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1. [...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt2 of 5 houses under construction development will be LEED Platinum. One project, currently under construction, is 48% more energy efficient than Title 24! They operate a green office, including waste reduction practices and an … [...]

   Pingback by loan » Blog Archive » 2008 Sustainable Quality Award Winners Announced — May 10, 2008 #

2. Why Go Green?
   Green Makes Good Business Sense!

   A Green Business…

   Improves employee wellness and productivity
   Holds a marketing edge over the competition
   Strengthens its bottom line through operating efficiencies
   Is recognized as an environmental leader
   Green Businesses receive recognition through:

   Local and Regional Green Business Program websites http://www.greenbiz.abag.ca.gov and http://www.sfgreenbiz.org
   City and agency newsletters
   Press coverage, promotional events and special recognition
   Window decals, certificates and promotional materials for your business
   Green Business logo to use in your advertising

   Comment by San Francisco Green Business Program — May 16, 2008 #

3. Recognizing sustainability
   Local businesses awarded for going green

   PICO BOULEVARD It might not have the
   international prestige of the Oscars or
   Grammys but local businesses with an environmental
   flair are nevertheless pleased to
   accept this award, on their own or someone
   else’s behalf.
   A dozen Santa Monica companies on
   Monday took an emerald-colored trophy
   back to the office, the awards symbolizing
   their role in greening the Earth by incorporating
   environmentally-friendly practices
   with business operations.
   All were honored during the 13th annual
   Sustainable Quality Awards at the Sheraton
   Delfina, the winners — ranging from a hotel
   to an architecture firm — recognized for their
   successful marriage of business practices and
   environmentalism, whether it be installing
   compact fluorescent light bulbs or printing
   on 100 percent post-consumer recycled
   paper.
   Hosted by the Santa Monica Chamber of
   Commerce and City Hall, the event itself was
   also sustainable, from the trophies — made
   from 100 percent recycled glass — to the food
   waste, which was later composted.
   The SQA was founded as a way to recognize
   green businesses, launched a year after
   the City Council adopted the Sustainable City
   Plan, a time when there were no Toyota
   hybrid vehicles or CFLs.
   “The most common green business practice
   was counting the money in the drawer at
   the end of the day,” Dean Kubani, the environmental
   programs manager for City Hall,
   Recognizing sustainability
   Local businesses awarded for going green
   joked at the luncheon.
   The number of green businesses has grown
   in Santa Monica since that first awards show,
   the city now having the highest concentration
   in the United States with more than 250.
   Among the winners were four businesses
   that received the grand prize, their environmental
   undertakings far more extensive, such
   as the 9 kilowatts of solar power installed at The
   Lobster and the LEED certified projects
   designed by Duvivier architects. LEED —
   Leadership in Energy and Environmental
   Design — is a green rating used by the United
   States Green Building Council. Santa Monica is
   home to the highest concentration of LEED
   certified buildings in the country, according to
   Kubani.
   Many of the award recipients have a Green
   Business Certification and/or have undergone
   the Business Greening Program at Sustainable
   Works. Among the most recent to receive the
   certification was The Lobster,whose menu features
   seafood that is sustainably caught or
   farm-raised.
   “It feels awkward to accept an award for
   doing something that’s right,” Jack DeNicola,
   the restaurant general manager, said.
   The restaurant is also planning on installing
   a solar water heating system.
   “Doing the right thing is rewarding in itself,”
   he said.
   The event was hosted by “Earth Talk Today”
   co-hosts Peter Kreitler and Alexandra Paul,
   who had a role in 1990s beach drama,
   “Baywatch.” The keynote speaker was Gay
   Browne, the founder of Santa Monica-based
   Greenopia, a directory for everything green in
   Los Angeles.
   She conceptualized the idea for Greenopia
   after the difficulty she experienced in building a
   green home in the Pacific Palisades, the seemingly
   endless hours spent researching developers
   and interior designers that specialized in
   sustainability.
   Approximately 15 percent of the businesses
   in the guide are from Santa Monica, a considerable
   number that can be attributed to green
   business friendly Santa Monica, she said.
   “Its commitment to green business is unbelievable,”
   Browne said, pointing out that a New
   Yorker recently told her that Santa Monica is
   the most progressive green city in the country.
   For some winners, the award comes long
   after they first began instituting green practices.
   Taxi Taxi started by converting its fleet of
   high-end European vehicles into biodiesel, the
   line eventually phased out because it was
   proven unfeasible.
   The taxi company today now uses hybrid
   vehicles and is the first in the county to operate
   a hybrid fleet.
   The business won an award for excellence in
   stewardship of the environment and economic
   development. It saves an estimated $77,000 a
   year in gas by using the hybrids as opposed to
   conventional vehicles. All of their marketing
   materials are also printed on 100 percent post
   consumer recycled paper.
   “Hybrid is the future,”Ayman Radwan, one
   of the partners of Taxi Taxi, said. “You can gas
   up anywhere and it holds 40 miles to the gallon.”
   “The customers love it and the drivers love
   it,” he said.

