GHG Protocol and Scope 3 Accounting and Reporting Standard

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. A decade-long partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the GHG Protocol is working with businesses, governments, and environmental groups around the world to build a new generation of credible and effective programs for tackling climate change. It serves as the foundation for nearly every GHG standard and program in the world - from the International Standards Organization to The Climate Registry - as well as hundreds of GHG inventories prepared by individual companies.

The GHG Protocol also offers developing countries an internationally accepted management tool to help their businesses to compete in the global marketplace and their governments to make informed decisions about climate change.

The Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard allows companies to assess their entire value chain emissions impact and identify the most effective ways to reduce emissions. Often, the majority of total corporate emissions come from scope 3 sources, which means many companies have been missing out on significant opportunities for improvement.
“The new Corporate Value Chain Standard provides a much needed harmonized global methodology for businesses to measure value chain greenhouse gas emissions. Our road test of the new Scope 3 standard provides us with key data to drive our strategic business decisions regarding greenhouse gas reductions. We encourage other businesses to similarly employ this effective method to measure, and subsequently address, greenhouse gas emissions from the entire value chain."

- Kelly Semrau, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability, S.C. Johnson
“Our work with the GHG Protocol was instrumental in guiding our first efforts towards environmental footprinting. In 2010 Kraft Foods participated in the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard ‘road test’. Our Scope 3 inventory results are the backbone that informed our future footprint work. For GHG Protocol, the feedback from Kraft Foods informed the final Scope 3 standard WRI will be launching around the world this October.”

- Dan Pettit, Associate Director of Sustainability for Research Development & Quality at Kraft Foods
Users of the new standard can now account for emissions from 15 categories of scope 3 activities, both upstream and downstream of their operations. The scope 3 framework also supports strategies to partner with suppliers and customers to address climate impacts throughout the value chain.

The Corporate Value Chain Standard has been created through a broad, inclusive, multi-stakeholder process. Over a three year period 2,300 participants were involved from 55 countries; 96 members participated in technical working groups to draft the standard, and 34 companies from various industries road tested the standard in 2010.

The new standards provide a methodology that can be used to account for and report emissions from companies of all sectors, globally. They are accompanied by user-friendly guidance and tools developed by the GHG Protocol.
“We believe that by adopting the same standards, we can move ahead faster with confidence to tackle product emissions. CGF represents more than 400 members in the Consumer Goods Sector with annual sales of more than $3 trillion.”

- Jeff Rice, Director Sustainability Walmart, Co-leading the Consumer Goods Forum work
Click here to download GHG Protocol (Print Version (PDF), 149 pages, 7.3 Mb)

Click here to download (E-Reader Version (PDF), 154 pages, 7.0 Mb)

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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The Success of RGGI Carbon Trading Shows Cap-and-Trade Works

Despite opposition from Republicans, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has been shown to be very successful. A January 28th New York Times article reviewed RGGI a carbon trading initiative launched by ten northeastern states in January 2009. According to independent reports the emissions reductions have been greater and cheaper than expected, and have produced substantial fringe benefits in terms of lower overall electricity costs, more jobs, and greater regional independence of fossil fuel imports.

The RGGI cap-and-trade carbon trading scheme was based on the successful initiative to reduce emissions of acid rain precursor aerosols which in the 1980s and 1990s achieved significant reductions in SO2 and NOx emissions.

Republicans who once supported cap-and-trade decided to make the issue a political football and as part of their obstructionist approach they now rail against it. Although New Jersey Governor Chris Christie withdrew from RGGI, independent studies confirm it is clearly working well.

Since its inception in 2009, Northeastern greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 30 percent. This is largely due to switching from coal to natural gas reduced demand brought on by the recession. On its own the RGGI trading system accounts for 6 percent of these emissions reductions.

An independent assessment by the Analysis Group further indicated that RGGI has saved customers money and created jobs. Participating states have used proceeds from the auctions to promote energy efficiency and electricity generation from renewables. The study, commissioned by four nonprofit foundations and conducted by the Boston consulting firm Analysis Group.

These findings demonstrate that carbon trading under a cap-and-trade system is the best way to use the free market to reduce emissions in a way that minimizes harm to the economy. When the review period comes to an end in the summer 2012 it will likely be declared a success and be subject to more stringent cuts and more widespread adoption. This is great news for the environment and the economy.

Research shows that Republicans are on the wrong side of this issue as the RGGI program illustrates that the benefits of carbon trading far outweigh the costs.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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What can be Done to Manage the Green Business Slowdown in 2012?

The 2012 State of Green Business Report anticipates a slowdown in 2012, but there are strategies to best manage the hard times ahead. Innovation is the key and this can be achieved through collaboration and cross-fertilization. Collaboration within industries and between industries is crucial to unlock the real potential of sustainable innovation. Cross-fertilization requires more synchronization of activity and adaptation planning, and a common paradigm to work towards.

According to Joel Makower and Ralph Thurm there are some things that can be done to deal with the slowdown in business anticipated. They believe that the answer lies with paradigm-oriented, outcome-oriented and multi-industry based (open innovation) platforms.

Makower is chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group Inc., producer of GreenBiz.com. He is also lead author of the annual State of Green Business report and hosts the State of Green Business Forum, the GreenBiz Innovation Forum, and other events.

Makower serves as a senior strategist for GreenOrder, a sustainability management consultancy, and is co-founder of Clean Edge, a cleantech research firm. He is author of more than a dozen books, including Strategies for the Green Economy. He also writes “Two Steps Forward” (www.readjoel.com), a popular blog on green business, clean technology, and green marketing. The Associated Press has called him “The guru of green business practices.”

For Makower the answer to the slowdown is VERGE, a platform to get sustainable innovation further aligned, with dots connected and the real needs discussed.

Thurm is a leading professional in sustainability strategies, operational sustainability and sustainability reporting with more than 20 years experience working for major corporates, industry federations, governments, NGOs and non-for-profit organizations.

Thurm and John Elkington are advocates of Zero Impact Growth. They believe that the Deloitte/Volans ZERO HUB is an open innovation platform that can help achieve this goal.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

A Slowdown for Green Business in 2012?

