water conservation

I just recently saw an article on just how severe our water problems are not only in the U.S. but in the world and thought to myself: This can't go on like it has and we expect to have a future. A month ago I was approached by a woman who asked me if i knew about machines that could turn air into water? Then she proceeded to tell me about them and I was floored!I not only contacted the distributors but also have had discussions with the patent owners of
this new technology. They are called Atmospheric Water Generators or Watergens for short.
They take the humidity out of the air and generate crystal pure water! I am now working with
them to help generate interest in this technology. They can manufacture products from a watergen that can fit on your desktop and produce up to 10 gallons of water a day, to units that can supply crystal pure water to an entire building (homes, retail, hospitals ,etc).The units start at around 2,300 dollars. we have generated quite a buzz. I feel this really is the future of water. I think about the ability to give developing countries a clean source of water, or giving this country and other countries the ability to protect themselves from terror by not needing a water supply that could be tainted because we harvest the water from the air! Not only does these machines create purified water but it also purifies the air as well.

The technology is unique, as no other air-to-water technology products are offered commercially in the U.S. or International markets. The technology maximizes temperature, airflow, and surface area for optimum water production.

A condensation unit receives humid airflow and condenses water vapor into liquid. This process is known as atmospheric condensation. Water is filtered and treated by bacteria-killing devices such as ultraviolet light before it can be dispensed. Water produced by the water generation machines is pure and safe for human consumption and meets established U.S. and International Public Health standards, including the NSF 53 standard. NSF 53 is the top U.S. benchmark for drinking water and includes the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC's).

Volatile Organic Compound pollutants are removed by two (2) NSF 53 approved filters. Volatile organic chemicals such as Ether have proven extremely difficult to remove by filtration methods of the past, but will not be present in the water generated by a water generation machine.

They are also offering an energy product that can take your home off the energy grid as well.
I am looking for those that want to start implementing these products in new homes as well as old ones, and in areas of crisis, in the U.S. and abroad. I am looking for people who can make a difference and start to stop our global water crisis.

As the trend toward Building Green gains momentum, California – with its eye on harmful carbon dioxide emissions as well as recurring drought conditions and other environmental woes – remains ahead of the curve in encouraging businesses and individuals to reduce overall energy usage, which is a common measurement of green building.

The state’s Green Building Regulations that go into effect on July 1 require a gradual 15% reduction in overall energy use, the equivalent of achieving the LEED® silver rating for new construction for the entire state. Construction and landscaping alternatives that are as varied as Energy Star-certified home appliances, elevators that move only when passengers are present, and artificial grass for water-saving landscaping are all part of the building green movement in California.

Before California adopted its Green Building Regulations, the standard for green and sustainable buildings in California and nationwide was and still is set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit organization.

The California Sustainability Alliance says the state’s Green Building Regulations are the most aggressive energy and environmental goals in the nation. “The good news,” the Alliance says, “is that many different types of resources and support are now available to help us achieve these ambitious goals.”

Developers have gradually taken advantage of those “resources and support” to erect more green projects

The first systematic study of the green building market in California – by the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego as reported by the online edition of the San Diego Tribune – found that a growing number of developers are putting up buildings meeting stringent environmental standards, and that tenants have been willing to pay top dollar to rent space in them.

A study for the American Solar Energy Society determined that under an “aggressive deployment forecast scenario” more than 40 million Americans could be working in renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE and EE) industries nationwide, and that those industries could be generating $4.53 trillion in annual revenues.

Back in California, the trend is well under way and can be seen in very specific, grass-roots initiatives. Water restrictions enacted in much of Southern California within the past several months, as well as programs such as the rebates for artificial turf and other water-saving measures offered through agencies including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), have spurred interest in green building solutions by homeowners and developers.

For example, demand for rebates from the Metropolitan Water District has been so high since the program began, that on April 1, the program initiated a rebate reservation system. The district is a cooperative of water agencies serving 19 million people in six counties throughout Southern California. Rebates offered through the district start at $0.30 per square foot. Different water agencies offer different rebates.

“It’s really gotten people to consider alternatives to traditional landscaping,” said Larry Reno, district manager of NewGrass Landscape & Design. “That’s great that it’s raised awareness of artificial turf.”