   Comment by MELODY HANATANI — May 16, 2008 #

4. GOV. SCHWARZENEGGAR MAKES THE CALIFORNIA DROUGHT OFFICIAL
   SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snow-melt runoff and a court-ordered restriction on water transfers.

   “We must recognize the severity of the crisis that we face,” the Governor noted, signing an executive order directing the state’s response to unusually dry conditions that are damaging crops, harming water quality and causing extreme fire danger across California.

   Schwarzenegger warned that residents and water managers must immediately cut their water use or face the possibility of rationing next year if there is another dry winter. Already, many communities require water conservation or rationing.

   The statewide drought declaration is the first since 1991, when Gov. Pete Wilson acted in the fifth year of a drought that lasted into 1992.

   Get the whole story @ http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/05/california.drought.ap/index.html

   Comment by CNN — June 5, 2008 #

5. The National Association of Home Builders and the U.S. Green Building Council have locked horns over which of their respective green building standards should dominate residential construction.

   Comment by ProSales Business Update — June 6, 2008 #

6. Global Green was excited to present its 12th Annual Millennium Awards honoring leading innovators for their extraordinary environmental contributions on Saturday, June 14th at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. Hosted by Alfre Woodard with special guests Norman Lear, Arianna Huffington, Ed Begley Jr and Rhona Mitra, the event was a great success as we recognized those whose lives and livelihood embody Global Green’s mission of fostering a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure world. Over $540,000 was raised at the event to benefit our smart climate solutions, including the green rebuilding of New Orleans.

   “As our communities grapple with the global and local threats posed by climate change, it is exciting to be reminded of some of the extraordinary initiatives that individual, corporate and government leaders are pioneering to help create and implement solutions to global warming,” said Global Green USA President and CEO Matt Petersen. “These honorees demonstrate that smart solutions to global warming exist, are economically viable and provide invaluable health and environmental benefits to our communities.”

   Comment by Matt Petersen — July 8, 2008 #

7. LEED for Homes

   The LEED for Homes Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification system that lets homebuilders to verify their green homes as truly green, covering important considerations like energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials and resources use, site selection and innovative design.

   A LEED home is environmentally friendly, good for your buyers’ health, and good for your bottom line. USGBC offers a host of resources to help you learn how to build the most-efficient, sustainable, healthy houses in the most cost-effective ways. Visit http://www.buildleedhomes.org.

   Comment by LEED for Homes — September 4, 2008 #

8. With the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) expected approval of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS), work is underway to integrate the new standard into local and national green building programs, municipal versions of the International Building Codes, and the memory banks of building inspectors nationwide.

   Comment by National Green Building Standard — September 4, 2008 #

9. A reassessment of 200 carob trees
   once condemned for removal might have
   reversed the fate of a few dozen.
   A duo of registered consulting arborists
   recently gave a second look at a group of
   declining carob trees that were identified as
   hazardous to public safety in a previous study
   by city consultant HortScience, ultimately
   concluding that about two dozen of the shady
   specimens could be salvaged for now.

   Comment by MELODY HANATANI — September 20, 2008 #

10. Great to see you are working in the green area!As a contractor for many years I know that Real Estate agents are the key gate keeper when people are buying homes and building,and promoting green will be a great way for you to have an impact on the environment.Do you want to do a link exchange?I get about 60 hits a day,and I do some work in LA as a consultant mainly.I know Brendon Mceneaney quite well[he is the head of the Santa Monica green building program]and I really respect the work he is doing….Groundbreaking!

