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The West Aurora School Board is moving closer to putting a referendum on the spring ballot to build and improve facilities across the district.

West Aurora District 129 will finalize a decision and may adopt a resolution Jan. 12 for a referendum question to appear on the April 7 election ballot.

The district has a list of $94.3 million worth of building improvement projects identified through a combined audit of buildings and a health/life-safety study, as well as the listening tour held August through October to gather public input.

The School Board continued the discussion on the projects at a special meeting Monday.

Superintendent Jeffrey Craig assured the public no decisions have been made and there were a variety of approaches the district could pursue for the projects.

One project would be replacing Nancy Hill Elementary, which was built in 1888, 23 years after the Civil War ended, Craig said.

Hill Elementary has given us 127 years of service. It is probably time to give her a rest, Craig said.

Four of the districts 18 educational facilities were built prior to World War II, he added.

The districts architectural firm, Studio GC Architecture of Chicago, said the newer geothermal heating and cooling system at Smith Elementary has demonstrated significant energy savings since it was installed two years ago. Architect Pat Callahan estimated the district would realize $250,000 in utility savings annually for the schools that are conducive for having geothermal well fields on their campuses.

He said Hall and Schneider elementary schools, Jefferson Middle School and West Aurora High School are all on schedule for boiler replacements, which can cost $150,000 to $200,000 per school, which does not include any needed work on piping systems.

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West Aurora continues discussion about proposed major projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched its Energy Star Home Advisor, an online tool designed to help Americans save money and energy by improving the energy efficiency of their homes through recommended, customized and prioritized home-improvement projects.

As we enter the winter months, homeowners can use our new Energy Star Home Advisor to increase energy efficiency and save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change, said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. When homeowners take advantage of this important tool and increase the energy efficiency of their homes, many families will notice savings on energy bills and improvements in the comfort of their homes.

The updated Energy Star Home Advisor guides the homeowner through a do-it-yourself energy assessment to create an Energy Star home profile. Based on the newly created profile, the Home Advisor provides customized, prioritized recommendations for improvements. From these recommendations, users can create their own to-do lists of projects such as adding insulation to the attic or replacing an HVAC air filter.

Over time, users can update their home profiles as they make improvements, see the positive environmental impacts of the changes theyve made, get additional recommendations, and update their to-do lists for future projects. The home profiles can also be printed and used at the time of sale.

The announcement is part of EPAs Energy Efficiency Action Week, during which EPA regional offices across the country will hold events to increase awareness about the energy and cost savings associated with energy efficiency upgrades, especially in the winter months.

Homeowners can also use the following Energy Star tips to save energy and money at home this winter:

Get a Home Energy Audit - Home energy auditors are trained and certified in how to find energy problems using specialized equipment to pinpoint key areas for improvement and provide customized recommended solutions. In select states, Home Performance with Energy Star offers an energy assessment that focuses on a systematic approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort.

Seal and Insulate - The average home spends $2,000 on utility bills each year. Heating and cooling costs account for nearly half of that amount. Energy Star estimates that homeowners can save up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.

Heat Efficiently Energy Star recommends that homeowners check their HVAC system air filters every month. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder wasting energy and possibly shortening the life of the system. A good rule to follow is change the filter every three months.

Energy Star also recommends that homeowners have HVAC systems serviced annually by a licensed contractor to ensure theyre running at optimum efficiency. If the heating system is over 15 years old, consider planning for its replacement with a high efficiency unit. Today's Energy Star certified condensing furnaces operate at over 90 percent efficiency. Depending on where one lives, replacing old heating and cooling equipment with newly certified Energy Star equipment can cut annual energy bills by more than $115.

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EPA releases 'Energy Star' tool for seasonal utility savings

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A groundbreaking ceremony marked the appointment of the main contractor to deliver a flagship office building in Wirral Waters.

Eric Wright Construction of Bamber Bridge is now on site in Birkenhead and the 11 million Tower Wharf scheme is due for completion in October 2015.

The building, which is expected to provide accommodation for around 800 new jobs, is the first of its kind to be started within the Enterprise Zone, and follows the start of work on a new campus for Wirral Metropolitan College across the road.

Karl Bergh, managing director of Longmeadow Estates who are building the new development, said: We are extremely pleased to have Eric Wright Construction on board with this project given the companys outstanding track record and well-earned reputation.

The local authority has been extremely helpful throughout the planning and pre-commencement process, and we are also grateful for the support of the European Regional Development Fund, and the Homes and Communities Agency, who were the former landowners.

Its a very exciting scheme for us. We have done other office and commercial developments, but this is our biggest project to date.

Wirral Waters: View from Tower Road

Longmeadow Estates has previously delivered schemes for Magenta Living and Merseyside Estates Ltd, as well as local Birkenhead-based call centre business, The Contact Company.

The Tower Wharf project will see construction of a four-storey office building comprising 48,000 sq ft of on what is currently a cleared but partly contaminated site.

The development was approved by Wirral council in the summer.

Excerpt from:
Wirral Waters development: contractor appointed ahead of groundbreaking ceremony

This aerial photograph shows the city-owned Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and G.Wiz Science Museum, bottom left and center; the vacant former Sarasota Quay property, far right; and the Hyatt Regency and Condomium by the Bay, bottom right. Other property owned and controlled by the city of Sarasota extends further north.

