295 Search Results for "delaware"

• Delaware's New Solar Energy Co

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    Delaware Solar Energy Coalition, LLC (DSEC) was founded to represent the interests of solar PV installers, manufacturers, customers, and concerned citizens in the State of Delaware. The organization will advocate for effective public policy solutions on issues affecting the distributed solar energy industry.
    
    The founding member include six of the major solar PV installers in Delaware: Blue Skies Solar & Wind Power, Clean Energy USA, CMI Electric, Eclipse Solar Specialists, Flexera, and KW Solar Solutions.
    
    DSEC's six member companies have contributed more than $27 MM to Delaware's economy since 2007, employ over 130 full and part-time jobs, and installed more than 3,269 KW of clean, renewable, solar power.
    
    To learn more about DSEC, please visit the organization's website at www.delsec.org

     

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• Delaware City Refinery to Clos

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    DOVER - At the direction of Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin P. O’Mara has assembled a team of environmental scientists and engineers to oversee the safe and orderly shutdown and stabilization of the Delaware City Refinery in response to an announcement this morning that owner Valero Energy Corporation is permanently shutting down the facility.
    
    “We have mobilized a team of experts in our air, waste and water programs and are also coordinating with environmental health staff with the Department of Health and Social Services and our counterparts at the Environmental Protection Agency to assure that public health and the environment are protected during this transitional period,” said Secretary O’Mara. “We have been working with the refinery on issues associated with a planned maintenance shutdown of the entire refinery for weeks and are prepared for it. The orderly shutdown of the equipment has already begun with the shutdown in October of one of the refinery’s major processing units.  The remaining units have been operating at reduced rates and will be taken offline in a manner protective of health, safety and the environment.  DNREC staff has been in constant contact with the refinery personnel and have been monitoring the shutdown activities and will continue to do so throughout the remainder of this period.”
    
    “The near complete shutdown of the refinery earlier this year was accomplished without incident. The decision not to restart the equipment presents us with a list of questions and environmental concerns in the long term.  We plan to assess the impacts thoroughly and coordinate with refinery personnel.  Our goal is to ensure that all short and long term risks to our air, water and land are considered and addressed appropriately,” said O’Mara. “Beyond our environmental concerns our thoughts are with the employees and their families as they face this challenging time.”
    
    In addition to closely coordinating with refinery personnel during the shutdown period, DNREC and Department of Health and Social Services staff will be on standby with monitoring and response equipment should any environmental incidents occur.  Longer-term issues associated with permitting, on-going cleanup, removing petroleum products and operational status of the equipment will, in part, depend on the future use of the facility which is obviously unknown at this time. The DNREC team will be assessing these issues in a coordinated, comprehensive fashion.
    
    --source: NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL,  Nov. 20, 2009, Vol. 32, No. 455, For more information contact Melinda Carl or Michael Globetti, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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• The Shrinking American Home

  • From: susanp
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    During the real estate boom, new home construction became a game of ever increasing square-footage. That had a certain logic to it: if you saw your house as an investment to make you rich, bigger could only mean better: as a contractor a bigger home meant more profit.
    
    Now that the economy has changed and people are realizing the reality of flat home prices, houses are getting smaller - and more efficient (for many reasons). Ninety percent of homebuyers are very concerned about energy prices and most big homes are energy hogs.  Architects and homebuilders are hopefully now considering to how families actually spend time and use space.
     
    What does the new American home look like?
    As soon as you step through the front door the grand entryway usually a two-story foyer (it is very expensive to heat and cool empty space) is giving way to a more modest entrance. Stairs are less about architectural flash and more about getting upstairs (if there is even an upstairs). The new buyer wants the room not the empty space.
     
    The shift in buyers is driving the changing home. People in their 20s-30s want rather simple starters that put minimal space to efficient use. And those who have retired and are no longer interested in high energy and high maintenance homes may want the same thing with. for them we are also seeing high function efficient homes that are also high style.  The big-box house is no longer the market favorite.
     
    The inside of the house is also changing. The great room that first caught on in the early 1990s is undergoing a revival - a large, undelineated family room-breakfast nook-kitchen combination meshes well with attitudes of casualness and flexibility. The formal living room and dining room have become dinosaurs.
     
    Meanwhile, outdoor living space is growing in popularity. There is an increased demand for things like outdoor kitchens and fireplaces so there are no longer the strict divides between how people live inside and outside.
     
    The housing that has been built doesn't fit the market well any longer Which is part of the reason that, even with so many existing homes sitting unsold, we keep building. 
    

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• How Do I know Something is Gre

  • From: susanp
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    HOW DO I KNOW SOMETHING IS GREEN? 

    Now that "green has become such a buzzword we are continually being flooded with  products, building materials, buildings, and services advertising their green product. 

    This now requires the buyer to do due diligence in order to insure that the product or service is really as advertised.

    Fortunately there are now groups (usually non-profit) who offer strict third party certifications Looking for seals such as these can help insure your product is truly green. For consumer products the best option would be Good Housekeeping Green. It still can be a challenge to find the right builder since LEED and NAHB do not have builders listed on their site. 

