Opinions & ideas on energy use, climate change, and the economy in Vermont
Al Gore’s recent TED Talk, The Case for Optimism on Climate Change, is a true game changer. It is likely to have an impact as great as, or greater than, An Inconvenient Truth. Three Simple Questions: Al Gore asks three simple questions about carbon and climate change: Do we have to change? Can we change? Read More …
Getting to Net Zero National Forum, Washington D.C. I was fortunate to attend the Getting to Net Zero National Forum in Washington, DC on February 1-3 which was promoted as “A gathering to share perspectives on the growth of zero energy buildings, learn about best practices for successful projects and collaborate on opportunities for zero energy to Read More …
The rapidly evolving revolution in power generation, storage, and distribution. The rapid transformation in renewable energy technologies and plummeting costs for renewables, generation, storage, and distribution systems is now revolutionizing the global energy sector as powerfully as the Internet, social media, and other recent high technology sectors. It is also transforming our energy infrastructure and Read More …
On a sunny day in July, I was happy to find myself in Boothbay, Maine for the grand opening of our most recent net-zero project, The Bosarge Family Education Center at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Heralded by the press as “The Greenest Building in Maine”, this educational center is the first net-zero commercial/institutional project Read More …
I recently had the chance to travel to Montreal and present one of our Vermont projects, the net-zero Putney School Field House, at the international ASHRAE conference. This was an exciting chance for us to share with others how it really is possible to achieve net-zero in the cold climate of Vermont. This was also a Read More …
This is a clear and fascinating explanation of the CO2 challenge and why we must do something about reaching net zero, starting now. Personally though, it’s distressing to hear that rather than pursue renewable energy and battery technology solutions, a to-me frightening new nuclear technology has caught Bill Gates’ attention. My mind is having difficulty Read More …
Should we, as Vermonters, be congratulating ourselves for leadership in the green economy and creating a renewable energy future? Van Jones, former green jobs czar of the Obama administration, thought so when speaking at the 2009 Vermont Business Expo. But is this deserved? I am not so sure. Yes, we all can point to great Read More …
Faced with multiple challenges from environmental pressures due to climate change, energy price volatility and the economic downturn, we have never had a better time to build wisely. But we’re not talking about any ordinary buildings—we are talking about the design and construction of buildings that minimize the use of natural resources and energy. Such Read More …