Facilities Management News

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Renewable energy could meet most of our needs

Close to 80% of the world’s energy supply could be met by renewables by mid-century if backed by the right enabling public policies, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

In addition, the rising penetration of renewable energies could lead to cumulative greenhouse gas savings equivalent to 220 to 560 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtC02eq) between 2010 and 2050.

The upper end of the scenarios assessed, representing a cut of around a third in greenhouse gas emissions from business-as-usual projections, could assist in keeping concentrations of greenhouse gases at 450 parts per million.

This could contribute towards a goal of holding the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius - an aim recognized in the United Nations Climate Convention's Cancun Agreements.

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22 campuses join Climate Commitment

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Fully 22 campuses have submitted Climate Action Plans (CAPs) as part of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) since February 2011. The new submissions, in alphabetical order, are:

Albion College (Mich.); Alfred University (N.Y.); Bemidji State University (Minn.); Bergen Community College (N.J.); Case Western Reserve University (Ohio); DePauw University (Ind.); Drury University (Mo.); Lake Superior College (Minn.); Mercer County Community College (N.J.); Missouri University of Science & Technology; Pomona College (CA); Roxbury Community College (Mass.); St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley (Mo.); State University of New York Upstate Medical University; The Ohio State University – Columbus; University of La Verne (Calif.); University of New England (Maine); University of New Mexico—Taos; University of South Carolina Upstate; Valencia Community College (Fla.); Wells College (N.Y.); and Willamette University (Ore.).

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NIST offers software tool

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is offering a software tool for architects and designers of ventilation systems for green commercial buildings.

With the Climate Suitability Tool, building design teams can evaluate whether the local climate is suitable for cooling a prospective building with natural ventilation or whether it requires a hybrid system that supplies supplemental cooling capacity. The tool is based on a model of the heat-related characteristics of a building configured to take advantage of ambient climate conditions and natural air movement. It incorporates hourly weather data (downloaded from annual datasets for U.S. localities) and uses standardized criteria for rating the comfort of building occupants.

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IEHA expands product testing

WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) announces the continuing expansion of the High Performance Cleaning Product (HPCP) testing program in conjunction with UMass Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) Lab. Test metrics and program scope have expanded and now encompass:

• Soil Removal
• Microbial Elimination
• Ergonomics
• Productivity
• Field Application
• Equipment (non-chemical product evaluation)

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HHS adds to list of carcinogens

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that may put people at increased risk for cancer.

The industrial chemical formaldehyde and a botanical known as aristolochic acids are listed as known human carcinogens. Six other substances — captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine, and styrene — are added as substances that are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. The 12th Report on Carcinogens includes 240 listings.

For more information, see niehs.nih.gov

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EPA seeks info on waste incinerators

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking additional public feedback and gathering more information on the final standards for boilers and certain solid waste incinerators that were issued in February 2011.

These additional opportunities for public input will ensure that any final standard will be informed by input and feedback from key stakeholders, including the public, industry, and public health communities.

More information: www.epa.gov

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