Alma School District voters Tuesday passed a $3 million bond issue to raise money for facility improvements and authorized raising taxes by $985,000 to $1.2 million over the next three years.

The bond issue was approved 382 to 187 and override of the districts revenue limit on school taxes for three years passed 371 to 195.

A bond issue calls for borrowing money through issuance of general obligation bonds to install a new heating and cooling system, replace windows and upgrade lighting and digital energy controls.

A tax referendum to raise more money for operating expenses gave the district authority to surpass its revenue limit by $295,000 in 2016, up to $435,000 in 2017 and up to $495,000 in 2018.

C-FC School Board

Incumbent school board members Sue Pronschinske and Steve Scharlau won re-election to three-year terms. In a four-way race for two district-wide seats up for election, one of them a write-in candidate, Pronschinske had 462 votes, Scharlau 364, Steve Duellman, 327, and Hunter Kamrowski, 154 write-in votes.

Alma School Board

Doug Kane and Todd Myren were elected to seats on the school board Tuesday. Kane was re-elected with 423 votes. He was the only candidate on the ballot. A second board seat went to Myren with 114 write-in votes. Matt Danzinger had 6 write-in votes. Myren replaces Todd Mau, who did not run for another term.

Alma City Council

Former mayor and city alderman Corey Hanson had six write-in votes to win a three-year term in Almas 2nd Ward, where incumbent Robert Oium did not run for re-election nor did anyone else file. The ballot was blank. Incumbent Larry Farl did not file for re-election to a seat in the 2nd Ward, but was elected anyway with 16 write-in votes. In the two-year alderman-at-large seat, incumbent Gary Ruff ran unopposed and was re-elected with 175 votes.

Excerpt from:
Buffalo County election results

A new report for Rice Creek Commons, the former Army ammunitions site in Arden Hills, says a new solar farm as well as using groundwater now being treated by the Army for heating and cooling could satisfy all the 427-acre developments energy needs.

The report, called the Energy Integration Resiliency Framework for Rice Creek Commons, outlines a vision to make the development the largest in the state to be energy self-sufficient.

At the heart of the proposal are plans to install an on-site 40-acre solar array and use water the Army is now treating to heat and cool homes and businesses.

We have an opportunity to use todays technology to build a sustainable energy future, said Ramsey County Commissioner Blake Huffman, who represents the area.

But the county must move quickly, Huffman said, to obtain a 60-acre site just north of the development to use for the solar array. The solar project must be in place by the end of 2016 to utilize federal tax credits to offset the cost. Ramsey County officials plan to ask the federal General Services Administration to give it the site for free.

In exchange, the county would clean up the site to meet industrial standards, which county officials said would cost about $1.25 million.

When complete, the solar installation would use 40 acres and generate 8 megawatts of electricity. That is enough power to meet the needs of the entire Rice Creek Commons development. Officials say thats also enough power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions each year by the equivalent of removing 1,432 cars from the roads.

The second piece of the energy plan would use groundwater to heat and cool homes and businesses. The Army currently is pumping 2 million gallons of contaminated groundwater each day, treating it and dumping it into Marsden Lake. Heat from that 52-degree water could be captured and used to heat and cool all or parts of the development, said Greg Mack, project manager for the county.

It would be just taking advantage of resources that are there, Mack said.

Ramsey County is seeking to partner with the Minnesota Army National Guard, which owns and operates the Arden Hills Army Training Site next to Rice Creek Commons. The Guards master plan for its training site is to take it off the grid for energy, water and waste, Huffman said.

More here:
Plan could make Arden Hills development energy self-sufficient

France, long the world's arbiter of haute couture, is taking aesthetics to a loftier level: the rooftop.

As it spruces up its green portfolio ahead of global climate talks in December, France approved a law last week that requires the roofs of new commercial buildings be coveredat least in partby either solar panels or plants.

Green roofs have gained popularity in recent years as more cities worldwide promote their use as a way to save energy. Some, including Canada's Toronto or Switzerland's Basel, even mandate rooftop vegetation in building bylaws.