There are indications that as government money dries up, it will auger hard times for green business in 2012. The financial crisis saw a capital infusion into the green economy of around 2.400 billion USD. In 2012 we are seeing widespread spending cuts and funding has slowed dramatically.

This is the conclusion of the 2012 State of Green Business Report which indicates that for the first time in five years there is strong evidence for a significant slowdown in growth.

“For the first time, we saw a significant decline in progress—not just in one indicator, but several. Cleantech investments, energy efficiency, green office space, packaging intensity, toxic emissions, and toxics in manufacturing — all of these trend lines leveled off or reversed course in 2011. Only one indicator — green power use — markedly improved."

According to the report the reason for this decline is what they term "a recessionary hangover." The postive reports that we did see in 2010 and 2011 were described as "lagging indicators based on work done with pre-recessionary budgets. As the economic realities have set in, environmental progress has stagnated, or worse."

Despite the bad news there is still some good news in the report: More companies are making more commitments related to their products or operations; there is a rise in sustainable consumption; there is a growing engagement from chief financial officers in companies' sustainability initiatives; and clean technology is flourishing even in the absence of political support.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Next: What can be Done to Manage the Sustainable Business Slowdown in 2012?

CSA Standards for Sustainable Events

In 2010, CSA Standards, a leading standards-based solutions organization, introduced standards for use by event organizers seeking to plan and execute sustainable events. A sustainable event entails incorporating considerations of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of hosting an event into all areas of event planning and management.

When organizing a sustainable event, the overarching goal for an organization is to maximize the value and experience of the event while striving to support a high quality of life, environmental health, and economic prosperity.

The principles of a sustainable event include: ethical behaviour, accountability, and transparency; engagement of the community and local stakeholders; positive benefits for the environment and society; accessible and inclusive setting; safe and secure atmosphere and facilities for spectators, participants, and workers; excellent customer/client experience; and a positive legacy.

“Implementing this standard will help to make an event more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable in an ethical and transparent manner,” says Bonnie Rose, President, CSA Standards. Where all applicable requirements specified in the standard are implemented, event organizers may use conformance to support public claims of greater sustainability.

The CSA Z2010-10 Requirements and guidance for organizers of sustainable events standard integrates the management and sustainability practices recommended by a number of sources into a practical application for a wide variety of cultural, business, and sporting events and festivals.

“Sustainable development is broad and means different things to different people. With Z2010, emphasis is placed on an integrated approach that addresses stakeholders’ interests, regulatory requirements as well as environmental, social and economic impacts and opportunities throughout the life-cycle of an event,” says Ann Duffy, Technical Committee Chair and former Corporate Sustainability Officer, VANOC. “By minimizing negative impacts on the environment, augmenting the positive benefits, and creating positive legacies for present and future generations, this standard will help event organizers plan and execute events.”

The Z2010 standard was built on the work of The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the VANOC Sustainability Management and Reporting System (SMRS) and the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology’s (AISTS) Sustainable Sport and Event Toolkit – a collaboration with VANOC.

The standard’s requirements and guidance for leadership, planning, operations, employee and supplier engagement, communications and reporting are particularly relevant for medium and large scale events – though it can be scaled for small event organizers, as well. Z2010 is consistent with international norms of behaviour. In this context, environmental concerns include the natural surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, and people, as well as their interrelationships. Social and economic concerns include labour practices, fair operating practices, consumer issues, and community involvement and development.

The Z2010-10 requirements and guidance for organizers of sustainable events (PDF) costs $79 (CAD) and is available at their website or by calling 800-463-6727.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Participate in the 2012 Green California Summit & Expo

The Green California Summit and Expo is the largest annual event focused on green policy, practice and technology. This event will take place on April 26th and 27th 2012 in Sacramento. For the second year in a row THE GREEN MARKET is proud to be an outreach sponsor for the sixth annual Green California Summit & Expo. Readers of The Green Market get a 20% discount by entering the promotional code GRMARKET.

As the world's eighth-largest economy California has unmatched potential. More than any other state, in California the economy and the environment go hand in hand. Despite challenges, California continues to set the pace for policy, practice and green economic opportunity. A green revolution is unfolding, and California has the public support, technology innovation and history of commitment to sustainability to remain at the leading edge of this revolution.

This event is attended by thousands of people and organizations associated with green and sustainable interests that includes everyone from government to the private sector. Specifically the event is attended by people like Commercial Real Estate Professionals, Building Managers, Facility Managers, Architects, Engineers, Transportation Specialists, Fleet Managers, Capital Outlay Managers, Procurement Managers, Purchasers, Recycling Professionals, Waste Management Professionals and Water Specialists.

The Summit will feature 150 companies offering green products and services, as well as keynote speakers, educational sessions, a special full-day green curriculum workshop, leadership awards, a Green Auto Mall and networking opportunities. If you are promoting a green product or service, the Green California Summit is the place to be.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Position your company as a leader in the largest green market in the country. To become a sponsor click here (PDF).

Showcase your Products and Services

Reach decision makers from state & local government, as well as commercial sector building owners, architects, engineers and others who work with state and local government.

Buyer/Vendor Lounge

One of our most popular, and unique, features is the Buyer/Vendor Lounge. At no extra charge, Summit exhibitors are eligible to participate in the Lounge, which allows them to schedule meetings with buyers who have expressed an interest in their product category.

Feedback from Participants

"The buyer/vendor lounge was a fantastic opportunity to connect with those individuals that are generally difficult to connect with. It allowed me access to state officials who were pleased to talk to me. I have followed up with them and and am excited about meeting with them in the future."

- Alex Smith, Suntrek Industries

"I do 15 trade shows each year and have yet to find a group that shows more dedication to a mission and to their sponsors."

- Susan Phillips, Product Marketing Representative, Firestone Building Products

To secure the location that you want sign up early and reserve your space so that you can guarantee the best possible booth selection.

More Information

For information call 626.577.5700 or visit their website here.

To register for the summit click here.

To see the floor plan click here (PDF)

To see the exhibitor application click here (PDF).

To advertise in the guide click here (PDF).