SARASOTA - Downtown Sarasotas construction boom will continue well into 2015, the result of newly unveiled plans that include another luxury condominium tower and the first new office building in eight years.

In the larger of the two developments, the Ronto Group of Naples plans to build an 18-story condo tower between Gulf Stream and South Palm avenues, investing at least $20 million to compete in an increasingly crowded market for new residential units.

Veteran local developer Mark Kauffman, meanwhile, is preparing to construct a $4.7 million, four-story office building called Centerplex at Ringling Boulevard and Golf Street.

For Kauffman, whose properties include Courthouse Centre and the Hollywood 20/Main Plaza complex downtown, the offices become the latest in a series of new projects in or around downtown.

He already is building Payne Park Plaza, a $1.5 million office and retail development on South Washington Boulevard, near Morrill Street.

The three projects join a post-recession resurgence in downtown construction, with condos, hotels and retail space sprouting from the business district to the bayfront.

Ronto Group plans 17 units on a one-third-acre site called Echelon on Palm, executive vice president and co-owner Anthony Solomon said Tuesday.

While a number of new condos are coming online downtown and on nearby barrier islands, Solomon says demand is sufficient for more.

The economy is doing a lot better, he said. People are looking for new design and new product, and its a good time to launch something.

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Plans unveiled for 18-story condo tower in Sarasota

Perth's already oversupplied commercial property market is set to swell to peak levels if oil and gas giant Woodside signs up as the anchor tenant for a planned new CBD office tower.

That's the finding of property forecasting company BIS Shrapnel after it examined Perth's inner city market, with almost 160,000 square metres of refurbished or new office space due for completion over the next calendar year.

If Woodside becomes the drawcard for a 55,000 square metre office tower at 98 Mounts Bay Road, the CBD vacancy rate will peak at a whopping 23 per cent in 2018.

And the vacancy rate will likely stay in double digits until at least 2021 if Chevron pushes ahead with another major office building of about 70,000 square metres at Elizabeth Quay around the end of this decade.

While almost two thirds of the space to be created next year has already been snapped up, these tenants will create a void behind them as they relocate from their current buildings.

Accordingly, BIS Shrapnel has forecast flat to negative net absorption of CBD office space between now and 2018.

"There will not be anywhere near enough demand to absorb all the office space due to come onto the market," the company said.

"The Perth CBD office market does not need more major office developments.

"Even if Woodside and Chevron elect not to underwrite their respective office towers, it will take the CBD office market until the end of the decade to recover from the oversupply created by projects already locked in."

Senior project manager Lee Walker said resources sector investment - a key driver of jobs growth, including office employment - had only just begun to slump.

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Perth's bloated CBD office supply worsens

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Dec. 16, 2014 11:35 a.m.

Dear friends,

When Kirk, my husband of almost 43 years, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in January 2012, we were stunned. Kirk hadnt been in the hospital since he was a teenager and when we met the surgeon that evening in the emergency room, he told us he was afraid, since Kirk had been so healthy and had annual physicals, he was going to find cancer. For 15 months, we rode a mixture of tidal waves and calm watersbut nothing was more comforting than the compassionate care we experienced, at home, with Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Because of hospice care, Kirk spent nine weeks at homewhere he desperately wanted to beuntil he passed. Hospice provided everything we needed for his medical needs, physical equipment and anticipated his needs of care.

Theres something therapeutic about being at home. Kirk felt comfortable in his familiar surroundings. His diagnosis didnt stop him from living strong, just like the LIVESTRONG yellow bracelets each member of our family wore and still wear.

Although he was bedridden in the hospital and too weak to walk, Kirk rebounded at home. He regained some strength and advanced from riding in the wheelchair provided by hospice, to shuffling around with a walker to and from our sunroom to read the paper every morning. We watched him show interest in daily happenings, watch some of his favorite TV shows and visit with family and friends. At times we could ride a wave of calm.

Our family time had always been important in Kirks life, and it became even more special in those weeks. Kirk was able to laugh and cry with us, reminisce through conversations and old photos, smile and say his goodbyes, and others could say their goodbyes to him.

Kirk passed away peacefully in our home on May 4, 2013. Even now, I ask why but also know even though we did not get the hoped for miracle of remission or a cure, we did get the gift of life. We took short trips by car, plane and even on his Harley motorcycle, and we celebrated Kirks 65th birthday. But most of all, we were able to share our love and make more memories of our time with Kirk.

Looking back, I cant imagine not having the support of Hospice, and I wouldnt ever change our decision to have them in our lives during those nine weeks. In addition to the medical, emotional and spiritual care Kirk received, Hospice of the Red River Valley helped prepare me and my family. I didnt know the stages of end-of-life and didnt realize everything Hospice could do for our family. Hospice of the Red River Valley made the journey more gentle.

Kirk always had a spirit of giving back, and he led a rich life filled with volunteerism and generosity. He had decided which charities would receive our financial gifts, and now its my turn. Hospice gave Kirk and our family nine weeks of time and comfort. Please join me and my family in giving a gift to Hospice of the Red River Valley.

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Why We Give: Kirk & Stephanies Story