    Thank you,

    Chris Hurst
    Hurst Construction
    16987 Country Road
    Sonora, Ca 95370
    Ph#209-743-2638
    chris@zeropowerhouse.com
    Green and Sustainable Construction
    http://www.zeropowerhouse.com

    Comment by Chris Hurst — September 21, 2008 #

11. For over 16 years, the work of Eric Watson, Architect has primarily been designing traditional houses and small buildings in the New Urbanist resort communities of Florida’s Panhandle “Design Coast.” In recent years, Watson’s Tampa, Florida practice has broadened to include designs for houses in other parts of Florida, Coastal South Carolina, New England, and the Bahamas. Watson is an active member of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America, as well as The New Urban Guild. For more information about Eric Watson, Architect visit his website at http://www.EricWatson.com.

    277 North Front Street
    Historic Wilmington, North Carolina 28401
    Telephone: 1.800.486.2118
    Fax: 910.763.3191
    http://www.columns.com

    You are currently signed up to receive Chadsworth’s Columns Specials and Product introductions. To discontinue future mailings and cancel your Chadsworth 1.800.Columns Newsletter subscription, click here: http://1800columns.com/newsletter/users/unsub.php?Mem=20357&ConfirmCode=f651fb35ab1c0aed3fbecfa33ce6e84d

    Comment by Eric Watson — October 13, 2008 #

12. next generation of LEED standards–LEED 2009 or LEED v. 3 as it is sometimes called–is heading toward the finish line. Final member
    balloting has been underway for close to a month and is set to end Nov. 14, at 5 PM EDT. Any industry stakeholders that wish to contribute have this week to contact the US Green Building Council.

    Comment by Erika Morphy — November 12, 2008 #

13. “Before, you could be green by being greedy,” said Jim Wilcox, a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. “Now you’ve really got to rely more on your notions of civic participation.”

    The impact of the downturn on individual recycling efforts varies. Most cities are keeping their recycling programs, in some cases because they are required by law, but also because the economics, while they have soured, still favor recycling over landfills.

    In New York City, for instance, the city is getting paid $10 for a ton of paper, down from $50 or more before October, but it has no plans to cease recycling, said Robert Lange, the city’s recycling director. In Boston, one of the hardest-hit markets, prices are down to $5 a ton, and the city expects it will soon have to pay to unload its paper. But city officials said that would still be better than paying $80 a ton to put it in a landfill.

    Some small towns are refusing to recycle some material, particularly the less lucrative plastics and metals, and experts say more are likely to do so if the price slump persists.

    Comment by NYTimes.com — December 11, 2008 #

14. With a new administration in Washington comes a strong emphasis on renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions. In the January/February 2009 issue of SOLAR TODAY magazine, Denis Hayes, long-time ASES member, ASES Board of Trustees Chair and President of the Bullitt Foundation, authored Charting a Bold New Course, which takes a look at what the U.S. needs to get out of its carbon fuels-based sinkhole.

    Comment by Carolyn Beach — January 28, 2009 #

15. SEPA Releases “Decoupling Utility Profits from Sales”
    New White Paper Outlines Options for
    Addressing Utility-Solar Disincentive

    Washington, D.C–The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to announce the release of the white paper, “Decoupling Utility Profits from Sales: Issues for the Photovoltaic Industry,” providing valuable insight into a regulatory policy option that addresses the business disincentive that some investor-owned utilities face when their customers install a solar electric system and, as a result, purchase less electricity from the utility. Decoupling changes the way a utility’s revenues are structured so that profits are no longer explicitly tied to electricity sales. The full report may be downloaded for free at http://www.solarelectricpower.org.

    Comment by Josephine Mooney — February 2, 2009 #

16. Special announcement for
    Santa Monica Residents
    Would you like to share what you are doing to help the environment? Are you a Santa Monica resident? If you answered yes to both questions this is for you.

    Natalie Horton, the producer of Be Green with City TV is looking for Santa Monica residents that are doing their part to help the environment.