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: National Landscape Conservation System



This video narrated by actor and conservationist Edward Norton, reviews a land conservation system for the twenty-first century. See some of America's most prized landscapes known as the Conservation Lands. A new land ethic is focused on protecting some of the most beautiful American lands from development. A conservation system is dedicated to the sacred trust of stewardship of special places. The conservation mandate is to provide a safety net for wildlife seeking migration pathways and new habitat as climate change alters the landscape. Over 28 million acres are protected under this system which seeks to offer a positive legacy for future generations. This is the geography of hope.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: Reducing Emissions Through Forest Preservation with REDD



This video deals with the crucial role that forests play to reduce emissions and manage climage change. Specifically the video offers a simplified understanding of REDD which is an abbreviation for "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries." This video explains the workings of REDD, the key mechanism to reduce forest loss which significantly contributes to climate change.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Video: Carbon Credits Explained



This video offers a simplified explanation of carbon credits and carbon finance. First it reviews greenhouse gases or GHGs, then it uses the example of a coal plant in the developing world to demonstrate how credits are earned and traded.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Canadian Prime Minister Criticized Over Tar Sands Development at Davos

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper advocated for European investment and reiterated his support for oil expansion. Harper is concerned about the new European Fuel Quality Directive, which targets dirty sources of energy, like Alberta's tar sands.

According to a March 2011 document from the government's "pan-European oilsands advocacy strategy," released through access to information legislation, "Europe is not an important market for oilsands-derived products, [however] Europe legislation/regulation, such as the EU Fuel Quality Directive, has the potential to impact the industry globally,"

The document outlined the government's goals to "target" European politicians — "especially from the ruling and influential parties" — to lobby against climate-change policies that would require oilsands producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

At the meeting in Davos, the founder of the annual World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, called for delegates to undertake a "great transformation" that would challenge some of the basic tenets of capitalism.

Other business leaders including Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, have called for leaders to fuel growth and jobs in a way that is environmentally sustainable.

Harper was told that doing business is not just about making money but is also about bolstering Canadian society, said participant Monique Leroux, chief executive of Desjardins Group.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Sustainable Brands' Five Trends for 2012

Early in January Sustainable Brands published an article by Raphael Bemporad that addressed five trends that he believes will shape sustainable brands in 2012. Bemporad is the founding partner and Chief Strategy Officer of BBMG, he is a passionate champion for a new approach to brand innovation that creates shared value. An expert in brand strategy, CSR/cause marketing and public affairs, Bemporadl has launched national campaigns, drafted public policy, created consumer and nonprofit brands on aggressive timelines and budgets, and managed communications for local, state and federal elected officials. Here are his five trends for 2012:

1. The Ubiquity of C2C

In 2012, we will experience a fundamental paradigm shift from a business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplace to a consumer-to-business (C2B) and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace—where creating, buying, selling and sharing products and services will increasingly be driven by consumers themselves.

This is happening in the context of radical personalization, collaborative consumption and co-creativity, where brand purchases and experiences are dis-intermediated by traditional brands and retailers and unleashed via new technologies and platforms (from Good Guide to Etsy to Getaround) that firmly place more power in the hands of consumers.

Success now means rethinking sales channels toward more direct interaction and inviting consumers in to imagine, create and extend how our brands live in the world.

2. The Rise of Generation “Why?”

The rise of the C2C marketplace is driven in part by the influence of values-aspirational, practically minded New Consumers looking for brands that deliver total value: products that work well, cost less, last longer and do some good.

Youthful, educated, wired and mostly female, this New Consumer is asking “why” they should care about brands; and, if they can’t find what they’re looking for, “why not” just create the solutions themselves? New Consumers are more practical and more purposeful, and they’re not willing to wait.

And, with billions of these New Consumers entering the marketplace in developing economies, the key question will be whether brands can reach and delight them—beyond just more consumption—to inspire responsible purchases and deeper participation with health, happiness and sustainability in mind.

3. The Race to Relationship

Thanks to Groupon and its countless competitors, 2011’s year of the deal saw virtually every brand category join an unfortunate race to the lowest-price bottom that is destroying brand value, reducing consumers to commodities and undermining our shared, long-term success.

Sure, we dig deals and we always will. Yet by focusing so relentlessly on unsustainable price discounts, we undermine the very potential for our brands to do more and mean more for our customers.

Instead, we believe 2012 will see a race to relationship, where the most successful brands will break free of the lowest-price trap and deliver more value by empowering consumers with better products and experiences and championing their success. ­Patagonia’s disruptive Don’t Buy This Jacket campaign highlights this commitment to creating enduring products and relationships by promising to make “useful gear that lasts a long time” and inviting us to reduce, repair, reuse, recycle and reimagine how and what we consume together.

As one of our favorite clients says, “We don’t want a one-night-stand with our customers. We want long-term love affairs.”

4. The Imperative of Sustainable Brand Innovation

Whether it’s reducing resource risks in supply chains, driving efficiencies into workflows or reaping the rewards of increased transparency and corporate reputation, we believe sustainable brand innovation offers unmatched opportunity for exponential value creation for business, consumers, society and our planet.

In 2012, sustainable brands large and small will increasingly connect consumers, brand teams, suppliers and subject-matter experts in the innovation process to embed sustainability and social purpose into every business strategy, product design and stakeholder relationship.

Creating better brands, products, packaging and platforms, the highest performing companies will integrate practical, environmental and tribal benefits in every new offering—therefore becoming agents of change at a faster speed and larger scale than ever before.

Figure 4. The Neutrogena Naturals brand embraces innovation through partnerships with the Linus Paling Institute, technology scouts and experts in various health and science fields.

5: The Evolution from Occupy to Engage

If the most emblematic word of 2011 was “occupy,” we believe the word of 2012 will be “engage.”

With an existential howl against the status quo, the global Occupy movement represents a deep yearning for a new way of doing business that replaces short-term, transactional, profit-only thinking with a more responsible, transparent and equitable economy that creates more value for more people in more ways.

In 2012, there is good reason to believe that sustainable brands can lead the way.