    ENERGYSTAR                                                                               This blue and white symbol can be found on products, applainces and now homes that have qualified as more energy efficient. To earn the ENERGY STAR, products must meet strict energy criteria that have been set in place by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Department of Energy. These products include refrigerators, dish washers and light bulbs. You will see many builders advertising themselves as EnergyStar, to check this go to the website where you will find a list of all builders who are currently rated as EnergyStar. It is also important to understand that many ES products are only as good as the people who install them
     

    USGBC  (LEED)

    The United States Green Building Council is an internationally recognized green building certification system,  providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. There are four levels of certifications certified, silver, gold and platinum. There are only a few of these in lower Delaware (look at the Center for the Inland Bays). Unless you are passionately commited to building a completely sustainable home, this designation carries larger costs.

    
     

    NAHB GREEN

    NAHB's National Green Building Program is the first residential green building rating system to undergo the full consensus process and receive American National Standards Institute approval. The four threshold levels - Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald - allow builders to achieve entry-level green building, or the highest level of sustainable "green" building incorporating energy savings of 60% or more. Single-family & multi-unit homes, residential remodeling projects, and site developments are all covered in the Standard.You will find that many of the fine builders in this area have added NAHB Green to their credentails.
    
    

    Good Housekeeping Green Seal - This label bares a strong resemblance to its famous counterpart with the distinction of it's color (green). The Green Good Housekeeping Seal will debut later this year, after the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and a consultancy firm complete development of product evaluation criteria. To be eligible for the green seal, a product must meet the criteria for the original seal of approval, as well as meet standards related to product composition, manufacturing and packaging.

     

    GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality                                           These planet-toting logos can be found on building materials that are manufactured to help "improve indoor air." The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is a nonprofit organization that oversees the certification programs for building materials and indoor products. These logos let a consumer know that the products are regularly tested to meet chemical and particle emissions acceptable under IAQ pollutant guidelines and standards.

     

    Scientific Certification Systems -  This independent company gives certification of environmental, sustainability, food quality and food purity claims for products across the globe. Their extensive network covers consumer goods such as produce, fisheries, forestry, eco-products and floral.

     

    ARE YOU BAFFLED YET?

    If this seems a little baffling.... that's because it is and it has taken me quite a while to get a handle on it. As part of the services Green Realtors offer their clients is the ability to help them decide what kind of home they want and recommend those professionals who would be the best person to help them.

    The myth that an energy efficient home or green home is only for those who can spend a lot of money is really...just a myth

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• Recycling Event Nets 8.5 Tons

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    Nov. 7 recycling event in Wilmington nets 8.5 tons of scrap tires; State’s third event brings total to nearly 5,000 tires recycled

    

    WILMINGTON, Del. - Saturday’s Scrap Tire Drop-off event at Frawley Stadium netted 8.5 tons of scrap tires – more than 650 old passenger vehicle tires that could have ended up in an unsightly, scrap tire pile or left to decompose in a Delaware landfill. The event, the third held in the past year, provided Delaware residents with the opportunity to recycle scrap tires free of charge and help reduce the environmental and health hazards of scrap tires in our communities.
     
    “Our three drop-off events have collected nearly 60 tons or 4,800 scrap tires,” said administrative manager Laurene Eheman of DNREC’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Branch. “Delaware residents from each county have responded to our recycling program. With the tremendous response we’ve had over the past year, a fourth Scrap Tire Drop-off is planned for next spring in the Seaford-Georgetown area.”
     
    The first Scrap Tire Drop-off day was held Oct. 2008 near Harbeson in Sussex County and netted more than 30 tons of discarded tires. At last April’s event, almost 20 tons of tires were collected at the Delaware State fairgrounds in Harrington.
     
    Delaware’s Scrap Tire Cleanup and Control Program was created to eliminate large, unsightly scrap tire piles that can spawn dangerous fires that produce toxic smoke and oily liquid runoff from melted tires that can pollute groundwater. In addition, tire piles provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which can carry the West Nile virus.
     
    The Wilmington Scrap Tire Drop-Off Day was held in conjunction with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Goods Collection Day and the Clean Wilmington Committee’s Shredding Event.
     
    The Delaware Scrap Tire Cleanup and Control Program is funded by a state fee of $2 per tire on the sale of new tires. Enacted Jan. 1, 2007, the fee is diverted to the Scrap Tire Management Fund, a matching fund and program created to clean up existing scrap tire piles statewide.
     
    For more information on the program and future scrap tire drop-off events, visit DNREC’s website, www.awm.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/ScrapTire.aspx, or contact the Scrap Tire Control and Cleanup Program at 302-739-9403.
    
    source: News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Nov. 10, 2009, Vol. 39, No. 441
     
    Media contact: Laurene Eheman, Solid and Hazardous Waste Section, Division of Air and Waste Management, 302-739-9403; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. PHOTOS available by contacting Public Affairs.
    

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• NRG Energy, Inc. Enters Offsho

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    NRG Energy, Inc. Enters Offshore Wind Business with Acquisition of Bluewater Wind

    —Leading offshore wind development company provides NRG with first-mover advantage and currently has the only long-term power purchase agreement in the country executed for an offshore wind park—

    PRINCETON, NJ; November 9, 2009—NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) has acquired Bluewater Wind (Bluewater), one of nation’s leading offshore wind development businesses, from Babcock & Brown and Arcadia Windpower. This acquisition combines Bluewater’s strong project pipeline of offshore wind parks in the northeast—one of NRG’s core regions—with NRG’s own successful development, engineering, procurement and construction teams. The transaction was funded with cash on hand, for an undisclosed sum.

