Bacardi USA opens new LEED headquarters – South Florida Business Journal:
Bacardi USA opens new headquarters – South Florida Business Journal:.
Did you know that Miami-Dade County has a Green Buildings Expedite Process?
In an effort to promote environmentally sensitive design and construction, the Miami-Dade County Commissioners passed an ordinance in June 2005 to expedite the permitting process for “green” buildings certified by a recognized environmental rating agency.* Commercial, industrial, and residential projects are all eligible as long as they are located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County and the City of West Miami. Additionally, solar water heating and solar photovoltaic projects are included in the “fast track” for permitting review. See the Miami-Dade County Building Department website for additional information.
*Recognized environmental rating agencies include Florida Green Building Coalition, the National Home Builder Association and the U.S. Green Building Council.
FPL Rebates and Incentives for Business & Energy Rebates for Business
When you save on your energy bills, you have more to invest in your business. That’s why so many companies take advantage of FPL incentives and programs that help them enjoy energy-efficient improvements and long-term savings.
The following FPL incentives and programs will help you reduce the cost of doing business through smart energy management.
| Program | Description |
| Business Energy Evaluation | A free, comprehensive review of your existing or planned facility’s energy use can help you save thousands of dollars … and make sure you take full advantage of FPL incentive programs. |
| Energy-Efficient Cooling and Heating | FPL will help you pay for high-efficiency direct-expansion (DX) split/packaged air conditioning and heat pumps, energy recovery ventilation, demand control ventilation, chillers and thermal energy storage systems. |
| Water Heating | FPL helps pay to install a heat recovery unit or heat pump water heater. You’ll benefit by lowering your hot water costs by 50 percent or more and reducing your air conditioning costs. |
| Refrigeration | Save energy and lower operational costs when you install controls and special equipment to reduce or eliminate the need for electric strip heaters on refrigerated display cases and freezer doors. |
| Lighting | Save energy and money on efficient lighting without sacrificing quality or output. |
| Building Envelope Improvements | FPL helps pay for roof and ceiling insulation, and reflective roof measures that keep the heat out. |
| Commercial/Industrial Demand Reduction |
Save thousands of dollars a year by allowing FPL to reduce your electrical load by a predetermined amount, with a minimum of 200 kW. |
| Business Custom Incentive | If your energy-saving innovation trims at least 25 kilowatts from FPL’s summer peak, give us a call. You may be eligible for an FPL incentive. |
| Business OnCall | Get guaranteed savings on your electric bill when you enroll in FPL’s Business On Call® program. Find out if your business qualifies for this program. |
Note: These programs are subject to modification or cancellation at any time without notice. Final eligibility requirements are specified in the program standards.
Start saving today
For more information about FPL’s energy-saving services:
- Call the Business Care Center at 1-800-FPL-5566 (1-800-375-5566) or
- Contact your customer manager
Copenhagen Summit Remarks from President Barack Obama
The White House released the prepared remarks of President Barack Obama’s address at COP15. The speech was delivered two hours late, after last-minute negotiations with nearly 20 world leaders. Obama included a few telling ad-libs such as stating that the pieces of an accord “should now be” instead of “are” clear, according to Copenhagen Climate Council.
Remarks of President Barack Obama-As Prepared for Delivery
Copenhagen Summit
Copenhagen, Denmark
December 18, 2009
Good morning. It’s an honor to for me to join this distinguished group of leaders from nations around the world. We come together here in Copenhagen because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. You would not be here unless you – like me – were convinced that this danger is real. This is not fiction, this is science. Unchecked, climate change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our economies, and our planet. That much we know.
So the question before us is no longer the nature of the challenge – the question is our capacity to meet it. For while the reality of climate change is not in doubt, our ability to take collective action hangs in the balance.
I believe that we can act boldly, and decisively, in the face of this common threat. And that is why I have come here today.
As the world’s largest economy and the world’s second largest emitter, America bears our share of responsibility in addressing climate change, and we intend to meet that responsibility. That is why we have renewed our leadership within international climate negotiations, and worked with other nations to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. And that is why we have taken bold action at home – by making historic investments in renewable energy; by putting our people to work increasing efficiency in our homes and buildings; and by pursuing comprehensive legislation to transform to a clean energy economy.
These actions are ambitious, and we are taking them not simply to meet our global responsibilities. We are convinced that changing the way that we produce and use energy is essential to America’s economic future – that it will create millions of new jobs, power new industry, keep us competitive, and spark new innovation. And we are convinced that changing the way we use energy is essential to America’s national security, because it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and help us deal with some of the dangers posed by climate change.
So America is going to continue on this course of action no matter what happens in Copenhagen. But we will all be stronger and safer and more secure if we act together. That is why it is in our mutual interest to achieve a global accord in which we agree to take certain steps, and to hold each other accountable for our commitments.
After months of talk, and two weeks of negotiations, I believe that the pieces of that accord are now clear.
