Monday, November 16, 2009

EPA Marks 1M Energy Star Homes


SustainableBusiness.com News Exclusive:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday announced a milestone for its Energy Star, marking the 1 millionth Energy Star qualified home.

Since the program began labeling new homes in 1995, Americans have saved $1.2 billion on their energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds, EPA said. This year alone, families living in Energy Star qualified homes will save an estimated $270 million on their utility bills, while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from about 370,000 vehicles.

“We’re going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said.

To earn the Energy Star label, a home must meet energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA. Those guidelines include effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and high-efficiency lighting and appliances. In addition, an independent home energy rater conducts onsite testing and inspections to verify that the home’s performance meets Energy Star requirements.

There are more than 6,500 builders across the nation building homes that earn the Energy Star label, EPA said.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Mars Chocolate Factory just installed an 18 Acre Solar Garden!

M&M's factory in N.J. flips switch on new solar array



Mars Chocolate North America, the makers of M&M's candy, together with PSEG Solar Source, unveil an 18-acre solar garden adjacent to their Hackettstown headquarters. The solar garden is capable of generating 2.2 megawatts per hour of clean energy which is equivalent to approximately 20 percent of the plant's peak energy consumption. (Video by John O'Boyle / The Star-Ledger) From the Star Ledger: Posted by John O'Boyle on November 9, 2009 at 04:03 PM