WASHINGTON — The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RCIS) released the results of the first study on the financial performance of green office buildings that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and/or Energy Star requirements, according to Consulting-Specifying Engineer.
The 48-page report, "Doing well by doing good?" shows that tenants and investors are willing to pay more for an energy-efficient building, but not for a building advertised as sustainable, the story stated.
The estimated annual rent for a green building is approximately $329,000 higher than its non-rated counterpart, the story noted.
The value of a green building is estimated to be about $5.5 million more than the value of a comparable unrated building, the story added.
According to the article, the researchers identified a control group consisting of 7,488 commercial properties located within 1,300 feet of a LEED or Energy Star rated building for its comparison.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Custodian accused of being a bookie
METHUEN, MA — A Timony Grammar School custodian is accused of using school computers to participate in illegal gambling, according to the Eagle-Tribune.
Patrick Winn was charged with registering bets and using a telephone for gaming on March 5; he is due back in court April 15, the story stated.
According to police, there is reason to believe three Timony School computers contain evidence of Winn's illegal gambling, and they, along with another computer and several documents from Winn's home, were confiscated.
Arthur Broadhurst, Winn's attorney, said: "Pat Winn is not a bookie and they'll find that out when they've done their investigation. There's nothing on the computers. This is a wild goose chase."
Winn, who can be put on administrative leave at the discrepancy of Superintendent Jeanne Whitten, remains on the job as the investigation continues, the story noted.
Patrick Winn was charged with registering bets and using a telephone for gaming on March 5; he is due back in court April 15, the story stated.
According to police, there is reason to believe three Timony School computers contain evidence of Winn's illegal gambling, and they, along with another computer and several documents from Winn's home, were confiscated.
Arthur Broadhurst, Winn's attorney, said: "Pat Winn is not a bookie and they'll find that out when they've done their investigation. There's nothing on the computers. This is a wild goose chase."
Winn, who can be put on administrative leave at the discrepancy of Superintendent Jeanne Whitten, remains on the job as the investigation continues, the story noted.
Asbestos removal training fraud
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added Albania Deleon, former president of an asbestos removal training school, to its fugitives website after she failed to appear for her sentencing on March 23, according to a press release.
Last November, Deleon was convicted of selling certificates from Environmental Compliance Training in Methuen, MA, which shut down in May 2007, to hundreds of illegal immigrants who had not taken the mandatory training course, the release stated.
According to the release, hundreds of untrained and undocumented illegals were sent to asbestos demolition sites in Massachusetts and other New England states after filing falsified documents with the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety.
Deleon, who employed the illegals through her temporary employment agency and paid them "under the table," failed to report the employees to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and workers compensation organizations, allowing her to save more than $1 million dollars in tax and insurance payments, the release noted.
Deleon was convicted on 28 felony counts, including one count of conspiracy in making false statements, encouraging illegal aliens to reside in the U.S., and hiring illegal aliens; five counts of making false statements; sixteen counts of procuring false payroll tax returns; and six counts of mail fraud, the release added.
Any information on Deleon's whereabouts should be reported to the EPA Criminal Investigation Division office in Boston, Massachusetts, at 1-617-918-2300.
Last November, Deleon was convicted of selling certificates from Environmental Compliance Training in Methuen, MA, which shut down in May 2007, to hundreds of illegal immigrants who had not taken the mandatory training course, the release stated.
According to the release, hundreds of untrained and undocumented illegals were sent to asbestos demolition sites in Massachusetts and other New England states after filing falsified documents with the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety.
Deleon, who employed the illegals through her temporary employment agency and paid them "under the table," failed to report the employees to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and workers compensation organizations, allowing her to save more than $1 million dollars in tax and insurance payments, the release noted.
Deleon was convicted on 28 felony counts, including one count of conspiracy in making false statements, encouraging illegal aliens to reside in the U.S., and hiring illegal aliens; five counts of making false statements; sixteen counts of procuring false payroll tax returns; and six counts of mail fraud, the release added.
Any information on Deleon's whereabouts should be reported to the EPA Criminal Investigation Division office in Boston, Massachusetts, at 1-617-918-2300.
Custodians save woman from fire
EL PASO, TX — Three Northloop Elmentary School custodians were honored for saving a woman from a house fire on Monday, according to KFOX-TV.
A fire at a house across the street from Northloop Elementary began in a bedroom where a child was playing with a lighter, the story stated.
The custodians said they heard someone pleading for help and instinctively ran toward the screaming, the story added.
According to the story, the custodians had to break the bathroom window to rescue the woman who suffered minor injuries.
Rafael Camacho, Everardo Chacon and an unnamed custodian were honored at an assembly by students, staff and the El Paso Fire Department with certificates of bravery, the story noted.