    

    “As public policy trends toward ever-increasing renewable portfolio standards at the state and federal levels, each region of the country will seek to comply with projects that tap the best renewable resource from within that region. There is no doubt that offshore wind is the highest potential renewable resource proximate to the population centers along the eastern seaboard of the United States,” said David Crane, President and CEO, NRG Energy, Inc. “Acquiring an experienced offshore developer like Bluewater, with good projects already in the development pipeline, gives NRG first mover advantage in this potentially lucrative market.”

    Bluewater brings an experienced development team currently working on more than seven offshore projects in the Northeast, including projects in Delaware and New Jersey in advanced stages of development. Bluewater has a 25-year, 200 megawatt power purchase agreement (PPA) with Delmarva Power & Light Company that has been approved by the Delaware Public Service Commission and other state agencies. In New Jersey, the company is one of three preferred developers awarded a $4 million rebate from the state to build a meteorological tower, which collects wind data, for offshore projects. Bluewater also has proposed several offshore wind projects in other Northeast locations.

    Bluewater’s existing development team will become NRG employees, working out of Bluewater’s office in Hoboken, NJ. The company’s President and founder, Peter Mandelstam, will remain President of Bluewater Wind and also serve as head of NRG’s offshore wind development efforts. “Bluewater Wind is excited to continue developing our portfolio of offshore wind parks with a premier energy generation company like NRG,” said Mandelstam. “By joining forces with NRG, Bluewater Wind will enhance its development expertise, as well as access to capital for the development and construction of these projects. NRG’s commitment to increase its portfolio of low and no carbon generation assets, and its membership in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, is a good fit with Bluewater Wind’s mission to provide clean, stable-priced, renewable energy.”

    

     

    About NRG NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, owns and operates one of the country’s largest and most diverse power generation portfolios. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, the Company’s power plants provide more than 24,000 megawatts of generation capacity—enough to supply more than 20 million homes. NRG’s retail business, Reliant Energy, serves more than 1.6 million residential, business, commercial and industrial customers in Texas. A past recipient of the energy industry’s highest honors—Platts Industry Leadership and Energy Company of the Year awards, NRG is a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of business and environmental organizations calling for mandatory legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More information is available at www.nrgenergy.com or www.nrg-econrg.com.

    About Bluewater Wind Bluewater Wind is one of the nation's leading developers of offshore wind energy projects, and a tireless advocate of wind as a clean, safe, and stable-priced means to meet our energy needs. The Bluewater team has many years of combined experience in the wind, energy, environmental, finance, public policy, and marine sectors. More information is available at www.bluewaterwind.com.

    Safe Harbor Disclosure This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include statements regarding Bluewater’s wind development and typically can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “plan,” “believe” and similar terms. Although the Company believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the power industry, weather conditions, competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility of energy and fuel prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in the wholesale power markets, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, unanticipated outages at our generation facilities, adverse results in current and future litigation, and the inability to implement value enhancing improvements to plant operations and companywide processes.

    NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included herein should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

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• Wall Street is Bullish on Elec

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    From Tesla to Fisker Karma, the Chevy Volt and many more brands, electric vehicles are coming on strong.

    The financial establishment is getting bullish about electric cars. I just talked to a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch analyst who told me that EVs will need "sizzle," or maybe the right phrase is sex appeal, to triumph in the marketplace.

    "Cost is not the only factor driving the purchasing decision," says analyst Steven Milunovich. "EVs need to appeal to consumers on a psychological level, such as prestige and driving enjoyment." I totally agree. The good thing is that many EVs already have sizzle to burn. Or is sizzle already burning?

    The car magazines are stuck in the past with high-performance dinosaurs, but most of the cars that attract buzz in the financial media today are green. The Fisker Karma, for instance, is a visual outrage--it makes Megan Fox look like a nun. And it's bristling with cool eco-features, including interior wood sourced from river bottoms and a rooftop solar panel to run the heating and cooling systems. And it's not surprising that Fisker is working on some kind of proprietary noise--a Formula One car crossed with a spaceship--so that pedestrians will know it's there when in battery mode.

    The Tesla Roadster is, of course, off the charts in sizzle factor, and the forthcoming Model S is the Maserati of electric sedans. General Motors would love to pay for the positive publicity Tesla gets for free.

    Another reason Wall Street likes EVs is that it can make money on them. When the battery company A123 (a supplier to Chrysler) went public, its stock--one of the few "pure plays" an investor could buy (most battery makers are either not public or part of large conglomerates) doubled in price on the first day.

    Other financial analysts like the switch to cleaner cars, too. A very positive report from Citigroup Global Markets says that the automakers should actually applaud the stricter fuel economy/greenhouse gas standards they once fought (but now endorse). Why? Because the 35.5 mpg fuel economy goal (by 2016) will increase their profits. The report says that under the national program announced by President Obama last May, "Detroit's gross profits are likely to increase by roughly $3 billion a year, compared to an $800 million increase for the Japanese Three," the report said. "And sales are likely to increase by the equivalent of two large assembly plants for the Detroit Three."

    Further, the report gets into the reason people buy cars. "Complying with the national program renders the vehicles in the majority of segments more cost effective for consumers," it said. And that's because the extra cost will be less than the fuel saved.