Advocates say these roofswhether bedecked in sedums, vegetable plants, or wildflowershelp insulate buildings and thereby reduce the need for both heating and air conditioning.

The impact can be substantial. A study this week by Spanish researchers found that dense foliage can reduce the heat entering a building through the roof by 60 percent and act as a passive cooling system.

Green roofs help reduce runoff by retaining rainwater and improve air quality by absorbing pollutants. By taking in more heat during the day than they can release overnight, the plant-covered surfaces can also lower the "heat island" effect in urban areas that are warmed by asphalt roads and tar roofs. (Green walls offer similar benefits.)

In densely-developed cities, they also offer birds a place to nest and people a place to grow food. (In Brooklyn, rooftop garden grows.)

Green roofs cost more to install and maintain, and their price and complexity deter many homeowners and developers. Yet a 2008 University of Michigan study found that their benefits, including a longer-than-average lifespan, more than offset the extra up-front investment.

France, which relies mostly on nuclear power for its electricity, is taking other steps to green its buildings. Last month, the second level of its most iconic structurethe Eiffel Towerwas outfitted with two wind turbines.

Read this article:
Green Roofs Get Lift as France Makes Them Chic

LAWRENCE Traci McMahon and her family are trying to live a sustainable lifestyle.

The family has already installed solar energy panels on the roof of their house, and they follow an organic, vegetarian diet. Recycling comes automatically to the family.

Nevertheless, Ms. McMahon brought her family to the eighth annual Living Local Expo Saturday morning to find out what is new in the sustainability arena.

"There is a lot to see today. I came here (to the expo) about two or three years ago," said Ms. McMahon, as she surveyed the array of vendors who had set up shop in the armorys main room.

"I am interested in environmental issues. I came out to see to the local businesses. I want to support the local businesses. I never knew there were so many local farms," Ms. McMahon said.

There were plenty of organic farms at the expo, along with exhibits from companies that promised to help homeowners replace their windows or install photo-voltaic solar panels, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and other home improvements designed to save energy and money.

For those who lack carpentry skills and whose thumbs arent green and yet want a backyard garden, Hillcrest Urban Gardening promised to build and deliver a raised garden bed. Theyll even make weekly or bi-weekly visits to maintain the garden and leave the harvest on the doorstep.

At Windy Farm Alpacas, the product is fleece not food. There were rugs, socks, mittens and other items on display at the expo, made from fleece sheared from the alpacas. The animals originated in the Andes Mountains in Peru, and resemble camels without the distinctive humps.

Throughout the day, guest speakers discussed topics that ranged from organic food to the role of nuclear energy, and why furniture and other household items should be recycled not tossed into a landfill.

Speaker Judith Robinson explained what is meant by "organically raised" and why it is better than food that is not raised organically. Farmers who raise food organically do not use synthetic fertilizers or other chemicals, and also pay attention to the health of the soil, she said. Chemicals destroy the soil-food web, she said.

More here:
LAWRENCE: Expo helps visitors learn about living a sustainable lifestyle

Numbers provided by electricity companies just days after Earth Hour create a perception that the global campaign to get consumers to shut off their lights for one hour is losing some of its punch in Canada.

On Saturday, millions of homes, business, public buildings and monuments around the world observed Earth Hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Here in Canada, environmental groups and electricity companies gave consumers a big push in the lead-up to March 28th event. Broadly, it is a symbolic show of support for the environment and action on climate change.

So what happened to electricity usage in parts of the country for that one hour?

British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland all recorded a reduction in electricity usage with Yukon recording its best Earth Hour reduction since Yukon Energy started monitoring Earth Hour usage five years ago.

While BC Hydro, the main electricity utility provider, recorded a 15-megawatt drop over the hour, Ontario witnessed a 100-megawatt drop which is about the average peak demand of the city of Kingston.

Newfoundlands 33-megawatt reduction is less than last years 38-megawatt drop but it still adds up to shutting off 825,000 laptop computers or 73,326 clothes washers, or taking 4,700 electrically-heated homes off the grid, according to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

In Alberta, Edmonton recorded a 6.3 per cent drop while in Calgary the change was unnoticeable.

