them deploy their solutions; In 2021 $1 million will be awarded to the winning team.
Unilever Achieves 100% Renewable Electricity Across Five Continents
The company's facilities across five continents have achieved 100% renewable grid electricity use, a year ahead of the company's global 2020 target.
Three Ways Facility Managers Can Retain Their Best Tenants
To tighten bonds and boost retention rates with commercial tenants, facility managers should leverage these three evolving trends.
U.S. Cities Adopt Stricter Building Energy Codes
More cities and states are working together to slash energy consumption in buildings, with implementing more stringent building codes as a first step.
U.S. EPA Highlights Federal Green Challenge Winners
With national and regional winners, this challenge is an effort held under the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program.
USGBC Announces New Board Chair
U.S. Green Building Council welcomes Dr. Aaron Bernstein of Harvard University as new board chair, along with four new board members.
$28.5M Update Earns Whiteman AFB Clinic LEED v4 Certification
The Air Force collaborated with architects at Hoefer Wysocki to transform the clinic into one of the first facilities to earn USGBC’s most advanced sustainability rating.
Bank Of America Tower Earns Nation’s 1st Leed V4 Platinum For Core and Shell
Bank of America Tower was one of 100 projects selected for the pilot program of LEED Version 4, and was the only one to attempt the Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBCLA) credit.
EPA Recognizes St. Louis Cardinals’ Decade Of Reducing Food Waste
Last year, the Cardinals and concessionaire Delaware North diverted more than 226 tons of food from landfills and donated almost 10 tons of food equal to 13,000 meals to those in need.
Boston, San Francisco, Seattle Top List Of Large Clean Energy Cities
Many U.S. cities are boosting their clean energy efforts, but few are on track to meet climate goals, according to 2019 City Clean Energy Scorecard.
Canon Canada HQ Earns LEED® Gold Certification
The 180,000-square-foot, five-story building includes elements that encourage collaboration, foster well-being, and promote practices that reduce its carbon footprint.
Insurance Company Earns Sustainability At Work Gold Certification
In recognition of its commitment to sustainable practices—including recycling, landscaping and transportation efforts—Standard Insurance Company received Portland's Sustainability at Work gold workplace certification.
New Solar Charging Kit From Legrand
The Solar Charging Kit adds USB charging for mobile devices to commercial and hospitality outdoor spaces without the time or hassle of a full construction project.
EPA Recognizes 2018 WasteWise Winners
The 10 winning organizations collectively prevented and diverted over 356,000 tons of waste from entering landfills, saving them over $19.6 million in landfill fees.
Solar, Waste Heat Help Power Athletic Facility
At Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, a new student athletic facility achieved LEED Platinum certification.
Physical Activity, Sustainable Materials Create Healthy Residence Halls
Residence halls can be designed to promote physical activity and healthy habits, while using healthy materials and building systems to provide a healthy environment.
Bank Of America Reduces Energy Costs With Solar Panels
Through its Onsite Solar Initiative, the company will install solar panels at more than 60 locations, including financial centers, ATMs, and offices.
A Fresh Look At Green Cleaning
With sustainability in mind, here are two facility cleaning materials to look at anew.
IECC Committee Approves EV Charging Proposal
The proposed code by Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) would require new commercial and high-rise residential buildings to facilitate installation of future electric vehicle charging.
Davies Office Recognized For Supply Chain Excellence
A leading provider of sustainable workplace solutions, the company received the 2019 Supply Chain Sustainability Excellence Award from Con Edison.
$500,000 Grant Will Help 15 U.S. Communities’ Sustainability Efforts
The U.S. Green Building Council will use the Bank of America grant to support its LEED for Cities and Communities Program.
In Pittsburgh, Phipps Conservatory And Botanical Gardens Hosts “Big Green Block Party”
The adaptive reuse of an on-site public works garage facility at Phipps is aimed at achieving three rigorous green building standard certifications.
DOE Celebrates Better Buildings Initiative Partners’ Progress
More than 900 organizations participating in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Better Buildings Initiative have achieved the equivalent of $8.4 billion in energy and cost savings.
2019 Zero Energy Buildings Count Nears 600
The official 2019 count is 580 certified, verified, and emerging projects, according to the newly released 2019 Getting to Zero Project List from the New Buildings Institute.
Osram, FSG Form Partnership For Smart Building IoT Solutions
Osram and Facility Solutions Group (FSG) are joining forces to offer turnkey smart building IoT solutions to the commercial, industrial, and retail industries.
Measuring The Value Of Resilient Design And Construction
A new report from the Portland Cement Association suggests that reinforced concrete structures reduce recovery costs after disasters hit and are likely to save money in the long run.
Bringing Rooftop Gardens To Ground Level
In Columbus, OH, building a green roof into an existing structure provided an innovative solution for parking needs and open space for an urban park.
Friday Funny: The Environmental Impact Of Dragons
Dragons are game changers in HBO’s Game of Thrones series. But what would happen if these massive beasts really did roam the planet?
7th Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge Winners Named
The national competition engages college students in the design of on-campus green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater pollution.
Crossville Announces 2018 Recycling Program Milestones
The tile maker's all-time recycling total nears 126 million pounds of fired waste diverted from landfills due to its Tile Take-Back and TOTO USA recycling programs.
Design For Daylighting
Brighten the outlook of building occupants and reduce lighting costs by bringing natural light inside.
USGBC Explores Green Building Industry’s Role As Global Solution
The new report takes a closer look at Americans' views on environmental issues and how the green building industry can be better positioned as a global solution.
