Greetings and welcome to the December 2008 edition of the Sustainable Facility eNews.

Approaching the dawn of 2009 marks a year of change for our country on a scale the likes of which we've never seen before. As evident from the host of year-end Perspectives included in our Only Online Web exclusive section at www.SustainableFacility.com , I'm not the only one who feels that 2008 has been a banner year for green buildings. Initiatives underway within the high-performance sector are seemingly pointed in the right direction; people are now more aware of the need for green operating procedures than ever. 

The December print issue is Sustainable Facility's GREEN Book; our annual directory of companies that provide green building products and services. Make sure to watch your mailbox for this great resource as you gear up toward 2009. You can also learn more at www.SustainableFacility.com/greenbook.
Thanks for reading.

Happy Holidays to you & yours.

Joseph H. Mayton III, Editor 

For more news, visit www.SustainableFacility.com.

FMLink, BOMA International, USGBC and AFE Release Energy-Savings Survey Results
Washington, D.C. - According to a new survey published by FMLink, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Association for Facility Engineers (AFE), more and more facility managers are implementing re-commissioning and energy audits to measure and improve their building's energy performance. more

GEI Announces Initiation of its Comprehensive Product Emissions Standard for Indoor Products
Atlanta - The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) announced initiation of its comprehensive product emissions standard for indoor products. Indoor air is known to be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. The majority of indoor pollutants, particularly VOCs, originate from the building materials, finishes and furnishings that are used to construct, furnish and operate homes and buildings. more

LEED 2009 Passes Member Ballot
Boston / Washington, D.C. - LEED 2009, the long-awaited update to the internationally recognized LEED green building certification program, has passed member ballot, and will be introduced in 2009 as the next major evolution of the existing LEED rating systems for commercial buildings. It includes a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes. more

EMerge Alliance Launched to Create New Standard for Power Distribution and Device Control in Commercial Buildings
San Ramon, Calif. - In a move aimed at increasing the flexibility, efficiency and sustainability of commercial buildings, the EMerge Alliance will lead the creation and deployment of a new power, control and device-level technology standard for commercial interiors, developed around the use of safe, low-voltage direct-current (DC) power. more

ED+C and Sustainable Facility Announce Winners of 2008 Readers' Choice Awards Competition
Troy, Mich. - Environmental Design + Construction (ED+C) and Sustainable Facility announced the winners of the first annual Readers' Choice Awards. The online contest gave both manufacturers and readers the opportunity to showcase and vote for, respectively, the crème de la crème of green building products that best combine sustainable attributes with ease of use and installation. Readers visited the site to cast their vote for their favorite green products. more

ASHRAE Opens Green Building Standard Committee to New Membership
Atlanta - As ASHRAE, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) move forward in developing the nation's first standard for high-performance, green commercial buildings, membership on the committee developing the standard is being reconstituted. more

Poll: Only 4 Percent of U.S. Adults Know That Buildings Are Leading Source of U.S. GHG Emissions
San Rafael, Calif. - According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), buildings are the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, but in a new poll conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by Autodesk, Inc., only 4 percent of U.S. adults were aware of this fact.  more

Carlisle Energy Services and Solyndra, Inc. to Deliver Photovoltaic Systems
Carlisle, Pa. - Carlisle Energy Services, a newly formed division of Carlisle Construction Materials and manufacturer of energy-efficient single-ply roofing systems, announced it has signed a long-term sales contract worth up to $320M with Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops. more

Companies Increase Focus on Energy and Sustainability to Reduce Costs
Atlanta - Corporate real estate (CRE) executives are less likely to be willing to pay a premium for green office space than they were a year ago, even though more of them see energy and sustainability as a business priority, according to a new survey conducted by CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle. Of more than 400 CRE executives surveyed, 69 percent said sustainability is a critical business issue for their real estate departments. more

Emerson Network Power Advances Energy Logic Strategy; Focus on Calculating Data Center Energy Efficiency
Columbus, Ohio - An industry-wide measure of data center efficiency is a critical next step in addressing IT energy consumption, according to a new white paper issued by Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson. more

ISO Guide to Help Reduce Environmental Impacts of Products
Geneva, Switzerland - ISO has published an updated edition of its guide to reducing the potential environmental impact of products by taking environmental aspects into account in product standards. more

For more product information, visit www.SustainableFacility.com.

High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis System
Chicago - Heeding the call of foodservice operators to provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration system, Everpure, LLC's MRS-Envi-RO 600 High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis System reduces water waste and consumes less energy, while still providing high-quality, premium water, the company reports, leading to reduced costs and increased efficiency. On average, four gallons of water are wasted for every one gallon that is produced with traditional RO systems. According to the company, Everpure's new MRS-Envi-RO system produces only one gallon of water waste for every four gallons of pure product water produced. Additionally, due to its compact design, the MRS-Envi-RO takes up limited space. www.everpure.com.   

Cork Oak Flooring Receives GREENGUARD Certification
Hanover, Md. - The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has recently awarded five product lines of Wicanders Cork Oak Floors with its GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified product performance certification. Amorim Revestimentos has been involved in the cork industry for more than 130 years, and is the manufacturer of Wicanders Cork Oak Floors. According to the company, Amorim's cork products represent a unique balance between the creation of wealth and the protection of the environment and Wicanders products retain the CO₂ that would otherwise contribute to global warming.  www.wicanders.com.  

Addressable Fire Alarm Panels Offer Speed and Economic Efficiencies
Northford, Conn. - Fire-Lite Alarms, part of the Honeywell Fire Systems Group, has enhanced two of its most popular addressable fire alarm control panels, the MS-9200UDLS and MS-9600UDLS. According to the company, both panels offer faster polling speeds and support lower-cost wire and annunciation devices. Both Fire-Lite panels come packaged complete with a DACT (digital alarm communications transmitter) with USB port that enables the upload and download of panel information over phone lines. The DACT's enhanced design makes it more compatible with today's phone lines, given the telecommunications industry's movement from copper wire to fiber. www.firelite.com.