    Carol Lee Rawn of the Investor Network on Climate Risk, representing over $8 trillion in combined assets, testified at a recent EPA hearing that the national standards are a key enabling strategy for the U.S. automakers to produce cars that consumers will actually want to buy, and that will be fuel efficient and competitive. "It is critical that American auto companies significantly change their business models to ensure that they are able to compete successfully in the 21st century," she said.

    Finally, a University of Michigan survey that just crossed my desk shows strong consumer interest in buying plug-in hybrid electric cars. Some 42% of those surveyed said they might buy one--the acceptance rose as the cost came down, obviously.

    A New York Times editor joked to me recently that, given some of the bizarre EVs we've seen recently, it seems anybody can slap up a web page and call themselves an automaker. Yes, it was that way in 1910, too, but the bad ones fell by the wayside and the cream rose to the top. The good thing is that good plug-in cars are already on the horizon, and people will want to buy them.

    Test driving the sexy Fisker Karma (and talking to Henrik Fisker):

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     -- by Jim Motavalli, Nov. 6, 2009; source: TheDailyGreen.com
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• Eat Local (and sustainable!)

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    One of the most popular food trends in the past year or two has been local food. So why is eating local all the rage, and what can you do to be part of this growing movement?

    What is local?

    We need to start by defining the word local. It has different meanings to different people, but I define local as being as close to home as possible. With food, that would mean buying food raised or produced as close to your home as possible.

    To purists, or locavores, local means buying food within a set radius, such as 50 or 100 miles. To others, local means as far as a day’s drive from where you live. Because geography and growing is different around the country (and world), I opt for a more flexible definition.

    Technically, this means that any food you buy close to your home is local, even conventional or industrially produced food. So inherent within the local label is the concept of sustainable. Try to avoid food from a large industrial operation, no matter how close to your home it is. The best way to tell if a farm is industrial is to find out how big it is and how diverse its products are. A very large farm producing only one crop is most likely industrial – when you plant the same crop on many acres, you attract pests, which means you have to use pesticides. So focus on smaller farms, ones that have different types of crops, and find out what their growing practices are.

    When you’re shopping for local food, look for local sustainable food from a small independent family farm. That means minimal chemical pesticides and fertilizers were used, the land and everything on it was treated with respect, and every effort was made to provide you with the most wholesome, nutritious food. In general, smaller farms are more sustainable because they tend to grow a variety of crops and undertake conservation practices such as crop rotation, so they usually have less problems with pests. But it’s always wise to find out exactly how your food was produced before you make the decision to buy and eat it.

    Why buy local?

    There are many reasons to buy local, including –

    - Taste. Local sustainable food is most often picked when ripe because transport time to market is so small. It is also usually grown with minimal inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This provides you with better tasting food.

    - Better for you. Food raised close to home will not be shipped long distances so will be harvested when ripe, giving you optimal nutrition. Industrial food shipped long distances is harvested before ripe, shipped, and sometimes sprayed with chemicals to preserve or forcibly ripen it.

     

    - Helps the environment. By not shipping food such long distances, less pollution is emitted and less waste is created. There is a debate over whether individual farms driving to markets pollutes more than shipping food in large containers on trains or ships. The key problem with long distance shipping is the processing and packaging necessary to transport the food such long distances – processing uses more energy than the shipping – so you’re still better off buying local.

    - Supports family farms. 80 to 90 percent of the money you spend at a local farmers market goes to the farmer, thus helping to provide a fair wage. Most farmers now hold off-the-farm jobs in order to pay the bills – by supporting the farmer directly, you are helping to support one of our oldest American traditions.

    - Helps local communities. Small family farms are much more likely to spend their money locally, both on feed and farming inputs, and also on regular services like restaurants and stores. Studies have shown that local farms help boost local communities. Industrial farms tend to get their farm inputs from outside the community with the owners often living off the property.

    Be local

    Below are ideas on what you can do to join the local revolution.

    - Farmers markets. Farmers markets have sprung up all around the country. According to the USDA, farmers markets in the U.S. increased from 1,755 in 1994 to 5,274 in 2009. Between 2008 and 2009 alone, the number of farmers markets increased 13 percent. Check out the USDA’s site to find a farmers market near you.

    - CSA’s. CSA stands for community supported agriculture. You purchase a share in a farmer’s crop before the season starts. This helps the farmer buy seeds and necessary supplies. You then reap a portion of the season’s bounty. Visit the Eat Well Guide to find a CSA near you.

    - Buying Clubs. Less well known but increasing in popularity are buying clubs. These are simply a group of people – from a little as a few families to 100 people – who purchase food together in order to buy in bulk at wholesale prices. You can go through a distributor or with a little extra effort, work with local farmers to set up your own distribution network. Buying club members work together to purchase, pick up and distribute the food. How to Create a Neighborhood Food-Buying Club can give you some information on how to start one up. You can also ask at your nearest health food store to see if they are involved with or know of any local buying clubs in your area. It’s usually best to join an already existing club rather than start up your own because they can take some work.

    - Farm stands. Farm stands range from a bench with tomatoes alongside the road to an enclosed structure that sells many types of produce, meats and even baked and processed foods. During the height of the summer when vegetables are abundant, you can still find small stands at the side of the road with vegetables and a cash jar, so customers can pay what they want. Some even leave signs encouraging people to take the food. Large farm stands can resemble stores and do not always sell local goods — check the labels or ask if you aren’t sure.

