sustainability

Sustainability Shines Bright At First USGBC West Michigan Region Annual Awards

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 Story by Robert Mattler, JD LLM LEED AP BD&C

– Photos Courtesy of West Michigan United States Green Building Counsel

On Thursday, November 8, 2018 at The Ballroom at McKay Towers in downtown Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Chapter of the United States Green Building Council held their Annual Party and First Leadership Awards Ceremony for both members and guests.  The event honored individuals and corporations for their achievements to bring healthier, more sustainable buildings to Michigan communities.  More on that later. 
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City Of Detroit Encourages Your Input On Sustainability Program

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We are collecting demographic information to ensure that we have a representative sample of Detroit residents, reflective of the multiple forms of diversity in our city. No information collected will be shared at the individual level.

Please join us at COURB.CO/DETROIT to stay involved throughout the whole process.

We are excited to hear from you,
Joel Howrani Heeres
Director, Office of Sustainability
Office of the Mayor
City of Detroit

For more information on how we define sustainability, visit detroitmi.gov/sustainability.

Event Highlights Sustainability and Economic Development

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Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss recently launched Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) at a gathering of community leaders. PACE is a new and innovative option for financing energy-saving building upgrades.

 
Mayor Bliss noted: “We strive to be the greenest city in this country and our goal is to get to 100% renewable energy by 2025. The entire community is committed to being environmentally sustainable and PACE is a great tool to work towards that goal.” 


There is a growing need for building efficiency upgrades. The average U.S. building is over 50 years old and wastes 30% of consumed energy. PACE upgrades help reduce waste through improved lighting, energy efficient heating and air conditioning, high-efficiency appliances, renewable and alternative energy sources such as solar and geothermal, and building envelope improvements. In addition to saving energy, PACE upgrades frequently result in increased worker productivity by providing more comfortable working environments.
 
Congratulations to Mayor Bliss on a successful launch of Property Assessed Clean Energy and for recognizing the key role it will play in the “greening” of Grand Rapids.

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4 OUTSTANDING COMPANIES CHOSEN BY MILLENNIAL EXPERTS RECEIVE A PIECE OF DETROIT’S HISTORY AT NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

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GreeningDetroit.comThe Atrium Stage at Cobo Hall gained attention at noon on Education Day at the North American International Auto Show as GreeningDetroit.com’s Transport Innovation Team revealed their 2017 Innovation Awards.

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Overview of New Classes of Refrigerants Offered at ASHRAE 2017 Winter Conference

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More than 160 refrigerants are maintained under ASHRAE’s refrigerant classification standard, and that list continues to grow as the industry’s need for new refrigerants increases.
A review of the new classes of lower global-warming potential (GWP) refrigerants within the context of legacy refrigerants and the forces that drive the development of new refrigerants is the focus of a new educational course from ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI).

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Oakland County Beer Distributor Uses PACE For Groundbreaking Project

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newman-logoPowers Distributing, a beer distributor in Orion Township, Michigan, teamed up with Newman Consulting Group, Lean & Green Michigan, and Michigan Solar Solutions to complete Michigan’s first refinanced PACE project (Property Assessed Clean Energy). The groundbreaking project opens the door for additional energy efficiency financing in Orion Township and elsewhere. Project Highlights:

—First PACE project in Oakland County

—First ‘Refinance’ PACE project in Michigan

—First Beer Distributor in USA to finance energy efficiency with PACE

“Clean, renewable energy has evolved from being just a good idea to being proven business strategy,” said Gary Thompson, Powers’ chief operating officer. Thompson and Powers’ staff welcomed Orion Township officials and environmental professionals to their Orion Township headquarters on January 20, to celebrate the announcement. Guests learned about the company’s ongoing environmental efforts while gaining insight into how other businesses can use PACE financing. More

#DetroitRising Expands It’s Awareness For The Community Listing Statements and BIO’s Of It’s Speakers 

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GreeningDetroit.com

On Tuesday, January 26, 2016, #DetroitRising and Microsoft are hosting an initial one-day summit to discuss and brainstorm solutions to some of the most pressing challenges confronting Detroit neighborhoods.

The agenda is based on the Rockefeller Foundation’s and ARUP’s “City Resilience Framework” and “Social Innovation Lab Guide,” which use a whole system approach for guiding social innovation in cities. Our primary goal is to identify the next steps for Detroit’s communities and obtain commitments from individuals and groups to ensure those next steps are taken.

#DetroitRising will bring leaders and decision-makers from all sectors of society together to transform Detroit into a resilient city to discuss some of the current challenges facing Detroit communities and brainstorm innovative solutions. We believe this transformation needs to begin in our neighborhoods. We are inviting you to join a community discussion to recognize the important work already being done in Detroit’s communities, as well as identify work that still needs to take place. We hope to generate practical solutions to accelerate social innovation, equity, and empowerment within our neighborhoods. More

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