Merkley Co-Sponsors Building Star Legislation

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has co-sponsored legislation which is intended to create jobs by promoting the installation of energy efficient renovations in commercial and multi-family buildings. Building Star, which is similar to the residential program Home Star, would utilize a combination of rebates, low-interest loans and federal funds to encourage the renovations. Read the entire story, including a link to a "white paper" about the proposed program, by clicking here.

Mystery Box

Bloom Energy, the highly secretive Silicon Valley start-up, has after eight years of design and testing unveiled its sole product, the Bloom Box. The Bloom Box generates power from oxygen and a wide range of fuels, is said to be clean and safe, and a Bloom Box the size of a loaf of bread can produce sufficient energy to power the average home. There has been a large amount of hype surrounding this product, which is hailed by some as a "game changer." However, questions remain as to the affordability and practical application of the Bloom Box.
More information here, here, and here. Live blogging updates of the unveiling here.

New Commercial Green Building Code

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers has published the nation’s first code-intended commercial green building standard – Standard 189.1. The standard covers many of the topic areas important to green building rating systems: site sustainability, water use efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and the building’s impact on the surrounding environment. Unlike voluntary green building rating systems, Standard 189.1 is primarily intended to be adopted by regulatory authorities to provide mandatory requirements for all commercial buildings within a particular jurisdiction. The standard was developed in partnerships with the Illuminating Engineering Society and the U.S. Green Building Council. The extent to which regulatory authorities will adopt Standard 189.1 remains to be seen. More information is available at: www.ashrae.org/greenstandard.

Pond Water Can Fuel Jets?

The U.S. military can produce algae-based jet fuel. The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) developed process of converting algae into fuel has many potential military and private applications. Mass production is said to be months away.
Full article is here.

Ground Mounting in Gresham

In a move seldom seen in urban areas due to space limitations, the City of Gresham installs ground mount solar panels at its wastewater treatment facility. This is believed to be the largest ground mount solar plant in the Pacific Northwest. Read the entire story here.

Cap-and-Trade Off?

In its most recent budget, the Obama administration has removed all projected revenue from a cap-and-trade system between 2012 and 2019. Prior budgets had forecast $646 billion in such revenue.

The revised budget seems to reflect the current uncertainty surrounding whether the Waxman Markey bill, passed by the House of Representatives last year, can get Senate approval without jettisoning the bill’s cap-and-trade provisions. As reported here, the administration is still actively pursuing a deficit-neutral comprehensive energy policy.

New Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirement for Residential Sales and Rentals

Oregon House Bill 3450 prohibits transferring title to a residential dwelling that has a carbon monoxide source (coal, kerosene, wood, petroleum products such as oil, propane, and natural gas, or other carbon monoxide producing fuels), unless equipped with a carbon monoxide alarm. This includes fireplaces and wood stoves. Seller's property disclosure statement will be required to include information related to carbon monoxide alarms. A purchaser aggrieved by a violation may bring an individual action to recover the greater of actual damages or $250 per residential unit and the court may award attorneys' fees to the prevailing party.

The bill also prohibits landlords from renting out a dwelling unit that has a carbon monoxide source or is located in a structure that has a carbon monoxide source, unless the dwelling unit is equipped with a carbon monoxide alarm. If the landlord does not comply, the rental unit will be considered "uninhabitable" under ORS 90.320 and tenant may avail herself of the associated remedies (including, depending on the circumstances, demanding landlord remediation, termination, rental offset and/or damages).

The new law applies to conveyances recorded on or after April 1, 2011 and rental agreements on or after July 1, 2010. The full bill is here.