    - “Pick your own” farms. Some farmers, especially berry and orchard growers, allow consumers to pick their own produce. Usually for a set price by the bushel or pint, families can go into the farmer’s fields and pick their own crops. This is good for individuals interested in freezing or canning. Some farms also allow consumers to come to the farm and choose which animal they would like, before slaughter.

    - Grow your own. Probably the biggest trend today is growing your own food. From planters on window ledges to taking over a front lawn, gardens are springing up everywhere. I’ll be focusing on this in more detail in a future post, so stay tuned!

    If you can’t buy local

    If, for whatever reason, you can’t buy local, buy as close to your home as possible. If you live in Virginia and want to buy an orange, buy one from Florida, not California, or from anywhere in the US as opposed to overseas. Why would we buy an apple from New Zealand when most states can grow them also? Don’t feel pressured into labels and definitions – however you define local is fine. The point is not to deprive yourself – the point is to enjoy the freshest, best-tasting food possible, and eating local is the best way to do it.

    If you’d like to learn more about the local movement, check out Sustainable Table’s Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local section.

    (Diane Hatz is the Founder of Sustainable Table, Executive Producer of The Meatrix movies and co-Founder of the Eat Well Guide. This is the 22nd installment in her series, Sustainable Table’s Guide to Good Food.)

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• LEED Gold in Rehoboth (Tour 11

  • From: GreenDelaware
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    A public tour of this LEED® Certified home will be Saturday, 11/14 1-3pm.

    (November 3rd, 2009) Lewes, DE - Today, 11 Southwood Shores in the Glade was awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for achievement in green homebuilding and design. This is the first LEED® home in Rehoboth, and it is also the highest rated single family LEED home in Delaware.
    
    LEED for Homes is a green home certification system for assuring homes are designed and built to be energy- and resource-efficient and healthy for occupants. LEED® certified homes complete a technically rigorous process that includes a home energy (HERS) rating and onsite inspections to verify that the home is built to be energy and water efficient, environmentally sound, and a healthier place to live. Green homes have substantially lower utility bills and may qualify for advantageous financing, lower insurance rates and government incentives. The home was designed by Element Design Group and built by EcoConstruction, which is known for their quality green homebuilding. A public tour of this LEED® Certified home will be Saturday, 11/14 1-3pm.
    
    
    Specific Information about the Home
    11 Southwood Shores may look like just another home, but being a Gold LEED® certified home, it is more efficient than 95% of homes in the country.  The home focuses heavily on health and reducing energy use.  This custom green home features panelized construction, active and passive solar design, low-e windows and doors, high efficiency lighting fixtures, energy star appliances, and soy based foam insulation.  Other energy efficiency upgrades include on demand water heaters, programmable thermostats, rain water capture and irrigation systems, high efficiency geothermal heating and air conditioners, and an array of Solar panels. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, recycled material doors, flooring, and 90 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified sustainably harvested wood content moldings have been used throughout the house.

    

    
    Quote from USGBC
    “As a LEED certified home, 11 Southwood Shores serves as a model of greener living for the entire community,” said Nate Kredich, Vice President of Residential Market Development for the U.S. Green Building Council. “The home is at the national forefront of quality; and their example can help us all to live better by reducing our environmental footprint, cutting our utility bills, and coming home to a healthier place to live.”
    
    
    About the Builder
    Eco Construction – Green Luxury Homes is a full service general contractor specializing in homebuilding and/or remodeling, build healthier, energy efficient homes that meet the highest green certification in the nation. As one of the few LEED® qualified builders in Delaware, EcoConstruction – Green Luxury Homes is leading the pack in green homebuilding. “EcoConstruction is excited to bring a Gold LEED® certified home to Rehoboth,” said Buck McLamb, Owner, Eco Construction – Green Luxury.  “Our mission is to build custom eco-friendly homes using the most advanced practices, materials, and technologies available at a affordable price all while exceeding customer expectations. A LEED® Certified home is just a way to prove it.”
    
    Quote from Homeowner
    "Choosing a builder to undertake the construction of a new home is really all about trust.  There are legions of stories about remodeling and building disasters.  From the start our experience was always positive.  Buck selected a design team that was totally responsive to the features that we wanted in our new home.  Construction proceeded on schedule and with close supervision by Buck.  Since we were not in the area during most of the construction, we were kept fully informed of the progress several times a week.  This close communication we feel is one of the strongest parts of dealing with EcoConstruction.  The recommended use of eco-friendly products and systems from solar panels to soy based insulation to non-toxic paints made our home the first LEED certified home in Rehoboth Beach qualifying for a Gold level certification.  We have a home that is beautiful, functional, and ecologically state of the art.  If you are planning on building a new home or remodeling an existing one, we give our strongest recommendations to Buck and all those associated with EcoConstruction."    --Jeanne and Arne Jerfsten
    
    About USGBC
    The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 20,000 member companies and organizations and a comprehensive suite of LEED® green building certification systems. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations all sharing the Council’s commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. For more information, please visit www.usgbc.org
    
    About LEED® for Homes
    LEED® for Homes is a third-party certification system for building and designing high-performance green homes that are energy-and-resource-efficient and healthy for its occupants.  Developed and administered by USGBC, LEED® for Homes awards points to projects in eight categories of environmental performance: Innovation & Design Process, Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Awareness & Education. To date, more than 2,200 homes have been LEED-certified, and over 14,600 are registered and under development.  For more information, visit www.thegreenhomeguide.org.
    