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED as it is commonly called, was established by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to develop a rating system for green building. It is the measure for design, construction and operation of green buildings. LEED advocates sustainability through a whole-building approach in 5 areas of performance in human and environmental health. Those 5 areas are:
• Energy efficiency
• Sustainable site development
• Water savings
• Materials selection
• Quality of indoor environment

The rating system is tailored to each project and coincides with LEED specific programs. A handful of these programs are New Construction, Existing Buildings, Commercial Interiors, Core and Shell, Homes, Neighborhood Development and Schools. The rating system fosters global endorsement of sustainable green building and improvement through the “creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.” The criterion is developed by leaders in their specific industry and ranked in 4 levels of certification; in ascending order those levels are: certified, silver, gold and platinum. These LEED certifications are directly related to the number of credits earned in each of the 5 performance categories listed above. Currently, the LEED standards are applicable to new commercial construction, major renovation, interior projects and existing structure operation. However, standards are being developed to include construction for commercial core and shell, neighborhood development and new homes.

The members of the USGBC recently approved a revision to the LEED rating system that will be effective in March. This update, known as LEED 2009, hopes to bring about more consistency within the family of LEED rating systems, more focus on energy and climate issues through the use of more scientific benchmarks and an evaluation of building technology. The point system for all LEED programs will consist of 100 points with a possible 10 point “bonus.” Previously the system was based on 64 points with a potential for 5 bonus points. A sliding scale was created to earn marks for optimizing energy efficiency, with a maximum of 19 points, as compared to the former maximum of 10 points. With changes like this you can see that the projects hoping to be LEED certified will need to have a much heavier focus on energy performance. Some of the other changes reflected in the LEED 2009 rating system are:

• 20% reduction in water-use is now mandatory for certification; previously you would have earned 1 point for water-use reduction.
• The “Sustainable Sites” category will contribute to almost 24% of the maximum score, this is about 4% higher from the old rating system.
• LEED 2009 offers bonus points to those that put an emphasis on their regional environmental goals (to be published in March).
• The “Energy and Atmosphere” category now makes up nearly 32% of the total score; formerly it was approximately 25%.
• Access to public transportation earns 6 points as opposed to 1 point prior to the revisions.

I would venture to believe that USGBC anticipates applicants to shine their spotlights on energy use and renewable energy sources – as that has been a driving force as of late.

Some of you reading this may already know that it’s not easy being green (thanks Kermit) and in order to obtain LEED certification you have to put yourself to the test through the USGBC’s certification process. The USGBC’s website has a multitude of information about the process, helpful documents and guides, a listing of professionals that are LEED accredited and schedules for LEED training workshops and conferences. The certification is performed by a third-party who will evaluate the building to ensure that it meets the highest standards of sustainability. If you’re uncertain as to whether or not your building has the potential to be LEED certified, take a moment to review the LEED checklist.

Going through this process has incredible rewards for not only for the environment but from a financial standpoint. When your building is LEED certified you qualify for special tax rebates, zoning allowances and benefits in hundreds of other cities. The federal economic stimulus package also provides existing buildings the opportunity to take advantage of these benefits by properly retrofitting current equipment and structures. As you can see, LEED is the yardstick by which the green building industry is measured through its efforts to champion environmental friendliness and efficient use of energy. In my final installment of this series I’ll discuss how sustainable building should stay afloat amidst the economic downturn – yes some industries will thrive during this and I believe sustainability is just now gaining popularity. Until our next discussion, go green!

See more at www.acreageanywhere.com

With major improvements in the world of artificial grass over the last several years, it’s easy to find a product that looks and feels fairly natural – or at least more natural than the original stuff, the stuff that felt like stiff, nubby, industrial carpeting.

But one of today’s synthetic grass products goes beyond simply looking and feeling natural. NewGrass® artificial lawns (www.newgrass.com) are green in every sense of the word. NewGrass® is proud to be a member of the Green Building Council, an ally in the EPA’s GreensScape Program and the only artificial lawn that is Certified 100% Eco-Friendly, from the way the grass is manufactured to the company’s pledge to properly recycle any lawn installed by an authorized representative at the end of its useful life.

In nutshell, here are six reasons NewGrass® is as green as it gets when it comes to synthetic lawns:

1. Conserves Water. As much as 70% of the average U.S. homeowner’s water bill goes toward outdoor watering – and that usually means keeping a natural turf grass green.

2. Protects Groundwater. With no need for potentially harmful pesticides and fertilizers, NewGrass® helps protect groundwater and storm drainage runoff. In addition, the bio-engineered EnviroCel™ backing of NewGrass® enhances direct drainage through the backing, further reducing runoff of rain and snowmelt that could affect surrounding foundations or natural gardening.

