The purpose of the October 2007 report entitled “Toward a Sustainable Dallas” (TASD) strikes so many important chords. The report is based on information accumulated by the City Council after its January 2003 commitment to green construction and LEED® certification.The Council’s report has four stated purposes:•    Demonstrate the environmental impact of buildings and the benefits of green building.•    Provide an overview of LEED® and Green Building Programs•    Provide an overview of the Dallas Green Building Program•    Provide recommendations for implementation of a green building program for all residential and non-residential construction in the City of DallasThe comprehensive plan states much relevant information.•    300 billion square feet of buildings in the US are the single largest contributor to global warming in the country•    48% of all energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the US annually is from buildings•    76% of all power plant generated electricity is used to operate buildings globally.•    At the current rate of usage, the US is projected to need 1,300 to 1,900 new power plants over the next 20 years or 1 per week.The last statistic is glaringly unrealistic, but highlights the severity of the dilemma.  So, Texans and all Americans need to change their energy consumption habits.  This is just one of the reasons the US Green Building Council developed its benchmark Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification program.  The Dallas City Council recognized the program’s merits back in January 2003 and made a more pronounced commitment with the 2007 report.Not only are the LEED® certifications taking on energy efficiency, they help to assure employees of a healthy work environment.  Recently, not only public projects but also private developers have begun to realize the value of LEED® certification.  The program has expanded so much that now LEED® certifications carry value rewards because employees want to work in LEED® certified properties.Both new and existing buildings can apply for LEED® certification.  The process is a win-win-win scenario whereby the building, the employees and the environment benefit.

Toward a Sustainable Dallas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Plenty of environmental clean-up is on the horizon for new President Barack Obama who is stepping into the toxic waste left behind by the Bush administration.Bold strokes were taken by Obama, one of which is the capping of large giveaways of tax payer dough afforded to monolithic oil and gas companies.  Obama’s new budget suggests a limit for greenhouse emissions restricting some of the offenders from the free reign they have been rewarded with over the past decades.Furthermore, Obama’s budget invades the Yucca Mountain territory where the Bush administration turned a blind eye to loosely applied regulations and restrictions regarding the dumping of toxic and nuclear waste in Nevada.  A number of issues regarding the transport, aging and disposal of nuclear waste remain unresolved in addition to the rights of Shoshone natives who are potential victims of radioactive waste the DOE plans to dump on their land.To date, no one has specified how tons of nuclear waste is to be transported without leaving a trail of radioactive fumes throughout American air, or has anyone explained how the same toxic entrails will be permanently sealed and rendered harmless throughout the ages of relative peace or earthshaking quakes.New Funding for Transportation OptionsOn a more positive note, Obama has proposed to increase the funds for lower-carbon emitting transportation options based on sustainable energy sources such as the Dallas plan to reform their entire city fleet over to electricity-based fuel alternatives.While some are critical of Obama’s proposals and condemn his administration for omitting to address international issues that contribute to global warming, he should be commended for addressing the Americans’ own responsibility for contributions at home.  The United States is one of the foremost industrialized nations, yet it has some of more lax environmental policies for allowing greenhouse gas emissions in the world.  American deposits into the World Bank help to finance fossil fuel projects in developing countries because the US is reliant for 65 percent of its energy consumption on foreign oil.  Focusing on advancing our own technology to increase self-reliance on sustainable energy sources will go a long way toward capping global warming.Let’s clean up our own backyard.  The neighborhood will benefit.

Obama Caps Global Warming is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

