Energy Priorities [Podcasts]

Green Events: Setting the Standards and Looking Ahead - Building Priorities Briefing

Thu, 21 May 2009 07:56:51 -0800

Even if your company is environmentally responsible, planning your annual meeting or sales conference pressures you to make compromises. Experts at GMIC, USGBC and the 2010 Olympic Committee share the philosophies that guide them through those decisions. If you've heard enough ideas like compostable utensils and web conferencing, this month's briefing will give you some fresh new perspectives to consider. (podcast)

Van Jones on the Green Recovery - Building Priorities Briefing

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:43:00 -0800

In this month's briefing: Denis Du Bois grabs his ever-ready shovel -- and microphone -- and digs into the subject of the green recovery. Interview with Van Jones, the founder and president of Green for All, recipient of several awards for leadership in human rights, and author of the book "The Green Collar Economy." (podcast)

Greenbuild 2008 - Building Priorities Briefing

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:48:53 -0800

GREENBUILD 2008 -- In this month's special-edition briefing: the Greenbuild Int'l Conference and Expo is the world's biggest event on sustainability in the built environment. Global economic conditions and the elections made this a very interesting year for the conference. (podcast) (photos)

Brian Nattrass: How To Dance with the Tiger of Sustainability

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:19:42 -0800

Dr. Brian Nattrass is the author of "Dancing with the Tiger" and other books on sustainable business practices. He's best known for his consulting work on sustainability with high-profile clients like Nike, Starbucks and the US Army. Nattrass spoke to a business audience in Seattle recently, at a green business summit organized by the Puget Sound Business Journal. (podcast)

Sustainable Industries Economic Forum in Seattle

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:43:52 -0800

The shaky economy is casting dark shadows on the viability of initiatives toward environmental and social responsibility. Shining a light into the green business future is the goal of the Sustainable Industries Economic Forums. They're a series of meetings in west-coast cities, most recently here in Seattle on November 5, 2008. (podcast)

Sustainable Urban Development - Building Priorities Briefing

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:39:40 -0800

Denis Du Bois briefs us on his trip to Canada where he spent two days exploring sustainable building and urban design strategies at Dockside Green, the University of British Columbia, and the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver BC. (podcast) (photos)

U.S. Utilities Apply What They Learn from Germany's Solar Successes

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:16:17 -0800

SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL 2008 -- There's no doubt the U.S. stands to learn a lot from the EU experience with solar -- particularly Germany's successes. But are we applying what we're learning? Denis Du Bois interviews Kimberly Harris, Chief Resource Officer for Puget Sound Energy in Seattle. Harris had just come back from the SEPA Germany fact-finding trip that Julia Hamm referred to in her conference keynote. (podcast)

Solar Power Intl 2008 Observations

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:02:18 -0800

SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL 2008 -- The Solar Power International conference sold out. Again. And once again the line-up of speakers was first class. They included California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and General Wesley Clark. Celebrities aside, this conference -- the industry's largest -- gave us an annual glimpse into the business of solar. Denis Du Bois talks about the show with CalCEF Clean Energy Angel Fund Manager Matt Lecar. (podcast)

Smart Buildings: Interview with Jim Sinopoli - Building Priorities Briefing

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:15:57 -0800

The technologies that make a building "smart" come at a cost, and as much as we hear about saving energy to save the planet, building owners still manage by financial metrics. Jim Sinopoli led the Smart Buildings track at ConnectivityWeek 2008, including a session on the ROI of enterprise energy management. This interview between Denis Du Bois and Jim Sinopoli is the second in a series of podcasts from the ConnectivityWeek 2008 conference. (podcast)

Wireless Smart Buildings: Interview with Bob Heile, ZigBee Alliance - Building Priorities Briefing

Wed, 21 May 2008 16:21:19 -0800

Denis Du Bois interviewed ZigBee Alliance Chairman Bob Heile at ConnectivityWeek 2008. ZigBee is an open protocol for wireless communications for building-automation sensors and controls. The Alliance is a group of vendors who align themselves with the ZigBee protocol. Heile led a track at ConnectivityWeek -- one session was on ZigBee in commercial buildings, and another was on the role of ZigBee in smart energy.

Lower Solar Cost and Higher Efficiency is "Gift from the Sun"

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:16:37 -0800

Suniva's investors have put US $55 million of venture capital into a startup whose technology promises to achieve high efficiencies with low-cost monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Denis Du Bois interviews founder and solar pioneer Ajeet Rohatgi about the future of the PV industry and the meaning of his company's name. (podcast)

The Meaning of Zero Energy and Carbon Neutral Buildings

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:31:25 -0800

Energy Minute: As we go from discussing energy efficient buildings, to zero-energy and zero-carbon buildings, the definitions steadily become less clear. What exactly to the terms "Zero Energy" and "Carbon Neutral" mean when applied to buildings? (podcast)

Three Buildings Net Zero Energy - Building Priorities Briefing

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:12:08 -0800

We explore three commercial buildings without power bills, and contrast the many meanings of "zero" in energy and carbon. First, a commercial building proven to be zero energy -- and then some. In the first 12 months after construction, this building produced more energy than it consumed. Then we learn about two more buildings presented in the ZEB session at Globe last month. The Energy Minute is about the meaning of zero: What should be counted when designating a building "net zero energy" or "zero carbon"? In the Program Notes we have photos and links to more information for those of you who are researching the net-zero option for your own buildings. (podcast) (photo)

Sentient Building Marks Major Advance in Artificial Intelligence: Exclusive Interview

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:16:06 -0800

CHICAGO, April 1, 2008 -- Remember the turn of the 21st century, when intelligent buildings were at the bleeding edge of technology? Now, artificial intelligence is out of the lab and headed for a building near you. Buildings have literally taken on a life of their own and today, the first of April, the first sentient building opened in Chicago Illinois. Denis Du Bois interviews Cornice Leed, the brains of the new Gore Tower office building in the Windy City. (podcast) (transcript)

Biomass for Central Heat

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:31:10 -0800

Energy Minute: Biomass is slowly gaining popularity for space heat -- in part because it's a renewable energy source, and in part because it's less expensive to operate than a conventional furnace. (podcast)