    They are shooting the first episode this coming Monday the 9th, and need your help. So if you are composting or have you just installed solar panels or energy star appliances or any other green lifestyle changes, help inspire others. Please contact Natalie Horton ASAP.
    Email nataliejhorton@gmail.com
    Call (310) 780-8737

    Comment by Natalie Horton — February 14, 2009 #

17. Jay Friedland, Plug In America’s legislative director, led the campaign. “This bill, which invests more than $12 billion in plug-in technology, including $2 billion in tax credits, will put vastly more numbers and kinds of plug-in electric vehicles on the road,” Jay said in Plug In America’s press release. “It will help create jobs and spur spending by incentivizing consumers to purchase the cleanest-running vehicles made today and those just around the corner.”

    As those who joined our campaign know, Plug In America urged a significant increase in the number and types of vehicles covered by the bill’s plug-in vehicle tax credit. Also thanks to you, we won expansion of the tax credit from 250,000 vehicles industry wide to 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer, and the inclusion of two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid conversions.

    Comment by Linda Nicholes — February 21, 2009 #

18. Community Engagement Manager: Tree People, Beverly Hills
    Responsibilities include: evaluate requests for representation at tree plantings, tree care events, local fairs, festivals and other special events and coordinate staffing and materials, research community engagement and promotional opportunities to support TreePeople’s strategic initiatives, recruit, train and manage community engagement volunteers, establish and maintain relationships with key community stakeholders county-wide, and oversee all Salesforce change requests and manage Salesforce Administrator and Contractor on implementation. Applicant must be computer literate in Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, and Internet research. Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred. Must be detail-oriented and have strong administrative and public speaking skills. Send resume and cover letter to: jtoubes@treepeople.org

    Comment by Treepeople.org — February 25, 2009 #

19. This summer, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage offered a new-construction solar home program that allows builders in California to transfer a rebate offered by the California Energy Commission’s New Solar Home Partnership directly to buyers at closing, which they can use for the down payment or as a permanent interest-rate buy-down to lower their monthly mortgage payments. The offer applies to conforming and non-conforming loans for new single-family homes, including condominiums, that will be used as the buyer’s primary residence. The rebate amount depends on the size of the solar system installed.

    Comment by Rich Binsacca — March 5, 2009 #

20. I would like to ask how I could get on your bid list for your wood flooring needs. I have been in the business since the 70’s and install, repair, recoats and sand and finish wood flooring.

    I am attaching some pictures of my work, if i can be of any help to you I would appreciate the chance to give you a bid on your wood flooring projects.

    If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

    Thank you,

    Paul Russo
    909 560 5826
    muggser@yahoo.com

    Comment by Paul Russo — March 7, 2009 #

21. A recent study by researchers at UCLA has affirmed Berkeley’s reputation as being one of the country’s most environmentally conscious cities.

    The report, titled “Green Market Geography,” ranks Berkeley as one of California’s “greenest” cities, second only to its northern neighbor, Albany.

    Comment by Nick Moore — June 18, 2009 #

22. LEED 2009: Technical advancements to the LEED rating system

    LEED 2009 is not a “tear down and rebuild” of the LEED that exists in the market but rather a reorganization of the existing commercial and institutional LEED rating systems along with several key advancements.

    LEED 2009 Rating Systems

    * New Construction rating system
    * Core and Shell rating system
    * Schools rating system
    * Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system
    * Commercial Interiors rating system

    LEED 2009 includes three major enhancements to the LEED rating system: harmonization, credit weightings, and regionalization.

    Find out the details @
    http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1971

    Comment by USGBC — June 24, 2009 #

23. hmmmm I like this post but I would love to see some on how to save on construction costs in this tough market

    Comment by ContractorBids — October 17, 2009 #

24. [...] ya tiene reservadas sus habitaciones en el Hotel Sheraton Miramar y Sheraton San Crist³bal. …Santa Monica Property Blog 2008 Sustainable Quality Award …The Sustainable Quality Awards Luncheon will be held on Monday, May 12th from 11:30am-1:30pm at the [...]

    Pingback by sheraton miramar resort — March 4, 2010 #

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