First, all major economies must put forward decisive national actions that will reduce their emissions, and begin to turn the corner on climate change. I’m pleased that many of us have already done so, and I’m confident that America will fulfill the commitments that we have made: cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020, and by more than 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.
Second, we must have a mechanism to review whether we are keeping our commitments, and to exchange this information in a transparent manner. These measures need not be intrusive, or infringe upon sovereignty. They must, however, ensure that an accord is credible, and that we are living up to our obligations. For without such accountability, any agreement would be empty words on a page.
Third, we must have financing that helps developing countries adapt, particularly the least-developed and most vulnerable to climate change. America will be a part of fast-start funding that will ramp up to $10 billion in 2012. And, yesterday, Secretary Clinton made it clear that we will engage in a global effort to mobilize $100 billion in financing by 2020, if – and only if – it is part of the broader accord that I have just described.
Mitigation. Transparency. And financing. It is a clear formula – one that embraces the principle of common but differentiated responses and respective capabilities. And it adds up to a significant accord – one that takes us farther than we have ever gone before as an international community.
The question is whether we will move forward together, or split apart. This is not a perfect agreement, and no country would get everything that it wants. There are those developing countries that want aid with no strings attached, and who think that the most advanced nations should pay a higher price. And there are those advanced nations who think that developing countries cannot absorb this assistance, or that the world’s fastest-growing emitters should bear a greater share of the burden.
We know the fault lines because we’ve been imprisoned by them for years. But here is the bottom line: we can embrace this accord, take a substantial step forward, and continue to refine it and build upon its foundation. We can do that, and everyone who is in this room will be a part of an historic endeavor – one that makes life better for our children and grandchildren.
Or we can again choose delay, falling back into the same divisions that have stood in the way of action for years. And we will be back having the same stale arguments month after month, year after year – all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.
There is no time to waste. America has made our choice. We have charted our course, we have made our commitments, and we will do what we say. Now, I believe that it’s time for the nations and people of the world to come together behind a common purpose.
We must choose action over inaction; the future over the past – with courage and faith, let us meet our responsibility to our people, and to the future of our planet. Thank you.
Want to become a LEED AP? The first step is getting your LEED Green Associate credential
Each month the Metro 1 Green Building Resource Center offers LEED Green Associate prep courses. These courses provide attendees with best practices and techniques for studying and taking the exam. The course also provides the required documented letter showing completion of an education program that addresses green building principles. To register or learn more about our LEED Green Associate prep course visit http://www.metro1gbrc.com/programs-events. The LEED Green Associate credential is for professionals who want to demonstrate green building expertise in non-technical fields of practice, GBCI has created the LEED Green Associate credential, which denotes basic knowledge of green design, construction, and operations.
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates must have experience in the form of:
EITHER documented involvement on a LEED-registered project
OR employment (or previous employment) in a sustainable field of work
OR engagement in (or completion of) an education program that addresses green building principles.
To take the LEED Green Associate exam, you must have experience in the form of involvement on a LEED-registered project, employment (or previous employment) in a sustainable field of work, or engagement in (or completion of) an education program that addresses green building principles. You only have to meet one of these criteria to demonstrate eligibility. Your experience must be documented in the form of a letter of attestation from a supervisor, client, project manager, or teacher and must describe your involvement on the job or in the classroom.* Your eligibility documentation should meet these requirements:
- The letter must be on letterhead or provide other evidence of its authenticity.
- The body of the attestation should be limited to 750 words or less.
- The letter must be dated.
- The letter must be authored and signed by a supervisor, client, project manager, teacher, or someone else qualified to evaluate the applicant’s performance.
- The author’s title and relationship to the applicant should be demonstrated, for example the author’s business card.
- The letter must summarize and confirm the applicant’s participation in one of the three qualifying experience categories (project involvement, employment, or education).
- For eligibility based on project involvement:
- The letter must name a specific LEED-registered project.
- The letter must affirm that the applicant was involved with the project.
- The letter must provide the date(s) of the applicants involvement with the project
- For eligibility based on employment:
- The letter must explain how the applicant’s profession or company relates to environmentalism or the green building industry.
- The letter must affirm the applicant’s employment and provide the applicant’s job title or company.
- The letter must provide the applicant’s date(s) of employment
- For eligibility based on education:*
- The document must provide the course’s title and provider
- The document must explain how the course relates to green building principles or LEED
- The document must affirm that the candidate was enrolled in the course
- The document must provide the applicant’s date(s) of enrollment
*For candidates who have attended or are attending an education program that addresses green building principles, GBCI will accept a certificate of completion or an official transcript in lieu of a letter of attestation. Any other eligibility documentation must be in the form of a letter of attestation.
Information and images courtesy of http://www.gbci.org/
Green Holiday tips for this year’s season from the Sierra Club
Want to make your holidays greener? Here’s a list of great, green holiday ideas and tips from the Sierra Club.