But where utility companies have kept records over several years, the numbers tell a different story.

British Columbia, which has witnessed Earth Hour electricity reductions ranging from one to two percent of overall provincial electricity load during previous Earth Hour events, saw a reduction this year of only .2 per cent.

See the original post here:
Is Earth Hour starting to lose its appeal with the Canadian public?

In many U.S. cities, buildings emit more greenhouse gas emissions than even cars or factories. That's because powering and heating office towers and apartment buildings releases large amounts of climate-change pollutants, environmental officials say. But that may be starting to change.

Cities across the country are taking significant steps to reduce energy and water waste in commercial buildings and to install rooftop solar panels and other clean energy technologies. Leading the way is Washington, D.C., which ranked first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys latest list of the top 25 energy-efficient metro areas.

The EPA rankings are based on the number of Energy Star-certified buildings each city added over the past year. The federal Energy Star designation goes to buildings that use 35 percent less energy and cause 35 percent fewer emissions than other buildings of a similar size and use. More than 25,000 commercial buildings have been certified since the program began in 1999. Theyve saved more than $3.4 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use from nearly 2.4 million homes, the EPA wrote on its website.

The agency began ranking cities in 2009 after noticing a growing number of Energy Star buildings in cities, the EPA said. Washington is the first metro area to beat out Los Angeles for the top spot since the competition began. The agency also ranks the top midsize and small cities.

The District of Columbia is proud to be a national leader in energy efficiency, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement this week. Investing in our green economy is good for our environment and good for business. We are fully committed to working with our local business leaders to lower energy costs, reduce our carbon footprint and employ residents with good-paying jobs in the rapidly expanding sector.

The district added 480 certified buildings last year, while Los Angeles added 475 buildings. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti credited the citys Department of Water and Power with taking the lead on energy-efficiency initiatives. To get buildings certified, a typical upgrade involves reducing lighting loads, sealing leaky windows, adding new insulation and improving heating and cooling systems.

We will go into any business and not only do the assessment of your businesss energy use, but we will help implement the changes, Garcetti toldradio station KNX-AM about the process.

Originally posted here:
America's Cities Are Getting Greener Thanks To Energy-Efficient Buildings: EPA Rankings

LAS VEGAS -Energy auditor Bill Douglas is on the hunt - looking for ways your home wastes energy.

Everywhere there is something bolted or screwed to the wall or ceiling, there is the potential for air leakage, he said.

That's costing you money and robbing you of the comfort you deserve.

Lisa Weatherman and Andy Kirk have owned their 2,400-square-foot home for approximately 15 years. Even after some remodeling and upgrades, they say they can still feel some energy aches and pains in their older house.

I knew it was drafty in here, and I'm always cold in the winter and hot in the summer, Weatherman said.

The eco-minded couple says they felt their power bills were high.

To some extent, our bills don't reflect our thriftiness and our sense of efficiency, so we knew that things were not perfect, Kirk said.

They called Marc Hale, a contractor who specializes in home energy performance. He investigated why Lisa was freezing and helped satisfy Andy's frugal spending habit.

Hale and Douglas discovered a lot air coming through plumbing fixtures below the sink.

A visual inspection showed the aging 50-year-old home was letting air in and out in unsuspecting places.

See the original post here:
Living Green: Energy audits can find home inefficiencies

by Megan Hopps

SUN PRESS Newspapers

The city of Rockford met with architect Steven Binnech to review the plans for the new shelter to be built at Riverside Park.

Binnech presented the final design of the project to the council with alternate line items that may be pulled from the project if necessary due to budget restrictions. The council expressed interest in installing heating and cooling capabilities, but City Administrator Dan Madsen cautioned against it for cost reasons. He added, however, that potentially adding heating and cooling units could serve as an opportunity for community groups to organize a fundraiser to assist with purchasing the needed equipment and in return would earn naming rights to the new facility.

