The ISO is considering a tool developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to gauge energy consumption and CO2 emissions in homes and offices across the world. The Common Carbon Metric (CCM) - developed by UNEP's Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative - could form the basis for a new international standard for measuring the environmental performance of existing buildings.
The first release of the Climate Bond Standard will now cover not only corporate bonds, but also project development bonds and bonds issued by securitization vehicles, according to organizing body the Climate Bonds Initiative.
The EcoLogo certification program has released its newly revised environmental standard for hard surface cleaners. EcoLogo says the new standard limits products containing chemicals known to trigger or aggravate asthma, and excludes substances that are harmful to humans or the environment. These include ammonia, formaldehyde and phthalates.
The New York Palace, a Manhattan luxury hotel, recently achieved a 4 Green Key rating, confirming its leadership and commitment to protecting the environment, according to Healthy Buildings, a company that facilitated sustainability practices for the hotel. The Palace uses 100 per cent renewable energy, donates untouched food and gently used amenities such as soap, recycles material, and composts food scraps.
Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building, last month earned LEED platinum status, making it the world’s tallest green building, CrazyEngineers.com said. The 101-story structure located in Taipei, Taiwan, has undergone energy efficiency upgrades to its heating, cooling and ventilation systems and other renovations, which also qualifies it as the largest scale building (148,645 cubic meters) with platinum status.
A three-judge appeals court panel on Wednesday ruled that the Florida Water Environment Association Utility Council and the South Florida Water Management District did not demonstrate that they would be injured by the EPA consent decree requiring Florida to adopt federal agency-developed numeric nutrient criteria for its waterways, The Associated Press said. At the same time, Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials conducted a public meeting on its proposed nutrient criteria, which the EPA still may accept.
According to The Associated Press, four environmental groups have asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought by businessman Rod Lueck, the American Tradition Institute and the American Tradition Partnership over Colorado’s renewable energy standard. The law requires larger utilities to tap more renewable sources of energy by 2020. The groups say the plaintiffs don’t have standing to sue.