In states from California to Maryland to New York, B Corporations are engaging policymakers to pass legislation that recognizes (and incentivizes) corporate accountability to all stakeholders: investors, consumers, employees, community members and the environment.

The Harvard Business Review hails the benefits of “The Good Company” that combines financial and social logic into its operations by engaging employees, partners and community institutions in building enduring value and success.

Meanwhile, pioneering brands from Levi’s to Coca Cola to Nike are engaging consumers so they spend less, enjoy more and take action on issues that improve our shared future—from protecting safe drinking water to preserving endangered habitats to creating more opportunities for the producers of their products around the world.

As we enter a new year and look around the corner, we believe the most successful brands will meet the needs, hopes and aspirations of New Consumers; build more respectful, collaborative and enduring relationships with all stakeholders; and unleash our collective co-creativity to bring better, smarter and more impactful ideas to life in ways that create shared value for all.

For the original article click here.

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Top Business Sustainability Trends for 2012

venn diagram for economy, sustainabilitty and trends
In 2012 it is becoming increasingly clear that sustainability adds value and helps to make an organization more competitive. Sustainability is moving beyond public relations and becoming a matter of survival. More organizations are engaging robust risk management and environmentally conscious operations. Here is a list of sustainability trends that will gain even greater prominence in 2012.

 

More Green Collaboration

Although collaboration was big in 2011, driven by economic pressures and the need for innovation, it will get even bigger in 2012. Businesses will combine their resources and research expertise to achieve more than they could on their own.

Private Sector Working with NGOs

The private sector will increase their work with public NGOs with the aim of pooling their expertise and delivering greater public good.

Greening Supply Chains

For the last couple of years companies have been looking to reduce their impacts by putting pressure on suppliers throughout their supply chain. These green supply chain initiatives will be increasingly rigorous. In 2012 this movement will achieve unprecedented heights.

Shareholder Pressure

Almost half of shareholder resolutions will be sustainability-related in 2012. This shareholder pressure is forcing companies to get serious about their sustainability efforts.

Green Employee Engagement

Companies are understanding that employees are an effective way to achieve environmental and social goals, as well as to improve recruitment, retention, and the bottom line.

Engaging Social Media 

Stakeholder engagement as it relates to employees, customers, and activists are increasingly important elements of the social media revolution. Whether delivering a green message, mobilizing support to advance an environmental initiative or brand monitoring, social media is key.

Emerging markets

Businesses are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of emerging markets. Businesses will get more involved in mitigating these impacts through technology and innovation.

Business and Biodiversity 

Businesses will increasingly embrace initiatives that acknowledge and support the importance of biodiversity.

The Growing Prominence of Water 

Businesses will increasingly address the importance of water as a key sustainability issue. This will include access to water, water management, water in the supply chain.

Transparency and Reporting 

Transparency is the cornerstone of the new business reality and disclosure through reporting is how this is achieved. More and more businesses are becoming transparent with integrated reporting of financial and sustainability reports. A growth in the number of organizations reporting as noted by the Carbon Disclosure Project is an illustration of this trend.

Data Management Software

 To help companies with the flood of information they will increasingly use sophisticated software as a key component of their sustainability strategy.

Expanded Role of Boards

To help with oversight and compliance with sustainability mandates, boards will become an increasingly common fixture in 2012.

Virtual Meetings 

As organizations increasingly monitor their footprints they are realizing that travel, particularly air travel, comes with a large footprint. To make this footprint smaller, a growing number of physical meetings will be replaced with virtual meetings. Anywhere there is an Internet connection co-collaborators can have access to your screen and vise versa. Here are some examples of virtual meeting platforms: webex, GoToMeeting, Join.me, Elluminate and TokBox.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Clean Energy Excerpts of President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Speech

Members of the US House and Senate, along with hundreds of distinguished guests, convened at the Capitol on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 9 p.m. for President Obama's third State of the Union Address. According to article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the US Constitution, the President must “give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” Here are excerpts of the President's speech related to the environment, the green economy and clean energy:

“The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there's no reason why Congress shouldn't at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation.”

“So far, you [Congress] haven't acted. Well tonight, I will. I'm directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes. And I'm proud to announce that the Department of Defense, the world's largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history - with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.”

“In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world's leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it”.

“Some technologies don't pan out; some companies fail. But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.”

“We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That's long enough. It's time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs. We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives.”

“I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago.”

The President also dealt with the issue of energy efficiency, talking specifically about an energy grid that “wastes too much energy,” and he encouraged greener building for businesses.

“Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here's another proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs.”

The President indicating that he is committed to reducing mercury pollution and making sure that “our food is safe and water is clean.”

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Will 2012 be the Best Year Ever For Clean-Tech Investment?

Global investment in clean technology is expected to set a record in 2012 beating the record of $260 billion set in 2011. “Despite some of the well-publicized headwinds, venture capitalists continue to invest in clean-tech,” said Sheeraz Haji, chief executive officer of Cleantech Group, “Based on our historical data, we believe 2012 will be an all-time record year for global clean-tech investments.”

Figures, from Cleantech Group the show that mergers and acquisitions in this sector hit record highs in 2011, with 391 deals worth a total of $41.2 billion.

A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance revealed this month that investment in solar energy grew by more than a third. Reuters reports that solar energy investment grew to $136.6 billion, partly due to a dramatic fall in the cost of photovoltaic panels.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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US Regains Lead from China as Clean Energy Leader

It may be the Chinese new year, but according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, in 2011 the US regained its place as the world’s number one investor in clean energy. According to this data the US has reclaimed the top spot from China which had been the leading country since 2008.

Bloomberg’s figures showed that total new global investment in clean energy increased 5 percent to $260 billion in 2011. A surge in solar technology investment – up 36 per cent from 2010 to $136.6 billion – drove the growth. Money spent on solar power was almost twice the $74.9 billion spent on wind power in 2011.

In 2011, U.S. total investment in clean energy surged to $55.9 billion, up 33 percent from 2010; China saw investment rise just 1 percent to $47.4 billion over the same time period.

Bloomberg attributes much of the increase in US investment to support from the US government. This includes initiatives such as the federal loan guarantee program, Treasury grant program and the Production Tax Credit.