BUY ENERGY-SAVING “LED” HOLIDAY LIGHTS. Now you can decorate your house with LED lights that use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save your family up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season! LED lights are available at many major retailers, including Target, CostCo, and Ace Hardware.
MAKE YOUR OWN WRAPPING PAPER. Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children’s artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
ADD ORGANIC & LOCAL FOODS TO YOUR HOLIDAY FEAST. Support local family farmers who grow sustainable meat and produce. Not only does it taste better, you’ll be doing your part for the planet too. Looking for an organic turkey or ham for Christmas dinner? Find out where to get local green products in your neighborhood.
STOCKING STUFFERS: TEST YOUR ECO- KNOWLEDGE. do you have a family member who loves the outdoors? Stuff their stockings with Sierra Club Knowledge Cards, which come in a variety of outdoor themes ranging from survival skills to baby animals. Another great stocking stuffer is “guilt-free” chocolate! Give the gift of organic, fair-trade chocolate and you can eat your way to a better planet.
GIVE THE GIFT THAT GIVES BACK! Help support the critical work of the Sierra Club and give an eco-friendly gift at the same time! Sponsor a Wild Place this holiday season and share our country’s most special wild places and national parks with friends and loved ones. Sponsorships start at $20 and come with a range of special gifts, like a photo, plush animal, certificate of sponsorship, or a backpack. For last minute shoppers – or the most eco-conscious person on your list – download a virtual version and print or email your gift right from home
GET A PESTICIDE-FREE TREE. Demand is on the rise for Christmas trees that are not covered in chemicals; some growers use 40 different pesticides, as well as chemical colorants. The good news is that there are now a number of tree-farms that sell pesticide-free trees, so ask your local Christmas tree seller, or search for an organic tree farm near you.
RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE. Ninety-eight percent of Christmas trees were grown on farms, not in forests, so at least it’s not as if you’re cutting down an ancient tree. Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. While your tree won’t fit in the recycling bin with your newspapers and bottles, you can recycle your tree: many cities offer programs to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips. Call (800) CLEANUP or visit www.earth911.org to find the tree-recycling program near you.
DONATE YOUR TIME OR MONEY TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP. Get into the holiday spirit by volunteering! There are countless ways to help improve your community—and the planet—from cleaning up a local river to helping inner city kids experience the outdoors for the first time. Contact your local Sierra Club to find out about volunteer opportunities near you. A donation in honor of a loved one can also be a special holiday gift.
DO A “COOL HOME” TOUR WITH OUR ENERGY-SAVING CHECKLIST. Take a pledge this New Years’ to reduce your home energy use by buying energy-efficient light bulbs. Installing only 6 compact fluorescent light bulbs will save the average American family $60 per year. You can also use our handy “Cool Homes” checklist to see what easy things you can do in your home to save energy. If there’s a fire in your fireplace this Christmas, turn down that thermostat! Lowering the temperature even five degrees can take 10% off your energy bill.
RECYCLE YOUR OLD CELLPHONE. Getting a new cell phone for Christmas? Not sure what to do with the old one? Now, you can drop off that old phone at any Staples store, as part of the Sierra Club cell phone recycling program. Each year, 130 million cell phones are thrown out, weighing approximately 65,000 tons. Recycling your old phone prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills.
© 2008 Sierra Club – For more information please visit http://www.sierraclub.org/holidays/
We’ll see you in Phoenix at this year’s GreenBuild International Conference & Expo
Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Thousands of building professionals from all over the world come together at Greenbuild for three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, special seminars, and networking events.
Greenbuild 2009 is heading to the American Southwest, a region with unique environmental and social challenges and opportunities, and the imperative is clear: Green building can and must come home to all people, boosting the quality of life on main streets across the country and around the world. Join us at Greenbuild 2009 in Phoenix, November 11-13, 2009 and engage in the conversation we must have to bring green to everyone, and bring everyone to green.
Buildings play a critical role in protecting and improving our environment and the health of the people who occupy them. USGBC’s Greenbuild Conference and Expo provides an unparalleled opportunity to connect with other green building peers, industry experts, and influential leaders as they share innovations in the green building movement. (Courtesy of www.greenbuildexpo.org)
The Metro 1 GBRC will be in full force – so don’t worry we will be sure to stop by your booth! South Florida represent!
The Metro 1 GBRC would like to extend a warm welcome to our latest business member, Project Coordinating Services.
The Metro 1 GBRC would like to extend a warm welcome to our latest business member, Project Coordinating Services.
A little about PCS
PCS, LLC distinguishes itself by following its core values of providing design services that focus on understanding the client’s needs and meeting their economic goals.
Olga G. Alvarez, ASID, IIDA, LEED-AP, is the principal of PCS, LLC. She’s been extremely active in the local environmental movement and was previously on the Board of Directors of the USGBC-South Florida chapter as well as its past-President. Her LEED Accreditation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides clients the support on projects seeking this certification which conforms to the rating system set up by the USGBC (U.S.Green Building Council).