At first glance, gasoline wastes a lot of energy in the form of exhaust or as wasted heat cooled by the radiator.  In addition, the engine is full of moving parts; fans, pumps and generators all require energy to give them motion.  If you take the sum of all parts, give it a numerical value, and compare it to the total amount of fuel required to move a vehicle from point A to point B, the overall efficiency of gasoline totals about twenty percent.  In other words, only 20 percent of the energy from the fuel is converted into forward momentum or mechanical movement.Batteries Use Less Energy?Conversely, a battery does not use as much energy to cool it because it does not produce as much heat as gasoline. The process of converting battery power into useable force also requires less mechanical work, making it more energy-efficient.  If we apply a numerical value to each component of the battery-generated energy required to power a vehicle, the battery achieves a victorious seventy-two percent efficiency.High-Five for Gasoline?While it may seem as though battery power is a reliable alternative energy source, looking deeper into the source of battery-generated power gives us cause for skepticism. Electricity from battery power is a stored energy source, meaning that it had to be generated elsewhere.  Most power plants generate electricity with generators driven by heat engines fueled by chemical combustion or nuclear fission.  At times, kinetic energy from flowing water, moving wind, geothermal or photovoltaic sources (solar cells) is used as an alternative to or as a support for existing combustion methods.  Using sustainable energy sources to supply the charge and to contribute the stored battery power, raises the efficiency to around 65 percent.Consider that most likely a combustion process was the generator of the stored battery power.  Combustion sources of power run at about 20 percent efficiency.  This decreases the overall efficiency of the battery to around 40 percent.  Unless you have an available source of sustainable energy such as a vast plain of Texas wind churning a multitude of turbines, the battery is only slightly more efficient than gasoline.Taking into account the expense of the changes to the infrastructure required to convert from fossil fueled to battery-powered vehicles, is it really an affordable alternative for mere 15 percent gain in efficiency?

Is Gasoline or Battery Power More Efficient? is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

A Fuel cells are a sustainable energy source.  They generate electricity without polluting the environment with exhaust or noise.  They burn clean so they don’t emit by-products that are a poison to the air and earth. By contrast, fossils fuels waste a lot of the energy they produce rendering them inefficient in the public eye.The American government, in collaboration with some private businesses and academic institutions, are laboring to develop and produce fuel cells because they have the potential to supply power for anything including toys, cars and entire buildings.How does a fuel cell create energy?A fuel cell takes stored chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy from whatever fuel you provide.  Methane or gasoline can be used, but in the pursuit of energy efficiency, hydrogen is the most popular choice.  To fuel a vehicle, the idea is to have a fuel cell that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and produces electricity in the process.  The major chemical components inside a fuel cell are electrolytes, which prevent the chemicals from reacting against each other in ways we don’t want, and electrodes, which are the controlled impulses used to produce the desired chemical reaction.Where can we get hydrogen?Hydrogen works better than other chemicals for this type of fuel cell-generated energy, except that hydrogen is not readily available.  Unfortunately, hydrogen cannot be mined nor can it be harvested from somewhere or manufactured.  Fossils fuels are more easily obtained, but the conversion process required to turn gasoline into a hydrogen-rich source is complex and would take up a lot of space underneath the hood of the vehicle.  Currently, hydrogen is more expensive to generate than fossil fuel, so most people agree that this alternative is not ideal.Are we making hydrogen fuel cells?In 2003, President Bush instigated the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (HFI).  This program is reinforced by the accompanying legislation called the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005).  Both of these movements are further buttressed by the Advanced Energy Initiative of 2006.  This mandate contains an intention to develop technology that will make hydrogen-based fuel cell production for vehicles a practical and affordable energy alternative by 2020. More than one billion dollars, so far, has been allocated to fuel cell research and development by the United States.

What is a Fuel Cell? is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Several studies have proven that sustainable energy use, water conservation, waste reduction and other efficient practices help the environment and the bottom line.  Green products and practices can bring considerable savings; not only do you save resources that might otherwise be wasted, you also save on utilities (and often because less resources are lost).

Generally, deciding that you’ll buy environmentally safe products ends at the decision; sometimes a firmer commitment is needed.  An EPA purchasing policy fulfills that needed commitment, as well as setting out standards for your company.

What is an EPA purchasing policy?
Also known as a Green purchasing policy, an EPA purchasing policy is a document that lays out what environmentally safe products your company will buy, from sustainable energy products to non-toxic pest controls.  For instance, you may decide to replace conventional paper with recycled paper.  Buying recycled paper from such-and-such a company would go into your policy.

Writing an EPA purchasing policy
A purchase policy can be as broad, or as specific, as your company needs it to be.  Here are some tips on writing your company’s EPA purchasing policy:

•    Start slow; set up test phases so any kinks can be worked out.
•    Buy the products in small amounts to make sure they meet your needs before buying them in bulk.
•    Before you establish your policy, do your research.  Make sure you know what products are available.
•    Define the reason for the policy, and what you plan to accomplish with it.  An example would be cutting back on air, land and water pollution.  Part of that might include installing a sustainable irrigation system the saves on water waste.