The Treasury grant program expired at the end of 2011 and the remaining support measure for renewable energy, the Production Tax Credit, is scheduled to expire at the end of 2012. Bloomberg suggests we may see a rush to take advantage of the Production Tax Credit before it expires in 2012,

In 2013, if the credit is not extended, we may see a slump in US investment in clean energy. Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has warned that 1,600 U.S. jobs are at risk if clean energy tax credits are not extended beyond this year.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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China is Leading in terms of Renewable Energy Attractiveness

China is Leading in terms of Renewable Energy Attractiveness

According to Ernst & Young’s Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index, China is the best place in the world for renewable energy investment. In 2011 the Chinese government announced that it will hold tenders for 2GW of projects to reach its target of 5GW of offshore power by 2015. But Ernst & Young has indicated that the country will need to invest in its grid reliability and transmission access for onshore wind projects in remote locations.

The US is following closely behind China in terms of the attractiveness index. President Obama and the Democratic party continue to push for a clean energy standard while the Republicans are resisting both renewable energy development and the very notion of climate change.

To read the complete Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Top CSR Initiatives for 2012

Many organizations that practice corporate social responsibility (CSR) are expanding their reach in 2012. Corporations are increasingly seeing the value of environmental sustainability. In addition to making more environmentally responsible decisions in 2012, organizations are realizing the value of working with others to achieve their goals and fulfill their CSR potential. Here are some CSR initiatives for 2012.

Become more sustainable: Review your organization and then develop a strategy to do things like become more energy efficient, generate less waste, increase recycling rates, engage employee behavior and support environmental efforts outside of the workplace.

Support Environmental Events: Be part of environmental initiatives by celebrating events that take place throughout the year. Raise consciousness by incorporating these efforts into your marketing and throughout your organization. You can even start your own environmental oriented initiatives which you can in turn share with everyone in your value chain.

Engagement and Alignment: Engage your employees, consumers and other stakeholders by asking them what they want to see from your program objectives. Align your objectives with the results of your engagement efforts and build loyalty by inculcating these values.

Grassroots Involvement: Get the general public involved with your efforts. Ask for their views and develop local programs that respond to their concerns.

Transparency: In an attempt to proactively engage the perception of inappropriate conduct, open your organization up to public scrutiny and review.

Be a Catalyst for Prosocial Change: Find a problematic issue and develop a strategy to help improve the situation. Educate people and encourage them to contribute.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Top Green Stock Picks for 2012

The stock market has not performed well in 2011 and green stocks are no exception. If the US can maintain its current trajectory and Europe can avoid slipping into recession, 2012 may prove to be a better year for the alternative energy and cleantech sector. The overall environment was not the only drag on stocks in 2011, the Chinese flooded the market with cheap solar panels, bringing the price down and taking some solar companies with it.

Canaccord Genuity has its “Best Ideas” list for the CleanTech sector in 2012 and they are focused on companies which are adopting trends for technologies that optimize energy creation and consumption.

Some of their top picks for 2012 include Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) and Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI). Another one of their top picks is a Canadian company by the name of RuggedCom.

Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) was maintained as Buy: “…we remain decidedly contrarian as shares continue to trough, yet the multi-year Smart Grid product cycle continues to unfold through mid-decade. We favor the company’s strong market share and FCF generation capabilities (10%+ FCF yield), ongoing restructuring efforts, share buyback and active M&A program against current investor concerns about ’12 & ’13 EPS power and European exposure. We find recently reinstalled CEO LeRoy Nosbaum acting with an appropriate degree of urgency to catalyze value creation at the current share price.”

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) was maintained as Buy: “We believe that LEDs will help accelerate Acuity’s traditional sales over time while growing to become accretive to the business model. As such, we see the potential for $3.50 to $4.00 in earnings power per share in 2013/2014 as the secular trend starts to manifest. We remain aggressive buyers on pullbacks from the fits and starts in the non-residential construction markets, and we view 2012 as the right time to build a meaningful position in the shares.”

RuggedCom is a Canadian company which trades as “RCM” in Toronto and Canaccord Genuity noted, “We find management execution impressive, as RuggedCom continues to generate above-market growth with industry-leading profitability. The core industrial switch/router business continues on its growth trajectory, while the achievement of profitability within the wireless business is a notable milestone… we find risk/reward attractive here.”

For more information go to the Canaccord Genuity site.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Course on Life Cycle Assessment of Products, Processes & Services

A course is now being offered on the life cycle approach. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is being used by businesses and governments to improve the sustainability of products, processes and services. Businesses like 3M, Alcan, HP, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and others are using LCA to reduce product costs, increase market share and mitigate climate and energy risk. It is also embedded within the Sustainable Manufacturing Indicator Repository (SMIR).

To help businesses understand LCA, a course is being offered which is appropriately titled, "Life Cycle Assessment of Products, Processes & Services." The course is offered in partnership with the internationally renowned group CIRAIG, the Interuniversity Research Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services.

This program is geared to learn LCA concepts, inventory, impact assessment, data quality management, post impact calculations, modeling, software, statistics and the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. It will also help participants acquire knowledge applicable to the American Centre for Life Cycle Assessment Certification Exam.

LOCATION: Humber College North, Toronto
DATE: March 28, 2012
TIME: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Cost
$ 1400 until Feb. 28, 2011
$ 1650 after Feb. 28, 2011
$ 350 student rate

For more information or to register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Green Team GAP ASSESSMENT Workshop

This four hour workshop is designed to help green teams audit their energy, waste, water, transportation and health. The goal is to understand their "gap" and develop a plan to "green up" their facility.

Course Content

Course content includes a discussion of best practices for employee engagement for sustainability. The course includes a Green Action Plan. Learn about technologies that can save your company money while reducing your environmental footprint.

Greening your office is a triple bottom line initiative – it saves money, creates a healthier and more productive work environment and is good for the planet. Even better, the financial payback can be significant. Studies show that a Green Team can reduce operating costs of an average office building with 50,000 square feet of office space, by as much as $ 40,000 per year through no-cost and low-cost energy, waste and water reduction actions.