    
    Eco Construction – Green Luxury
     www.EcoConstruction-GreenLuxury.com
    email:Buck@BuildingDelmarva.com
    email:Nate@BuildingDelmarva.com
    Tel: 302.858.8430 | 302.462.5871

     

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• Revitalizing Yorklyn - Brownfi

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    Key land agreements expected to lay groundwork for economic development, ecological restoration and additional state parkland at Auburn Heights Preserve
    
    A series of agreements to preserve and redevelop 99 acres of land near the Auburn Heights Preserve in northern Delaware is expected to boost economic development and ecological restoration in the scenic area, and add to state parkland at the preserve located in the Red Clay Valley near the Pennsylvania state line.
    
    Five separate land parcels surrounding Auburn Heights, a 315-acre preserve owned by DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation near the old mill town of Yorklyn, will be protected through a series of fee simple acquisitions, conservation easements and adaptive reuse of historic properties.
    
    “This is a ‘win, win, win’ for Delaware,” said Governor Jack Markell. “By making this brownfields site more attractive to new business ventures, it means revitalization for Yorklyn. This cooperation between government and the private sector is a model that serves Delaware well through innovative partnerships that create economic opportunities concurrent with enhanced recreational and cultural amenities.”
    
    CCS Investors Inc. was the successful bidder, through the NVF bankruptcy proceeding, in contracting for 99 acres owned by NVF. Agreements between CCS and DNREC will convey approximately 87 acres in fee simple ownership and conservation easements to the state for $2.6 million. The remaining 12 acres will be redeveloped by CCS and historic structures restored to create mixed use opportunities that will include commercial, residential and park development. Possibilities for development may include commercial office space, museum space, retail shops, art studios and restaurants.
    
    DNREC is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to secure a Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant to pay about 75 percent of the total $2.6 million cost of the project. The grant application was submitted to FEMA last week and an award is expected to be announced next year. The remaining funding is expected to come from the Delaware Open Space Program, private foundations and conservation organizations. The area has been subject to severe flooding in recent years, resulting in significant economic impact.
    
    The agreements were initiated by DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation and made possible through an unprecedented partnership among Parks, the Division of Air and Waste Management’s Site Investigation and Restoration Branch (SIRB), and the Divisions of Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation. Partners outside DNREC include the Delaware Economic Development Office, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the court-appointed trustee for NVF, The Conservation Fund and CCS Investors Inc. The project was further bolstered by strong support from neighboring property owners, as well as conservation and recreational organizations in the Yorklyn area.
    
    The NVF Company produced vulcanized fiber and related products in Yorklyn until declaring bankruptcy in April 2009. DNREC’s cleanup of zinc contamination at the site and stream restoration work in the surrounding community is ongoing. While zinc does not present a human health hazard, it is harmful to the aquatic life in Red Clay Creek.
    
    The project will eventually include additional conservation easements and private contributions currently under negotiation with neighboring property owners. “DNREC is actively working to recreate wetlands and restore the area’s natural floodplain through flood mitigation and ecological restoration,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “This will ultimately reduce the area’s historic flooding problems while continuing to improve the quality of the area’s soil and water.”
    
    State officials also plan changes designed to make the area more attractive to tourism. Plans are to create a network of public trails for hikers, bicyclists, equestrians and steam car enthusiasts, by connecting the existing Auburn Heights Preserve to the nearby Oversee Farm, also owned by the state.
    
    The Auburn Heights Preserve, part of the Delaware State Parks system, is home to the historic Marshall estate, which is managed through a partnership between Delaware State Parks and the Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve. The Friends group owns a world-class collection of operating vintage steam cars, including 14 Stanley Steamers and the miniature Auburn Valley Railroad.
    
    
    -- source -News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Nov. 4, 2009, Vol. 39, No. 437, For more information contact Matt Chesser, Delaware State Parks, 302-739-9235; or Beth Shockley, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
    

     

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• Clean Energy and Climate Polic

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    New analysis shows state-by-state economic effects of clean energy and climate legislation
    
    Washington – Comprehensive clean energy legislation would create up to 1.9 million new jobs, increase yearly household income by up to $1,175 and boost annual GDP by up to $111 billion by 2020, according to new research by the University of Illinois, Yale University and the University of California. Using new modeling and the latest economic data, these findings also show that clean energy legislation would limit pollution and create incentives to drive large-scale investments in clean energy and energy efficiency.
    
    “This analysis confirms that clean energy and climate legislation can strengthen our economy and create jobs,” said Diane Doucette, climate campaign director for Environmental Entrepreneurs. “America needs to move forward with this legislation to drive investment in clean energy technology, cut carbon pollution and make America a leader for the 21st century.”
    
    With a new state-of-the-art forecasting model, called EAGLE, the study provides detailed estimates of the economic implications in each state of climate and energy policies currently under consideration in Congress. The study models a declining cap on carbon emissions, coupled with standards and investments in renewable energy, and both moderate and aggressive implementation of energy efficiency.
    These results are consistent with studies done by U.S. government agencies – such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Congressional Budget Office, and the Department of Energy – that show strong economic growth with comprehensive energy and climate legislation, especially when combined with strong energy efficiency policies.
    