An EPA purchasing policy will help your business toe the environmental line, and grow the bottom line, with sustainable energy, water conservation and many other types of products.

Get Sustainable and Green with an EPA Purchasing Policy is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

The Texas Aquaculture industry is one of the major producers of fresh fish in the country.  Not only are the native seafood varieties produced in a clean aquatic environment free from water pollutants, but they are a big part of the recent economic boost in the U.S.

It is estimated that the Texas Aquaculture Association produced about 37 million pounds of seafood, bait fish and aquatic products in 2007; an output worth about 54.8 million American dollars.  This diversified operation includes water gardens, decorative tank fish and filters, stocker tilapia fingerlings, and many other products that are not included in the total pounds of fish weighed and sold.

Although the demand for shrimp has declined somewhat, the appetite for domestically bred catfish, striped bass and red drum has increased.  Examining the stock as a whole demonstrates that the overall demand for aquaculture is higher each year and consistently growing.  The projected global demand for aquaculturally raised and bred seafood is projected to increase by 70 percent over the next 30 years as the inland lake and oceanic fisheries become depleted.

Presently, more than two-thirds of American seafood is imported. Increasing the sustainable aquaculture production will boost the American economy and supply the demand for seafood with a better quality, safer and less expensive alternative for shellfish, and other tasty swimmers.
Currently, 7 million dollars worth of ornamental fish produced in Texas float in the American economy.  About 47 million dollars worth of shrimp, redfish, tilapia, channel fish, striped bass, and catfish feed the American public. In addition, another few millions worth of stocker fish, bait fish and pond filler fish flow in the waters of U.S. sporting grounds.

The Texas Aquaculture Association unites interested parties from commercial and environmental aquaculture management teams.  The TAA provides common ground for the exchange of information and a place to consolidate the expectations of federal and state regulatory agencies.

Organic Fish Found in Texas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Dining out is one of America’s favourite past-times. Sharing a festive meal at a local restaurant is a cultural norm for graduations, receptions, sporting events, family birthdays and other occasions in which a night off from cooking is a much appreciated gesture.
Aside from all the advantages of a dining experience, a few drawbacks do exist.  Every year, approximately 40 billion plastic utensils are tossed into the landfill.  Industrial-sized ovens, hot air hand dryers, food-warming lamps, ice-making machines, constantly-churning dishwashers and billions of dollars in restaurant refrigeration suck up energy across the country.
The cost of running a restaurant is exorbitant; saving valuable dollars by using a green building standard will not only save a large chunk of the environment, but it will allow restaurant owners to put more money back into their business or into the struggling economy of their community.
Cullen’s Upscale American Grille, located in downtown Houston, Texas, is a great example of green building practises.  Cullen’s has completed 17 Steps of Progress within the Green Restaurant Association Environmental Guidelines.

Among the many energy conscious decisions they have made, a few examples are:

•    replacement of all plastics with disposable cutlery made from sustainable sources such as potato or corn starch
•    elimination of Styrofoam container use
•    installation of energy efficient ovens, dishwasher, refrigerator, air conditioning, ice machine and hand dryers
•    creation of environmental curtains to contain inside temperature
•    addition of energy-saving lighting devices and programmable thermostats
•    adherence to a consistent recycling program for reusable products such as cardboard and paper
•    reduction of the amount water used to flush toilets and fill sinks

Taking the lead in environmentally-sound technology is a bold step forward.  Following a good example is wise.  Cutting energy expenditures creates a green filter; it saves the planet and money.

Greener Dining Out in Houston, Texas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Dallas, Texas is taking the latest advances in green technology very seriously.  Over the next five years, City Hall intends to grandfather out the use of plastic and paper shopping bags.  Why such a long phase-out?  People are well into the habit of assuming the bag is part of the purchase.  Moving to a bring-your-own-bag forethought is going to be quite a change for most people.

When you consider that plastic shopping bags are not solely the by-product of groceries, but also include many other items purchased from stores that sell hardware, clothing, whole foods and medical supplies, it isn’t any wonder why they are found blowing around the environment.