Learning Objectives and Modules

Using examples, case studies, best practices, hands-on activities and participation through the on-line Community of Practice and "Peer to Peer" dialogue, you will:

• Explore strategies for understanding your office energy, water and waste baseline.
• Complete a Green Action Plan checklist and examine energy, water, waste, transportation and healthy office opportunities within your facility.
• Create an individual company "green office" sustainability policy
• Examine best practices for implementation of "green office" programs.
• Understand low cost technologies for "greening" your office.
• Explore resources such as paper calculators for measuring, monitoring and celebrating your "green office" accomplishments.
• Receive resources on steps to negotiating a "green lease" with your landlord, templates and checklists.
• Gain tips and best practices through our On-Line "Green Office" Community of Practice.

Course Details

Course Code: SC 128
Duration: 1 hour per week for four weeks (February 2, 8, 16, & 23 2012)
Cost: $424 early registration 525 for late registration (one price applies for your entire team)
Start and end times: 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
Location: Online

For more information or to register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: GE Creating Jobs with Fuel Efficient Airplanes



GE has launched a new ad campaign that shows American innovation at work and the company’s commitment to providing Americans jobs by building quieter and more fuel-efficient airplanes.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: Walmart's Sustainability Efforts



Walmart's sustainability efforts are making a positive impact on a global scale. These efforts are evident from the products they sell to the packaging, to the way those products are used by their customers. Sustainability is inextricably embedded within their overall business strategy and carbon reduction is a key element of their sustainability program.

Walmart's goals are to: Be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy; Create zero waste; and Sell products that sustain people and the environment. They have driven specific strategies that will reduce risks and increase opportunities associated with carbon for their company, their supply chain, and their customers. Their GHG reduction targets were set in order to increase their efficiency, lower their costs, save their customers money, and provide for positive social and environmental impacts. Their scope ensures significance.

By focusing on emissions reduction since 2005, they have achieved an annual savings rate in excess of $150 million compared to that base year by increasing their efficiency in the use of electricity, natural gas, refrigerant and transportation fuels. By reducing their energy consumption now, they are better positioned for further savings should any proposed carbon legislation be enacted into law. Similarly, just as they found efficiencies within their own footprint, they realized the opportunity to help their supply chain find these same, or even greater, efficiencies that will lead to additional financial and environmental benefits.

Walmart has announced an aggressive goal to eliminate twenty million metric tons of GHGs from their global supply chain by the end of 2015. This represents one and a half times their anticipated cumulative carbon footprint growth over the next five years. That amount of carbon decrease, if all achieved from electricity use reduction in the U.S., would have an associated annual cost reduction in excess of $2.5 billion. There are many opportunities to reduce throughout the product life cycle from the sourcing of the raw materials, to the manufacturing of a product, to its transportation, and to how customers use it, dispose of it and recycle it.

On public policy engagement, Walmart is working with industry groups, NGO's, consultants, and members of Congress and their staffs in order to foster better communication and understanding on the issues, challenges, and potential impacts to their business and customers. These understandings allow them to continuously re-evaluate their progress and impacts and to refocus or redirect their efforts when needed.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: Aveda's Ongoing Culture of Sustainability



Dominique Nils Conseil became president of Aveda in 2000, taking over from Horst Rechelbacher. He has maintained the company mission which was focused on safe and environmentally friendly products. Aveda's emphasis on planet friendly approach to business has helped make the company one of the world's leading hair and skin care manufacturers. Even after the company was acquired by Estée Lauder, this mission remains the driving force at Aveda.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Video: Creating a Culture of Sustainability



The way to achieve corporate sustainability is by creating the culture from the ground up. Leading sustainability expert and author of Capitalism at the Crossroads, Stuart L. Hart, believes that when sustainability is viewed from the appropriate set of business lenses, leaders can create a culture to align their organization's strategies and people to improve performance and shareholder value. In this video you can learn more about Hart's sustainability framework that helps leaders and organizations harmonize their concerns for the planet with their strategies for growth, innovation and profitability.

Stuart L. Hart is the Samuel C. Johnson Chair in Sustainable Global Enterprise and Professor of Management at Cornell University's Johnson School of Management. He is also Founder and President of Enterprise for a Sustainable World. Professor Hart is one of the world's top authorities on the implications of environment and poverty for business strategy. He has published more than 70 papers and authored or edited seven books with over 5,000 Google Scholar citations in all. His article "Beyond Greening: Strategies for a Sustainable World" won the McKinsey Award for Best Article in the Harvard Business Review for 1997 and helped launch the movement for corporate sustainability. With C.K. Prahalad, Hart also wrote the pathbreaking 2002 article "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid," which provided the first articulation of how business could profitably serve the needs of the four billion poor in the developing world. His best-selling book, Capitalism at the Crossroads, published in 2005 was selected by Cambridge University as one of the top 50 books on sustainability of all-time; the third edition of the book was published in 2010.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Best Places for Green Jobs in the US

The number of green jobs is proliferating around the world, but some places are better than others. In countries like the US, China, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore the recycling industry is experiencing significant growth to address their waste management issues. In the US, California, Florida, Michigan and Ohio are hotbeds of activity in energy efficiency.

Here is a list of some of the best US locations for green jobs from research compiled by the Examiner.

Washington

As a technology hub, Seattle is known for innovations including many new cleantech companies like waste management, energy efficiency technologies and smart-grid technologies.

Seattle has a large transportation industry, this is an advantage as many cleantech applications are used in the transportation industries – examples include those used for aviation industries and vehicle recharging facilities.

The city is also known to have a large environmentally conscious customers base, and this is helping environmentally oriented consumer products.

In addition, Seattle is a base of many technology and cleantech venture capital firms – it has a close community connecting between companies and venture capital investors.

Related Industries: Waste Management, Transportation, And Energy Efficient Technology

Texas

Renewable energy is a big industry across Texas. Large energy companies such as Esso, Chevron and other oil & gas companies invest heavily in renewable energy industries. The oil & gas companies are actually some of the major investors in the renewable energy sectors as they wish to maintain their market share in the energy industry.