3. Reduces Petroleum Consumption. The EnviroCel™ backing of NewGrass® is primarily derived from domestically grown soybeans (in themselves a renewable resource). This backing reduces by nearly 90% the amount of oil-based compounds in the backing compared with earlier generations.

4. Totally Recyclable, No Nylon. The blades of NewGrass® GreenAware varieties are 100% polyethylene – no nylon! - and are 100% recyclable. 5. Aids Fight Against Global Warming. For every square foot of NewGrass® installed, the company makes a donation to the Carbon Fund, a non-profit organization that is leading the fight against global-warming climate change.

5. Aids Fight Against Global Warming. For every square foot of NewGrass® installed, the company makes a donation to the Carbon Fund, a non-profit organization that is leading the fight against global-warming climate change.

6. LEED Credits. With its EnviroCel™ and BioCel™ backings, NewGrass® may contribute to total ratings under LEED credit for New Construction in several categories.

NewGrass has been featured on Bob Vila, The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television, Fine Living TV’s American Shopper, Makeover and a Movie and a special Think Green episode of Designing Spaces  on We tv and TLC - The Learning Channel.

This symbol could soon become as common and EPA’s other conservation program--Energy Star. The EPA launched its WaterSense program in 2006. The program seeks to “enhance the market for water-efficient products and services by building a national brand for water efficiency.”

WaterSense is a program for water-only products like toilets, faucets, and irrigation systems. It does not include appliances like dishwashers or clothes washers that use both water and energy; these remain under the Energy Star program. In 2007, the EPA released WaterSense specifications for high efficiency toilets and bathroom sink faucets. Specifications for showerheads are currently being developed.

WaterSense is poised to become very popular in the green building community. In its proposed changes to several LEED rating systems, the U.S. Green Building Council removed some specifications for water saving credits and replaced them with “WaterSense-certified fixtures and fixture fittings should be used where available.”

Could this symbol become as ubiquitous as the Energy Star symbol? Only time will tell.

===========================================================
GreenerBuildings News: May 22, 2008
===========================================================

Welcome to the latest edition of GreenerBuildings News. We are committed
to bringing you the latest information and resources on the full
spectrum of environmental issues related to buildings and facilities.
Log on to http://www.GreenerBuildings.com for more up-to-date news,
tools, case studies, and other resources related to greener building
practices.

A full-color, graphic version of this newsletter is available online at:
http://greenerbuildings.com/enewsletters/2008/greenerbuildings/index.htm...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= FEATURES AND COLUMNS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Building the Way to Water Efficiency
By Lara Abrams Melman
http://greenerbuildings.com/feature/2008/05/22/building-way-water-effici...
With water supplies nationwide feeling the heat, facility managers,
municipalities and innovative companies are working together to make water
conservation easier and more effective than ever before.

Green and Mean: Responsible Property Investing in a Tough Economy
By Jeff Feinstein and Michael Butler
http://greenerbuildings.com/column/2008/05/13/green-and-mean-responsible...
property-investing-a-tough-economy
Our national building infrastructure poses some major challenges to the climate
fight, especially when the economy makes investors hesitant to take on new
projects; but here we explain why green buildings are among the best investments
now -- and any time.

=-=-=-=-=-=-= THE LATEST GREEN BUILDINGS NEWS =-=-=-=-=-=-=

Office Depot's Building Prototype Earns LEED Pre-certification
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/21/office-depots-building-proto...
earns-leed-pre-certification
The LEED Portfolio Program is designed to create a volume certification path to
allow companies to incorporate LEED attributes into a prototype design before
implementing across several buildings.

EPA Recognizes Energy Efficient Building Designs
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/20/epa-recognizes-energy-effici...
building-designs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the latest building
projects designed with energy efficiency in mind.

Starbucks Sets New Goals for Renewables, Green Building
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/15/starbucks-sets-new-goals-ren...
green-building
Starbucks wants to slash energy consumption in its stores by 25 percent and buy
enough renewable energy certificates to satisfy half of its stores’ energy
needs, all by 2010, the company said Wednesday. All new construction will
incorporate green building principles.

Green Builders Spell Out Zero Carbon
By Sam Bond, Edie News
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/19/green-builders-spell-out-zer...
The U.K. construction industry is calling on government to re-write the rules
after concluding that three quarters of new homes are unlikely to meet voluntary
targets which would see them having no carbon emissions.

eBay Bids on Solar
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/12/ebay-bids-solar
eBay's North Campus is now the home of 3,248 solar panels in a 650-kilowatt
system that will supply 18 percent of the campus’s power, saving the company
about $100,000 in electricity costs in its first year of operation. The company
used the solar energy system's unveiling to tout its first LEED-Gold building,
which also is the city's first.