Green programs that require the return or exchange of plastic and paper bags are rare in the American culture.  The excess of plastic shopping bags can be found trapping fish and strangling diving birds that go for the plastic-wrapped fish.

Part of the Dallas plan to oust plastic and paper litter from the city limits includes an incentive to collect used shopping bags in return for a recyclable bag away free of charge.  For a limited time, shopping bags made of eco-friendly material will be given to consumers as a retail promotion and to increase public awareness of the harm caused by tossing away non-biodegradable materials.  Public education campaigns will focus on the benefits to the environment that using cloth bags will create.

On an average, Americans use 363 plastic bags manufactured from petroleum per person, per year.  Using paper products encourages using trees as a non-sustainable commodity.  Paper consumes 40% more energy to manufacture than plastic and is responsible for 80 % more solid wastes.

Cloth grocery bags are made from organic cotton grown in fair wage and legal labor work environments. Its design is sturdy and will support the weight of heavy cans. The hard part is going to be remembering to bring your own bag.

Greener Shopping in Dallas Texas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Almost 8 million tons of wastewater is produced in the state of Texas each year.  This includes sewage and water from residential, industrial and commercial drains.  It isn’t all bad; greener treatment of waste from toilets and sewers produces a sustainable source of compost, called dry sludge.

Sludge is a thick mud left over after bacteria have digested sewage and human wastes deposited into septic systems.  Untreated sewage contains chemical elements and toxins.  Pollutants and pesticides from run-off into open drainage grates contaminate our wastewater.  Beneficial bacteria clean and filter the sewage.  This leaves a sustainable sludge behind which is left to dry before entering any landfill or used in an application with the land.   Texas produces about 650 000 tons of environmentally-friendly, dried sludge per year.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates treatment of sewage and sludge to make it useful.  Elements such as phosphorous and nitrogen are beneficial to soil.  Sludge can also be composted with vegetation and landscape trimmings for use on golf courses, large open areas and highways.

Austin, Houston and Dallas, produce compost called, Dillo Dirt.   The program was initiated in Austin in 1989 and continues today in Houston and Dallas, as well. The municipality collects yard waste and landscape trimmings which are combined with treated with dried sludge. Dillo Dirt is free from human and plant pathogens.  They are eliminated during composting when the temperature can be as high as 130 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, the Dillo Dirt is cured, sifted and packaged.

Dillo Dirt can be used on flower or vegetable gardens, as a topsoil dressing or for any other environmentally-friendly outdoor purpose.  This fertilizer is rich, made from recyclable elements and will retain water better than regular soil, thus reducing the need for watering.

Dillo Dirt in Dallas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Choosing to operate a business devoted to wind energy production out of aged and fuel-ineffective building just didn’t make any sense to the owners of Horizon Wind Energy.  Recent green building renovations now make Horizon Wind Energy the first certified LEED building in downtown Houston.

The building, originally built in 1927, is situated centrally and amenable to public transit modes.  It is surrounded by a plethora of complimentary businesses that supply the lunchtime, pre- and post-work shopping needs of its employees.  The building offers only half the number of parking spots compared to the number of employees.  The company encourages carpooling, cycling to work and public transit options.  The parking lot securely stores bicycles and provides shower and change rooms to employees who choose to cycle to work.

Water conservation is supported by the switch to motion-sensor bathroom taps, low-flow toilets, volume options for water flushing and tap aerators on shower nozzles and faucets.  These simple changes reduce water consumption by approximately 42 percent.

Energy is saved by using compact fluorescent light bulbs. A daylight and darkness sensor built into the base of the bulb turns lights off automatically at the end of the day and on when darkness settles without the need for any other special equipment. Appliances are manufactured by Energy Star and use Green-e renewable energy credits to assist with the cost of converting traditional power to wind-generated sources.

During the transition to greener building practices, 69 percent of the construction-generated materials were reused.  The original marble flooring was removed and used to refurbish reception area furniture, counter tops and wall supports. During construction, ventilation prevented workers and employees from becoming exposed to particulate matter and contaminants from out-dated or unsafe materials. In addition, two-thirds of the new materials were manufactured locally and one hundred percent of electricity is currently taken from sustainable sources.

Horizon Wind Energy Downtown Houston, Texas is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog