Author: Stacey Hobart
Electrification Nation?
Post / July 29, 2020
Natural gas, once the darling to replace carbon-intensive coal in electricity production, is increasingly being recognized as a significant cause of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are fueling climate change. The main component of natural gas is methane, which when...
Local Governments Vote Resoundingly for Improved National Energy Codes
Post / December 20, 2019
Preliminary voting results on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) are in! The outcome of over a year of effort to update the national model energy code was released yesterday and is estimated to bring at least 10% better...
A Must Read: Landreneau’s Roadmap for Cleaner, Stronger Buildings that Help Solve the Climate Crisis
Post / October 30, 2019
Reducing carbon pollution and improving resilience in residential and commercial buildings across the United States was the topic of a House Select Committee hearing on the climate crisis last month. The hearing, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaner, Stronger Buildings,” featured...
Building Market Titans Team Up to Create a New Energy Future
Post / May 28, 2019
Earlier this month, the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii recorded carbon dioxide levels that surpassed 415 parts per million. That’s the highest level in recorded human history. As the potentially devastating impacts from carbon-fueled climate change loom, many cities and...
McDonald’s Study Explores Idea of a Net Zero Energy Quick Service Restaurant
Post / March 16, 2015
A recently released study looks at the technical and financial feasibility of achieving new net zero energy restaurants in three cities including Chicago, Illinois, Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The study, commissioned by McDonald’s Corporation, was conducted by Rocky Mountain...
Northwest cities get help from NEEA to address worst performing buildings
Post / November 20, 2014
Existing buildings with aging equipment and infrastructure represent a tremendous opportunity for energy savings. But, without a mechanism to identify inefficient buildings and prioritize budgets for upgrades, it’s difficult to know where to start. Under a pilot program, funded by...
Outcome-Base Compliance on the horizon for IgCC with electronic voting as last step
Post / October 16, 2014
Just two weeks ago code officials and government representatives from across the country gathered in Fort Lauderdale for the Final Action Hearings on the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). Most notably for the energy-related sections of this model energy code,...
Persuasive Communications and Building Codes
Post / August 6, 2014
NBI is deeply involved in energy code development in the commercial sector, including pursing an Outcome-Based Compliance Path for the 2015 IgCC. With more than half of U.S. states still with outdated building energy codes, employing the power of persuasive...
Looking Back and Forward . . . to a New Year
Post / January 1, 2014
Every so often it’s good to look back on the path you’ve been traveling to make sure you’re still headed in the right direction. So here at the end of 2013, we at NBI are reflecting on the highlights of...
Bold Action on Climate Change
Post / November 19, 2013
Just before Halloween, some big news came out and then quickly slipped back beneath the radar. It’s easy to see why: a story of government collaboration and progress could hardly be expected to grab much attention in a news cycle...