Chicago seeks private money to fund retrofits of public buildings

Drew Ballensky writes, “Chicago seeks private money to fund energy retrofits on public buildings | Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - 10:53.”

Helge: What are we doing in the field of energy efficiency in our cities?

The City of Chicago is attempting to attract private funds to pay for energy efficiency upgrades of nearly 100 public buildings. The buildings that together have more than 6.5 million square feet of space would be retrofitted at a cost of about $40 million, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.  (http://www.suntimes.com/6474753-417/rahm-emanuel-promises-to-make-buildi...)

Helge: We tend to think in terms of what is the government doing to boost investments in energy conservation and efficiency.

Projected energy savings on the city-wide retrofit program would be used to secure private financing. Annual energy savings is estimated to be $5.7 million, and the project is expected to create 375 jobs.

Helge: Is there a bigger saving potential in USA? I guess so.

The project will be modeled on the retrofit of the Richard J. Daley Center. That effort included an energy audit, followed by conservation measures including lighting upgrades, water conservation modifications to public restrooms, new boiler controls, and variable air boxes for a pair of fan systems serving the building’s first eight floors. The Daley Center upgrades have cut $600,000 from the building’s annual utility bills.

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We need to understand energy and environment better than before

Finland is an energy intensive and very northern country. There are months and times when I’d like to live in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy or Greece. South America might be a great alternative.

But, we should be speaking about energy. Finland wants more nuclear power plants. What should I say? Should I take a position “for” or “against”?

I don’t oppose nuclear power plants. I’m a pragmatic person, even though I understand the problems of nuclear waste handling. Not all the aspects of it, but it’s a problem we leave unresolved for our children.

Bioenergy is less complex. It’s a perfect distributed energy solution, but we’re not living in the villages – not even in Finland. The urban lifestyle adapts very well to large scale, centralized nuclear energy. Should we move back to the village? Many problems could be handled in a small is beautiful environment with less centralized decision making.

We’re not ready for such a change. Digital Villages might be the best thing for global development, but the concept has to be promoted much better than before.

Sustainability and energy efficiency

I'm receiving the eNewsletter Sustainable Manufacturing, because of my relationship with Plant Engineering. I learned this today:

In just a few short years, sustainability has grown from a mysterious buzzword to a full-blown business strategy.

Sustainability is a big deal. It’s more than just being energy efficient. It’s more than just recycling or making sure the lights are turned off at the end of the production day.

Sustainability is all of these characteristics and more, wrapped up into a single strategy that will help manufacturing facilities remain profitable and ensure their viability in the years and decades ahead.

Biden proposes 'Apollo Project' for energy | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register

Helge: Joe Biden is running for president. The democrat's are all about energy, global warming and renewables.

Biden proposes 'Apollo Project' for energy | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register: "Clive, Ia. — Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, in Iowa today, proposed a five-year, $50 billion 'Apollo Project' to address energy security and climate change.

The project, which will emphasize research into discovering new sources for alternative energy and developing new technologies, is comparable to America's race to the moon, Biden said.

'The innovative capacity of the United States of America is so awesome that, I predict in the next 10 years we will once again be in circles where you'll have no less light, no less heat, no less comfort in automobiles, but we're going to see technology bloom in my administration,' he said. Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware, suggested Americans would need to sacrifice to achieve the energy goals.

Helge: New energy evangelists are emerging...

'The American people consistently have hit tough spots in our development where we've had to suck in and take a hit, make some sacrifices to regenerate their intelligence capacity as well as their grit — and come back with greater independence and greater flexibility,' Biden said.

Helge: Greater independence and flexibility. "Joe Biden isn't alone in having an energy policy, all candidates have one." I learn from one of the comments.

The Apollo Project tops a $60 billion, eight-point plan the Democratic presidential candidate rolled out to supporters at his Clive headquarters. The original backdrop, a Johnston convenience store..."

Helge: Take a cyber trip to Iowa and read the whole story from Des Moines Register.

He [Joe Biden] said it’s first important to make clear that the nation is not interested in forcing a regime change in Iran but rather a change in conduct. The result would be a drop in security premiums paid for each barrel of oil shipped to the United States, he said.

Other points of the plan include:

• Restoring U.S. leadership on climate change and capping greenhouse gas emissions.
  
  
• Biden pledges to reduce emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 with a cap and trade system. He also pledges to bring developing economies of nations including China and India to sign a global climate change treaty.
  
  
• Increase fuel efficiency and use of alternative fuels Biden proposes raising fuel economy standards by one mile per gallon each year and investing in new technology such as lithium ion batteries which fuel many plug-in hybrid vehicles. He proposes requiring new vehicles to be flex-fuel capable and requiring gas station chains to sell alternative fuels.
  
  
• Invest in new energy technology
  
  
• Expand use of renewable energy
  
  
• Mandating that federal government buildings be more energy efficient and requiring the government to purchase 10 percent renewable electricity by 2010.
  
  
• Encourage Americans to use energy efficiently
  
  
• Create "green jobs" in areas of developing alternative energy