Helping Kosovo help the Dutch

Climate Change, energy efficiency, Kosovo, Public Safety, ScienceWonk Blog

In 2009 I was asked to travel to Kosovo to give a talk at a UN conference on climate change – my participation was no doubt due to some wrangling on the part of some of my former students at the American University in Kosovo since I’m not a climate scientist. I’ve got to admit [...]

The post Helping Kosovo help the Dutch appears on ScienceWonk, FAS’s blog for opinions from guest experts and leaders.

Reframing the Energy Discussion: Cubic Miles of Oil

Energy, energy efficiency, Events

In 2006, the world finally surpassed an enormous benchmark: the consumption of one cubic mile of oil each year. That’s equivalent to 1.1. trillion gallons or 26 billion barrels of oil. In the conversation surrounding energy consumption, it can be hard to keep interest and sustain any meaningful dialogue as commentators must often wade through [...]

A Guide to Better, Safer, Greener Affordable Housing

advanced building technology, energy efficiency, research

The Federation of American Scientists has just released its latest tool to improve energy efficiency, sustainability, healthfulness, and safety in the affordable housing market. In cooperation with six Habitat for Humanity affiliates from all over the U.S. and experts at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Lawrence Berkeley National [...]

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day…

energy efficiency, weatherization

Because a kilowatt saved is a penny earned. Actually, the average cost of 1 KW of electricity in the US as of September 2009 was 12.6¢. And while this figure doesn’t seem very large, all those cents add up when you consider that an average household consumes more than 34,000 KWH of electricity annually, including [...]

Buildings Energy Efficiency: A Necessary Consideration at Copenhagen

energy efficiency, Policy, Uncategorized

Over the opening days of the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations, which began this Monday, each country has been asked to consider how it can contribute to the 25-40% carbon emission reductions climate scientists believe to be necessary to keep climate change below the 2C mark. Key issues at stake for the 170 nations represented include commitments [...]

Virtual World Training for the Building Industry

advanced building technology, energy efficiency

You can meet up with friends, go shopping for high fashion clothing, browse through a fanciful New York City, and build your dream house. You can also participate in your company’s annual conference, practice patient care in an O.R., and attend a lecture by a Harvard professor. All in the Second Life virtual world. And [...]

Cool Roofs: A Big Deal

advanced building technology, energy efficiency

In the ongoing efforts to reduce our nation’s carbon output by improving the energy efficiency of our built environment, a new old idea is shaping up to be a key player: cool roofs. Used throughout the Mediterranean and tropical climates worldwide, the solar reflectance value (albedo) of a white or light-colored roof has been long [...]

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