California adopts mandatory green building standard

SACRAMENTO — California has become the first state in the nation to adopt a mandatory green building standard — CALGREEN — requiring all new buildings to be more energy efficient and environmentally responsible, according to a press release.

According to the release, the California Building Standards Commission unanimously adopted CALGREEN, comprised of comprehensive regulations to achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and water use, to go into effect January 2011.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said: "The code will help us meet our goals of curbing global warming and achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 and promotes the development of more sustainable communities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency in every new home, office building or public structure."

California property owners will be able to label their facilities as CALGREEN-compliant after passing a state building inspection, the release added.

Prior to the adoption of CALGREEN, six environmental and non-profit certification groups — including the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council — wrote a letter opposing the proposed code, saying it would be "a setback for California's leadership on green building," according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to the story, more than 200 architects, engineers and builders e-mailed Schwarznegger in opposition of the CALGREEN label, saying it is less thorough than third-party certifications would be open to conflicting interpretations and be unenforceable by local building inspectors.

Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), said that while CALGREEN might not be as thorough as third-party systems, "it is a heck of a lot better than anything we have now."

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Students and staff help save janitor’s life

SAGINAW, MI — Members of the Martin G. Atkins Elementary School staff are credited with helping save custodian Fred Cruz's life earlier this week, according to the Saginaw News.

Students on the way to Martin G. Atkins Elementary School found Cruz lying on his back near the entrance incapacitated with the motor of the snowblower he was operating still running, the story stated.

After students notified staff members of the incident, Cruz was quickly brought into the building and had cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed on him, the story noted.

Martin G. Atkins Elementary School Principal Chuck Lesser said: "They thought he slipped and fell and they were expecting him to get back up, but when he didn't get back up, they notified [school employee] Pam Brill, who paged me. We followed the directions that came with the automated external defibrillator (AED), and we shocked [Cruz's chest] with it, and then myself and several staff members started performing CPR."

Cruz, who was in critical condition at the time of press, is being treated at Covenant HealthCare's Cooper Campus for an apparent heart attack, the story added.

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Couple sues hotel after contracting Legionnaires' disease

MCHENRY, IL – Albert and Judith Kooi of Allegan County, Michigan, filed a lawsuit last week against the McHenry Hampton Inn for an unnamed amount of damages after the husband contracted Legionnaires' disease after using the hot tub in May 2008, according to the Northwest Herald.

According to the story, officials from the State Health Department had samples taken from the spa in May of 2008 that tested positive for the bacteria and the hotel subsequently had the spa drained and cleaned.

Legionnaires' disease, which is contracted after breathing mist or vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria, has pneumonia-like symptoms that can be treated in most cases with antibiotics, the story stated.

The lawsuit alleges that Albert Kooi incurred medical bills for treatment and suffered pain and mental anguish, the story added.

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Irish hospital uses copper to combat MRSA

MULLINGAR, Ireland — St. Francis Private Hospital is the first in the world to use copper doorknobs to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other infectious "superbugs," according to the Irish Independent.

According to the story, Noeleen Sheridan, general manager of the hospital, decided to install over 100 doorknobs after a University Hospital Birmingham study that copper on surfaces could reduce contamination by 90 to 100 percent.

Sheridan said: "Our decision to specify anti-microbial copper products is based on this conviction and the compelling evidence from the Birmingham clinical trial."

A spokesperson for the Health Service Executive said that it will consider the merits of copper surfaces — as it does with any health technology innovation — in due course, the story added.

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College arts building certified LEED Gold

ALBANY, NY — The Massry Center for the Arts, the newly constructed 46,000-square-foot building at The College of Saint Rose, has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to the Times Union.

According to the story, the building is 48 percent more energy efficient than a conventional building, and has such green features as geothermal heating, recycled building materials and automatic dimming lights.

State Assemblyman Jack McEneny said: "This is a building that every day, like the college itself, teaches us what the future can be."

The cost of the construction was $14 million, and the The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority contributed about $150,000 towards the geothermal system, the story added.

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Purdue receives grant towards building performance research center

LAFAYETTE, IN — Purdue University has received a $12 million federal grant towards the creation of the Center for High Performance Buildings, according to Journal & Courier.

According to the story, the building, which will replace the 50-year-old Herrick Labs, will cost $23.5 million to construct.

James Braun, a mechanical engineering professor at Purdue, said: "It is really a center that would have faculty from architectural engineering, mechanical engineering, human response and other areas."

Buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of the energy use, 71 percent of electricity consumption and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions nationwide, the story added.

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Burj Khalifa to use sustainable facility management

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest and arguably most technically advanced building, will utilize ProTeus, a facility maintenance manage system developed by Eagle Technology, integrated with Johnson Controls Inc. building management system Metasys to oversee all maintenance of the massive structure, according to a press release.

According to the release, the system will track the maintenance needs and costs, including parts and labor spent on the facility and its equipment.

This tracking system will lead to more energy efficient maintenance as well as lower operating costs, the release stated.

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