Houston is the headquarters of many oil & gas companies. Many energy efficient technologies have also set up their operations in Houston to service their major customers. Other opportunities include the growing number of engineering services firms in Texas that provide services to infrastructure projects in that state.

Industries: Petrochemical engineering, environmental engineering, civil engineers, renewable energy R&D and energy financing

Southern California

Southern California is becoming the Cleantech Corridor of the United States. Southern California has several advantages including a favorable climate for solar energy, access to technical professionals and an environmentally aware population.

San Diego is one city that is becoming a popular base for cleantech companies, including solar companies, environmental engineering services and energy efficiency technology companies.

Northern California

The opportunities in the Northern California are different from those in the Southern California. Silicon Valley and San Francisco are major investment hubs for cleantech industries.

A number of large companies have chosen Northern California for their corporate headquarter. New electric vehicle Tesla motors is headquartered in Palo Alto, as well as hundreds of solar energy, wind energy and environmental engineering firms.

Northern California also has an environmentally conscious population ideal for organic products, green consumer goods, green energy providers and marketing firms that work on behalf of green industries.

Industries: Cleantech, Environmental Engineering Services, Green Marketing, Green Education, Solar, Consumer Goods, Venture Capital and Private Equity.

Michigan

Michigan promotes itself as the ideal destination for cleantech companies, particularly those relating to the automotive industries.

In cities like Troy and others in northern Michigan, factories have been transformed to manufacture greentech products such as batteries for electrical vehicles, recharging facilities and new types of engines.

It has also attracted various engineering firms including some major European engineering firms.

Related Industries: Automotive industries, car batteries, engineering services and automotive engineering designs.

New York

While New York is not a preferred location for the manufacturing industry, it is the global headquarters for a very large number of green related industries. This makes sense given the fact that the NYSE and Nasdaq are both headquartered in the New York City, along with many corporate headquarters.

It is the financial capital of the green economy. New York has a high concentration of financial services companies including Cleantech Venture Capital, Private Equity Firms, Energy Venture Capital, Mutual Funds, and Social Responsible Investment Funds.

To serve these financial services firms a number of support industries have settled in New York. This includes companies associated with investor relations, public relations and media companies.

Related Industries: Corporate Financing, Corporate Advisory Firms, Mutual Funds, Venture Capital, Investor Relations and Public Relations.

To see the original article in the Examiner click here.

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Top 10 "Shovel Ready" Green Jobs

Green jobs are growing rapidly around the world. Sectors involved with employment that is better for the environment are amongst the very few that are showing positive signs of growth in 2012 and beyond. According to Examiner.com, here are the sectors that are most likely to create jobs.

1. Energy Efficiency Technologies

Energy efficiency has been steadily growing and this is particularly true in the last couple of years. These "shovel ready jobs." have raised significant investment capital last 2 years. Energy efficiency (technologies, process and applications) is very popular because these applications can be applied immediately to existing infrastructure, and able to generate than reinventing a new technology.

2. Recycling technologies

New recycling technologies and increasing outsourcing are trends that are being adopted by governments worldwide. There have been quite a number of companies successfully developing new technologies for recycling. These include companies that convert solid waste into energy, packaging or building materials.

Professionals can look for companies providing recycling services or companies that have invented new recycling technologies. Many new jobs are also being created by environmental engineering companies, some of which have expanded into waste management services.

3. Green Building Materials

The green building sector is a very important industry that is experiencing massive growth. Green building innovations like green cement is replacing traditional cement which is very environmentally destructive.

Private equity firms in Europe, Middle East and China are investing in building materials that require less water. They have made investments which address issues related to the scarcity of water in these regions.

For job seekers or recruiters, look for major building materials suppliers.

4. Water Resources Conservation

Countries like United States, Canada, Australia and Israel are particularly active in investing in water resources conservation and management technologies.

These include diagnosis, water treatment and irrigation systems. In Asia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan are prioritizing water management technologies. Singapore has achieved remarkable success in this field due to significant investments from governments and the private sector.

In North America, many companies have developed new membrane technologies to improve water conservation. New consulting firms have also been established to provide testing and remediation for water resources.

5. Home Products

Home products are a growth sector because they are easily replaced. In addition, a lot of these products benefit from government rebates. This creates new opportunities for manufacturers and retailers. Investors are also involved with low water toilets, solar panels, efficient windows and efficient heating and cooling units.

Consumers are changing their buying behavior and this is providing job opportunities. Consider window manufacturers, lighting companies, or companies that manufacture efficient heating and cooling systems.

6. Geothermal Energy Companies

Geothermal is a proven and safe renewable source of energy. It is already a widely adopted energy option in the US, Canada, Iceland and New Zealand, South America and Northern Europe.

Professionals can seek potential opportunities with mining and energy companies, or with investment firms that invest in alternative energies.

7. Solar & wind energy

A number of investments made last quarter were relating to energy storage technologies specifically designed to boost efficiency for solar and wind energy infrastructure. These technologies can enhance solar and wind energy generation and storage as part of the energy efficiency improvement.

Solar and wind energy companies became focus points in 2nd half of 2011, mainly due to the nuclear power issue in Japan. Decisions were made by several European governments to cancel or delay their nuclear power plans and focus more on solar and wind energy.

Interesting job opportunities may exist with solar companies, wind energy companies, utilities companies and companies that provide energy storage solutions and technologies to solar and wind energy.

8. Cleantech Marketing Companies

Cleantech and green industries are not just restricted to the technology and energy sectors. As we have seen recently, a number of social media websites were launched dedicated to green industries.

Some of these websites and marketing companies have been expanding at very rapid rate. For instance, there are cleantech specialized public relations companies, they create campaigns for cleantech and green companies, or to reach the LOHAs communities, which are often more affluent communities with higher disposable incomes.

There has also been significant growth in green media companies such as cleantech news sites, cleantech investment websites or business matching sites.

Green media will offer interesting opportunities for those with media or journalism experience.

9. Household Green Services

There are many jobs available with ompanies that help residential homes to become more energy efficient like those involved with efficiency retrofits.

