Sustainability101 Blog

Monthly Archives: October 2013

Two-Week Extension To Apply For ENERGY STAR Certification

With the federal government shutdown over, access to the EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool is now restored. The deadline to apply for 2013 ENERGY STAR certification has been extended. Commercial buildings now have until Wednesday, December 4 to apply. Read the ENERGY STAR notice here. Access to Great Forest’s Sustainability Metrics platform and Utility … Continue reading Two-Week Extension To Apply For ENERGY STAR Certification →

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Are You Ready For America Recycles Day 2013?

Thousands of recycling events are held across the country around November 15 each year to mark America Recycles Day. Want to get people talking about your organization’s recycling? Try creating a big statement in the lobby (like this recycling structure on the left), or organize a small educational event just for your office. You can even do something as simple as sharing … Continue reading Are You Ready For America Recycles Day 2013? →

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Time to Recertify Your LEED Building?

Is your LEED status about to expire?  For a small but growing number of buildings, the answer is Yes. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED: EB O&M) requires recertification every five years. Recertification takes about a year to complete so if your building obtained LEED on or before 2009, it is time to start the process. … Continue reading Time to Recertify Your LEED Building? →

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NYC’s Food Waste Challenge Enters Next Phase – Data Collection

This month, Great Forest participated in a waste audit of ten restaurants that are part of NYC’s Food Waste Challenge to collect data that will give the city a better idea of how the program is making a difference as part of PlaNYC 2030. Great Forest has been advising the NYC Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and … Continue reading NYC’s Food Waste Challenge Enters Next Phase – Data Collection →

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New Composting Facilities Expected in MD, MA, NJ

The nation’s composting infrastructure will increase by 2015 when a new facility opens in Maryland, with plans for more in Freeport, Massachusetts and Northern New Jersey. The Peninsula Compost Group announced last month that they are building a new commercial composting facility in Prince George County, Maryland. Located in an old gravel pit, it will … Continue reading New Composting Facilities Expected in MD, MA, NJ →

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Custom Metrics Can Track And Consolidate Over 300 Utility Accounts

Great Forest has recently built another custom metrics site for a hospitality client with multiple locations in the greater New York area. Our proprietary Utility Tracking System (UTS) tracks energy use and price in one convenient platform. With consumption and cost figures together, UTS enables you to budget future fiscal year energy costs with greater … Continue reading Custom Metrics Can Track And Consolidate Over 300 Utility Accounts →

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Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems: A Cushion Against Disasters like Hurricane Sandy?

If buildings affected by hurricane Sandy and other disasters had solar thermal hot water systems, they might have stood a better chance of not losing all of their domestic hot water service. This was particularly the case with electric and oil-fired systems, where deliveries were severely interrupted. With a range of incentives encouraging the switch … Continue reading Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems: A Cushion Against Disasters like Hurricane Sandy? →

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Q&A: Which is a Better Environmental Choice for my Building: Electric Hand Dryers or Paper Towels?

While electric hand dryers and paper towels both come with environmental costs, there appears to be a clear winner in this debate: hand dryers. Electric hand dryers, especially the latest technology dryers that are 1,600 watts or less, have significantly less environmental impact over their lifetime than the use of paper towels during that period … Continue reading Q&A: Which is a Better Environmental Choice for my Building: Electric Hand Dryers or Paper Towels? →

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Best Recycling Videos: 30-Second Tip – What Type of Paper Can be Recycled?

Share these fun, 30-second animated videos with your staff and tenants to get your green messages across. Then let us know what other video tips you would like to see. Here is how to correct one of the most common recycling mistakes. VIDEO: Recycling Tip #11 – What type of paper can be recycled? Related:  30-Second Video Tip: … Continue reading Best Recycling Videos: 30-Second Tip – What Type of Paper Can be Recycled? →

This entry was posted in Recycling, Composting, Waste, Videos. Bookmark the permalink.

Best Recycling Videos: 30-Second Tip – Flatten Cardboard

Share these fun, 30-second animated videos with your staff and tenants to get your green messages across. Then let us know what other video tips you would like to see. Here is how to correct one of the most common recycling mistakes. If you solve this easy-to-fix problem, you might be able to improve your recycling program! VIDEO: … Continue reading Best Recycling Videos: 30-Second Tip – Flatten Cardboard →

This entry was posted in All, Recycling, Composting, Waste, Videos. Bookmark the permalink.

UPDATE: Government Shutdown Over – Access to Portfolio Manager to be Restored

Notification to current Benchmarking clients:   UPDATE Oct 17, 2013:  The federal government shutdown is over.  Access to the EPA’s Energy StarPortfolio Manager or archived data should soon be restored.  ## The EPA will not provide access to Energy StarPortfolio Manager or archived data during the federal government shutdown. Message on site: “The federal government is currently … Continue reading UPDATE: Government Shutdown Over – Access to Portfolio Manager to be Restored →

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