Riverside Park Shelter

Last fall the city demolished the old park shelter at Riverside Park and began formulating plans to make improvements at the site. Binnech was hired by the city in December 2014 to design the new park shelter.

Weve worked through various challenges with flood plain designations, sought comment and review from the DNR, FIMA and cleared with the league that this building could be covered under insurance, Madsen said. Weve worked with the planning and zoning team and city planner to figure out what we need to do to have a building this size located on the flood fringe. After a lot of revisions and design changes, Mr. Binnech has a final design plan to review with us tonight.

Rockfords Park Board reviewed and approved the plan before it came before the council.

Their two requests were to, at some point, add heating and cooling to this building with installation of an HVAC or some sort of climate environment control, and also to try to construct the entire shelter and not do it piece by piece in two or three steps, Madsen said.

Madsen added that if the plan is approved by the council, the project would open for bids April 9, with construction to tentatively begin April 20.

See the original post here:
Rockford approves bids for Riverside Park Shelter construction

Gov. Jerry Brown discusses his proposed 2015-16 state budget at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Jan. 9, 2015. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

If you thought the Obamacare rollout was fun, just wait until your furnace dies.

Californias new energy efficiency regulations, which started being enforced last summer, dramatically boost costs for owners of older homes when they need major maintenance on their systems for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Thats because ducts must be R-8 insulated and certified to be free of leaks, a standard that can force total replacement for many houses built before 2008.

Consider my instructive tale. In 2011, I paid $8,100 for a new, super-efficient heating and cooling system, complete with new ductwork, in a house we renovated in Valley Center.

But this month, a nearly identical HVAC system cost $12,758 to buy and install. Thats because the job required more labor, permits and testing in my vintage 1969 home in South Oceanside.

Both systems had identical efficiency ratings. So the new regulations added 57 percent to my costs a whopping $4,658 that wont go for investing, spending with local merchants or funding other efficiency improvements.

And remember, this extra cash didnt buy the planet a molecule of carbon reduction.

Now, to be fair, Obamacare is more expensive, because its regulations can raise consumer costs forever with little evidence of improving health, versus my one-time HVAC lump.

For example, my best friends health insurance premiums tripled in 2014 after the federal government outlawed her previous basic coverage. In this context, I got off easy with a 57 percent hit, courtesy of the California Energy Commission.

Of course, not everybody saw their health premiums triple, in part because many qualified for cash subsidies (have fun with those tax returns).

Original post:
Energy Obamacare hits California homeowners

A Dutch utility is inviting five families to use radiator-sized servers to heat their living rooms for free.

In a trial organized by local utility Eneco, Nerdalize will install its server radiators in five homes, using them to deliver cloud computing services to its clients.

The households using the heater could save 400 (about US$440) on their annual heating bill, said Eneco spokesman Marcel van Dun .

Nerdalize pays for the electricity, but doesnt have to deal with the space and cooling costs of conventional cloud and co-location data centers, allowing it to sell its services for 30 to 55 percent less than more conventional cloud-providers, it said.

Because the same energy is used for computation and heating, there are also environmental benefits, according to Eneco and Nerdalize.

A radiator server running at full capacity would use over 8,000 kWh each year, Van Dun said, but Eneco expects actual consumption to be less.

Nerdalize CEO Boaz Leupe said the servers will perform complex calculations for companies and research institutes, including Leiden University Medical Centre.

The radiators heat water in a closed system to between 45 and 55 Celsius. A knob on the side of the radiator controls the heat fed into the room, while excess heat can be dumped by circulating the water through a heat expeller outside the house, Leupe said. For now this means making a hole in the external wall on which the radiator is mounted, but in future the company might use longer pipes to carry excess heat elsewhere..

When there is no demand for computation but someone wants heat, Nerdalize will donate computing power to other causes such as research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Leupe said. If the Internet connection fails, the servers will revert to solving dumb calculations so people will still be able to keep warm, he added.

Households wanting to participate in the trial will need to be Eneco customers with an external wall they can pierce to mount the radiator, and a fast Internet connection.

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Server heating startup teams with energy company to heat Dutch homes