Jobs in this field are available through plumbing companies, insulation specialists, electricity contractors and residential solar or wind energy specialists.

10. Green Investment Firms

Green financing is another area that has seen a substantial growth. For example, green private equity firms back some Green ETFs. Socially Responsible Investments were popular in 2006 and 2007 and will likely continue.

When looking for jobs you can consider green venture capital firms, or green mutual funds as well as investor relations firms that specializes in helping cleantech or energy companies to reach investors.

Good examples include Google and Intel Capital or Virgin Group, all of which have cleantech venture capital firms even though their core businesses are not related to the cleantech.

For the original article go to Examiner.com

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Major Trends in Green Building for 2012

Claire Easley the senior editor at Builder recently published an article about Jerry Yudelson impressions for the green building industry in 2012. Yudelson has more than 25 years of work in sustainability, he has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council’s board of directors, a LEED national faculty member, and is the co-founder and director of the Green Building Service consulting unit at Portland General Electric. Last year, Wired magazine dubbed him "the godfather of green."

So what does the industry insider have to say about where things are going? "The construction industry is going to have modest growth this year," Yudelson said Tuesday January 17th in a webinar on GreenExpo365. "It seems that most people have figured out that the sky isn’t going to fall in and they are going to get back to doing business … but with an emphasis on what I call ‘frugal green.’ In the past there was a feeling that you could spend money to add green features. I think today the real challenge for construction and design professionals is ‘How do I do this on the same budget?’ and I think that’s the core trend."

As stated by Yudelson, the emphasis on frugality is actually a market driver for green building. "You make money if you go green. If you don’t go green, you’re at a marketplace disadvantage."

Yudelson also shared a list of 10 green trends in green building for 2012, five trends for the US and five trends that are global:

U.S. Trends

1. Green Building Growth to Rebound

LEED project growth was slow in 2011, only gaining 3% for the year. But while LEED certification on new projects may take longer to gain much steam, the program’s retrofitting arm, LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM), is quickly gaining traction. EBOM project registrations were up 18% last year, and the EBOM project area exceeded the cumulative LEED-NC (New Construction) area for the first time, with 675 million square feet of EBOM versus 649 million square feet of NC. "That trend will continue this year," Yudelson says, as more property owners realize that retrofitting to LEED standards is fairly painless when starting with a building that is already Energy Star–rated.

2. Federal Momentum Has Slowed

The Department of Defense recently stipulated that projects can’t spend any extra money on energy program certification, and while "that’s not necessarily a killer," Yudelson says, "it is an indication that there is some backlash for spending extra money on anything." Getting federal funding for green projects will be harder going forward, he says, especially given the recent Solandra scandal and the federal budget crunch. But while state and local governments aren’t faring much better, that’s where the action will be, he says, as existing buildings will need to be upgraded, projects in the pipeline will move forward, and schools—which are funded by bonds—will need to be built.

3. LEED-EBOM Will Gain Momentum

"We’re going to see this move to other sectors," he says, particularly among hotels with strong convention and meeting businesses who want to be able to market their eco-friendliness. Grocery stores, hospitals, and retail centers are moving in the same direction, with features such as solar panels on top of Walmarts or department stores. "Last month, President Obama and former President Clinton announced the Better Buildings Initiative. It’s only $4 billion, so it’s not huge. But still, this is stuff that moves markets. When you have two presidents pushing something, it does get people’s attention. More and more building owners are realizing that they don’t want to be late to the party."

4. Water Issues Grow in Importance

"Even the water-wet areas have water problems brought on by infrastructure problems and population growth," Yudelson says. "Florida doesn’t have a place for a reservoir in the entire state, so even if you have a slight drought, you have big problems." He predicts rainwater capture systems as well as graywater and blackwater on-site treatment capabilities will become more pervasive. "Instead of toilet to tap, we’re going toilet to toilet."

5. Zero-Net-Energy to Gain Traction

"Zero-net-energy needs to be in your future," Yudelson says, adding that it works best on two- to four-story buildings that only use between 30 and 35 kBTU per square foot per year. "If you do a good job with integrated design, you can reach that [30 to 35 kBTU] goal," he says, adding that getting to net-zero should only add between 3% and 5% to building costs.

Global Trends

6. Green Building Movement Will Continue to Grow

There are currently more than 90 national Green Building Councils throughout the world, and LEED projects have been registered in 161 countries, Yudelson says. Last year, 44% of total LEED registrations were outside the U.S. "This is a movement that you have to pay attention to," he says, adding that the "Big Three" energy rating systems—LEED, BREEAM, and Green Star—are already converging toward common carbon metrics and common rating concerns.

7. Performance Disclosure

Already popular in the European Union and Australia, requirements for buildings to disclose their energy use are gaining traction in the U.S. Beginning April 1 of this year, Seattle will require buildings of more than 10,000 square feet to disclose energy usage, and California will begin requiring disclosures starting next year, which Yudelson says will have a market impact, since prospective tenants will be able to compare what their energy costs will be between buildings. "This is going to happen everywhere, particularly in big cities, because it’s the easiest move to take politically. It doesn’t say you have to retrofit the building. It just says you have to disclose."

8. Global Carbon Ratings

Carbon ratings that remain standard across countries are of particular interest to global property management companies. "If your company is committed to sustainability, you’re going to have to report this," he says. It’s also an issue for property investments tied to pension funds. "Anyone that has sustainable interests and wants access to capital will have to deal with this," he says.

9. Solar Power Stalls

"Solar power is kind of slowing down," mostly due to the costs involved, Yudelson says, adding that focus is shifting instead to energy efficiency. "Solar is still happening. Lots of people like solar … because it’s visible and people want to see something for their money." However, for those building new construction today, he suggests that the most responsible move would be to make it "PV ready," so that as solar becomes more cost effective, it will be cheap and easy to install.

10. Building Management Goes Into the Cloud

As buildings get more complex, Yudelson says, "we’re seeing the need for software that allows us to manage buildings out of the cloud." Thanks to wireless sensors and controls, it’s getting increasingly easier to better direct building managers and maintenance people to locate and fix problems, and to do so remotely.

For the original article go to Builder.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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