    To see state-by-state fact sheets and a link to the full report, go to: www.E2.org/jobs
    
    About the study:
    The Environmental Assessment in General Equilibrium (EAGLE) model was developed at the University of California in collaboration with the University of Illinois and Yale University. It details patterns of supply, demand, employment, incomes, resource allocation, energy use, and emissions across the nation and within each of the 50 United States. Using a general equilibrium framework, the model captures both direct impacts and the extensive economy-wide indirect effects of climate and energy policies. The EAGLE model has been peer reviewed and technical documentation is available on request.
    
    About E2:
    Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is the independent business voice for the environment. E2 is a national community of individual business leaders who advocate for good environmental policy while building economic prosperity. Learn more at: www.E2.org
    
    --October 26, 2009 -- E2.org

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• Bike DE Survey Results

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    The simple 12 question, multiple-choice survey told us a lot about the opinions and experiences of Delaware cyclists who participated. Everything from deficient infrastructure and lack of facilities to motorist attitudes and behavior. And to those who were wondering, we are indeed reviewing all the comments very carefully, and they will be submitted to DelDOT and/or used for supporting data when advocating on our behalf.  Full results HERE in pdf format.  

    Among the most compelling, a strong majority indicated that bicycle facilities would bring them in greater compliance with traffic laws where now they may be unlikely. This falls in line with other national surveys and FHA studies indicating bicyclists prefer marked on-street bicycle lanes or sharrows. In addition, several real-time studies (where cyclists of varying abilities and backgrounds ride and assess actual routes and street conditions) have found that cyclists are more comfortable and assess a street as having a better level of service for them where such facilities are present.  A reduction in scofflaw behavior would be a natural byproduct.
    
    Head to our Take Action page for more action items.

     

    --by Frank Warnock -- source:BikeDE.org

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• Commercial Property Marketing

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    Green Paradigm Institute – Commercial Property Marketing Exchange

    
    

    Participate in a 90-minute coordinated marketing exchange on Wednesday, 4 Nov 2009, for REALTORS®
    
    Hosted by Joseph Scarpa, LEED AP, Green, EcoBroker, e-PRO, Broker of Record for Green Paradigm Realty LLC
    
    $10 at the door - Register now at www.GreenParadigmInstitute.com
    
    Wednesday, November 4, 2009       8:30 am –  10:30 am   
    
    Light Breakfast provided by Green Grille       (Program starts promptly at 9:00 am)
    
    Why:  Expose your client’s commercial property to other Commercial REALTORS®.  Find commercial properties for your client.  Open discussion on marketing of green properties.
    
    Where: Energy Freedom Pioneers Eco-Industrial Park (Bldg 322)
    300 Route 130, Pedricktown NJ 08067-0420
    Salem County - six miles south of Commodore Barry Bridge | six miles north of Delaware Memorial Bridge
    
    How:  Bring 20 copies one-page sheet to share with all attendees.  Bring several full marketing packages to share with those specifically interested.
    
    Must be a REALTOR® to attend!
    
    RSVP:   RSVP@GreenParadigmInstitute.com  or  www.GreenParadigmInstitute.com
    
    Promotional Flyer and Agenda for above event available at http://www.GreenParadigmInstitute.com/archives/
    
    Joseph Scarpa, LEED AP, GREEN, EcoBroker, e-PRO
    Green Paradigm Institute – Tomorrow’s Real Estate Education SM
    Green Paradigm Realty LLC – Tomorrow’s Real Estate Experience SM
    Energy Freedom Pioneers Eco-Industrial Park – Bldg 322
    322 Artillery Ave (Use “300 Route 130” for GPS)
    PO Box 420
    Pedricktown NJ 08067-0420
    856 981 2973
    856 385-7061 (green fax)
    JScarpa@GreenParadigmRealty.com
    
    
    Green Paradigm Realty LLC is a real estate brokerage and advisory firm specializing in green building, renewable energies, and sustainable development.
    
    Visit www.GreenParadigmInstitute.com on first Wednesday’s of the month (check web site often for course topics, directions, and times).

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• First Federal Offshore Renewab

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    Delaware Hosts First Federal Offshore Renewable Energy Task Force Meeting
    
    LEWES, Del., Oct. 29 – Today, the State of Delaware became the first state in the nation to host a U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service offshore renewable energy Task Force meeting. The Task Force will facilitate the coordination of commercial leases for offshore renewable energy on the Outer Continental Shelf. Representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments met to review goals and objectives and develop a Charter for the Task Force’s purpose and implementation.
    
    Governor Jack Markell appointed Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara to lead the state’s delegation to the Task Force after receiving a request from the Minerals Management Service.
    
    “Delaware is positioned to lead the nation in deploying the substantial offshore wind resource and moving towards a clean energy future,” said Governor Markell.  “We must work closely with our federal partners to ensure that bureaucratic delays do not slow the development of this critical resource in our efforts to maximize the economic, public health and environmental benefits for all Delawareans.”
    
    "Delaware stands ready to chart a new course for the country in the effort to transition to clean, renewable energy which will strengthen our economy, enhance our national security, and confront the growing challenges from climate change,” said Secretary O’Mara.  “Working closely with the federal Minerals Management Service, through the first such task force in the country, is a critical step to ensuring an extremely efficient process to develop Delaware's unique offshore renewable energy resource is used in the near future."
    