Energy Efficiency: Overlooked and Misunderstood
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/16/energy-efficiency-overlooked...
misunderstood
A new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy finds
that energy efficiency during the last 30-plus years has been paid little homage
and future gains are threatened by inaction. U.S. energy consumption at the end
of 2008 is expected to total half of the energy consumed in 1970, the report
found.

EPS Corp Unveils Tracking System for Facility Energy, Carbon Emissions
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/16/eps-corp-unveils-tracking-sy...
facility-energy-carbon-emissions
The energy and carbon management company's new monitoring system gives
manufacturers a detailed look at emissions from products and facilities.

ASHRAE Aims for Energy Efficiency in Data Centers, Warehouses
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/14/ashrae-aims-energy-efficienc...
centers-warehouses
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
recently launched two guides to move these structures toward reduced energy
consumption.

Earning LEED-EB Costs Little: Report
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/13/earning-leed-eb-costs-little...
A survey of owners and managers of facilities that have received LEED-Existing
Building certification say the majority of measures associated with the process
are no-cost or low-cost actions.

New Study Compares Green Building Rating Systems to AIA's Sustainability Goals
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/09/new-study-compares-green-bui...
rating-systems-aias-sustainability-goals
The American Institute of Architects sees how the three main green building
rating systems compare point-by-point with its criteria for what it says a green
building system should include.

Wal-Mart Set to Measure Energy Use of 20 U.S. Capitols
http://greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/05/09/wal-mart-set-measure-energy-...
us-capitols
Through a partnership with the National Governors Association, the "Greening
State Capitols" program will provide energy audits in 20 U.S. state capitols to
identify ways in which they can reduce energy consumption.

MORE OF THE LATEST NEWS... http://greenerbuildings.com/current/daily-news

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= TOOLS & RESOURCES =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Innovations Review 2008
http://greenerbuildings.com/resources/resource/innovations-review-2008
The first edition of what will be an annual report looks at innovative,
effective green business strategies, such as ways to take advantage of renewable
energy and make a net-zero energy office, that are both good for business and
the environment.

MORE TOOLS & RESOURCES... http://www.greenerbuildings.com/resources/

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= FEATURED EVENT =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Pharos Project Green Materials Selection Workshop
http://greenerbuildings.com/resources/calendar/2008/05/16/pharos-project...
materials-selection-workshop

Host: Cascadia Region Green Building Council
Date: June 19, 2008
Location: Portland, Ore.

This half-day workshop tackles the issues and challenges inherent in
understanding green building materials and products.

MORE EVENTS . . . http://www.greenerbuildings.com/resources/calendar

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= GREENERBUILDINGS AND YOU =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

We'd like your feedback, questions, and ideas. Got a resource, tip, or
tool you'd like to share with others? Please write to
GreenerBuildings@GreenerWorldMedia.com, or click on the "Contact" link
on the home page.

We'll look forward to hearing from you.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

You have received this e-mail because you (or someone) subscribed your
e-mail address to this e-letter. IF YOU WISH TO UNSUBSCRIBE, please
e-mail GreenerBuildings@GreenerWorldMedia.com with the subject line
"Unsubscribe GreenerBuildings News".

IF THIS MESSAGE WAS FORWARDED TO YOU BY OTHERS, we'd appreciate it if
you would sign up for your own subscription. This helps us track our
circulation and attract sponsors.

TO SUBSCRIBE: Simply enter your email address in the space provided on
the homepage and click "SUBSCRIBE." We promise NEVER to sell, rent, or
swap your address with others without your permission.

GreenerBuildings is produced by Greener World Media, Inc., Copyright
2007.

By now we all have practical, water-saving shower heads installed in our bathrooms, right? But those of us who consider our bathing rituals to be one of the great pleasures of the day might want to take it one step further. Kevin's outdoor shower is a fun feature that sees daily use by humans and canines returning from walks on the beach. You can get a simple, attractive portable model at Target, for $89, and if you want an outdoor shower that heats itself for free, you can have one for about $10, though it won't win any beauty contests.

But for pure aesthetic appeal, it's hard to beat the Dream Light showerhead from Jaclo, pictured, which The Hardware Aisle dubs "the Xanax of Showerheads." Programmed LEDs provide a chromatherapeutic light show while you bathe. A boon for the coming Seasonal Affective Disorder months.

You can find out more about showers in Episode Nine, which is all about water, and check out new video all this week.