A fire at a house across the street from Northloop Elementary began in a bedroom where a child was playing with a lighter, the story stated.
The custodians said they heard someone pleading for help and instinctively ran toward the screaming, the story added.
According to the story, the custodians had to break the bathroom window to rescue the woman who suffered minor injuries.
Rafael Camacho, Everardo Chacon and an unnamed custodian were honored at an assembly by students, staff and the El Paso Fire Department with certificates of bravery, the story noted.
Wausau Paper mill fire ignited by dust
MIDDLETOWN, OH — A small fire at a Wausau Paper mill Tuesday night started due to excessive dust buildup on a machine, according to the Middletown Journal.
By the time Middletown firefighters arrived at the 700 Columbia Avenue mill, employees had already extinguished the blaze, the story stated.
In the short 34 minutes firefighters were at the scene, they checked all of the equipment to ensure the fire was out and another would not ignite, the story noted.
Though there was a small amount of smoke, there was no damage and the mill was not evacuated, the story added.
By the time Middletown firefighters arrived at the 700 Columbia Avenue mill, employees had already extinguished the blaze, the story stated.
In the short 34 minutes firefighters were at the scene, they checked all of the equipment to ensure the fire was out and another would not ignite, the story noted.
Though there was a small amount of smoke, there was no damage and the mill was not evacuated, the story added.
Thieving house cleaner pleads guilty
GARDNERVILLE, CA — A cleaning lady pleaded guilty to theft after she was discovered to have stolen several items from houses she cleaned, according to the Record-Courier.
Stacia Boddy, who faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, stole jewelry while she was contracted to clean houses by Merry Maids, and then sold the items to a Nevada pawn shop, the story stated.
Boddy claims she stole and pawned the jewelry for money to pay her bills, the story noted.
Boddy said: "I was getting garnished at work. It’s just me and my 5-year-old son."
The jewelry was recovered and returned to its respective owners, the story added.
According to the story, the pawn shop is out the $775 it paid Boddy for the items.
Stacia Boddy, who faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, stole jewelry while she was contracted to clean houses by Merry Maids, and then sold the items to a Nevada pawn shop, the story stated.
Boddy claims she stole and pawned the jewelry for money to pay her bills, the story noted.
Boddy said: "I was getting garnished at work. It’s just me and my 5-year-old son."
The jewelry was recovered and returned to its respective owners, the story added.
According to the story, the pawn shop is out the $775 it paid Boddy for the items.
Hospitals advised against green cleaning
OTTAWA, ON, Canada — The Quebec Health Ministry recently issued a warning to hospitals urging them to ensure that products marketed as environmentally friendly will effectively clean surfaces and keep patients safe and protected, according to the National Post.
Experts warn that many manufacturers are marketing products that are simply diluted versions of traditional chemicals that are often ineffective in combating infections that sicken thousands of patients a year.
There is a growing fear that ineffective green products are making hospitals more susceptible to pathogens like Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and norovirus, the story stated.
Syed Sattar, a microbiologist at the University of Ottawa who specializes in disinfectants, said: "What that does is gives the infection-control professional, the people on the front-line in hospitals, a certain false sense of security. [Custodians and administrators] are all busy individuals and don't have either the time or deeper understanding to be able to look at the product label or brochure to decipher what exactly it is saying or not saying."
According to the story, the drive to make cleaners more environmentally friendly is an important one; however, increased care and vigilance is needed to ensure the right green products are used.
Health Canada, in an effort to end the confusion over the efficacy of green cleaners and to eliminate greenwashing, is planning to mandate more stringent testing, the story noted.
Hospitals are urged to do their research and test new products on the small-scale before they are widely utilized throughout the entire facility, the story added.
Experts warn that many manufacturers are marketing products that are simply diluted versions of traditional chemicals that are often ineffective in combating infections that sicken thousands of patients a year.
There is a growing fear that ineffective green products are making hospitals more susceptible to pathogens like Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and norovirus, the story stated.
Syed Sattar, a microbiologist at the University of Ottawa who specializes in disinfectants, said: "What that does is gives the infection-control professional, the people on the front-line in hospitals, a certain false sense of security. [Custodians and administrators] are all busy individuals and don't have either the time or deeper understanding to be able to look at the product label or brochure to decipher what exactly it is saying or not saying."
According to the story, the drive to make cleaners more environmentally friendly is an important one; however, increased care and vigilance is needed to ensure the right green products are used.
Health Canada, in an effort to end the confusion over the efficacy of green cleaners and to eliminate greenwashing, is planning to mandate more stringent testing, the story noted.
Hospitals are urged to do their research and test new products on the small-scale before they are widely utilized throughout the entire facility, the story added.
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