    Delaware is a national leader among all states in its consideration of adding offshore renewable energy to its portfolio of power generation resources. Since the Delaware General Assembly passed House Bill 6 in April 2006 directing Delmarva Power to contract with new power resources to guarantee a stable process for electricity, Delaware has achieved several milestones, including: the General Assembly’s amendment in July 2007 to the renewable Portfolio Standard  requiring that 20 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources by the year 2019; the selection of Bluewater Wind LLC’s proposal to construct an offshore wind facility in response to Delmarva Power’s November 2006 Request for Proposals for new electricity generation capacity; and the execution of a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement in July 2008 between Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind LLC for 200 megawatts of power from an offshore wind facility proposed on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore of Rehoboth Beach. As a result of this progress,
    Delaware is widely recognized as the likely home of the first offshore wind development in North America.
    
    On April 22, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) finalized the framework for renewable energy generation on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  The framework establishes a MMS program to issue leases, easements, and rights-of-way for orderly, safe, and environmentally responsible renewable energy development activities, such as the siting and construction of offshore wind facilities on the OCS.  The MMS is planning to consider a commercial leasing process offshore of Delaware and anticipates initiating this process in the coming months. MMS leased offshore lands to Bluewater Wind to install a meteorological and environmental monitoring tower this past spring.
    
    Delaware’s Task Force is comprised of federal representatives from: MMS; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Army Corps of Engineers; and the U.S. Coast Guard and state representatives from: the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; the Department of State; the Governor’s Office; the Public Service Commission; the Comptroller Generals’ Office;  the Office of Management and Budget; the University of Delaware; local governmental representatives from Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches; the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware; and the Nanticoke Indian Tribe.
    
    -- Oct. 29, 2009, Vol. 39, No. 433 - News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
    
    For more information contact Sarah Cooksey, Delaware Coastal Program Administrator, 302-739-9823; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

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• Energy Vampires

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:
    Secretly, while you are at work or in bed, your appliances are stealing from you.  Yes, it's true.  Your computer, TV and cell phone charger are all vampires, sucking money out of your wallet and wasting precious energy resources.  Silver bullets...garlic...Holy water...all useless against these ghouls.  The only way to stop them...DA DA DAAAAAA

    (imagine appropriately scary music here)

    Just unplug them!

    Some estimates put vampire energy use at 10% of the average family's annual electric usage.  By unplugging the energy sucking vampires in your house, you'll save money and help the environment.  And you can save the garlic for your spaghetti sauce.
      
    Your PC is not all that "PC."
    Turn off your computer when you're not using it.  Even if your PC's in "sleep" mode, it still draws power.  Turning your entire system off does the most good.  That's your computer, printer, fax, scanner, etc.  You can even turn your modem off.  Worried about convenience?  It takes only an average of 90 seconds to power-up.  

    Your big screen is a big energy hog.
    According to the U.S, Department of Energy, a plasma TV, with a cable hook-up, DVD player and remote can consume roughly $185 of stand-by power per year.  Turning it off can save you $15 per month on your electric bill.  For convience sake and to avoid damage to delicate circuits, plug all components into one or two power strips and turn the strips off when the appliances are not in use.  A UPS back-up by APC, made for heavy duty use will protect your investment.  Prices range from about $98 to $165.00, depending on specs.  You can find them at places like Staples, Best Buy and Dell.  Or search the web for the best current prices.  Replace the power strip every six months or so.

    The cell phone charger to nowhere.
    My husband is the worst about this.  He'll hook his phone up at night to charge and in the morning - rushing to get out the door - he forgets to UNPLUG the cell charger.  Current still flows to the charger, and out to nowhere.

    Your Lonely Appliances
    Unless you use the clock on your coffee-maker as an alarm, you're better off unplugging it after you've had your morning cup.  The same is true for your toaster oven, your food processor, your juicer, and any other appliance you aren't using.  The fancier the appliance, (or the older) the more energy it sucks out of your wallet.  Every appliance that is plugged in uses some power.  In this same line of thought, it might be a good time to think about upgrading appliance like your fridge or washing machine.  The newer models are designed to use less energy.  Look for the "Energy Star" label when making your purchase.  You might also get a nice tax break for buying it.

    -- by LiteGreen :: source: Greenopolis.com

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• DE Striving to make TOP 10

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    DELAWARE ANSWERS CHALLENGE TO MAKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY ‘TOP 10’
    
    New Report shows state energy efficiency ranking improves; SEU spotlights connection to new jobs, and improvements in the economy and environment
    
    Delaware was designated one of the “most improved” states in an energy efficiency scorecard released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).  While good news, Sen. Harris McDowell, co-chair of the Sustainable Energy Utility’s (SEU) Energize Delaware said the state must and can do much better.
    
    “Energy efficiency and renewable energy sources are the gateway to creating more new jobs, reviving the economy, and improving the environment,” said McDowell, who welcomed the challenge from Gov. Markell to move higher in the report’s rankings. “Delaware is in a race to the ACEEE report card’s ‘top ten’ and we can do it.”
    
    Now in its second month the SEU’s Energize Delaware program is a one-stop resource to help Delawareans save money by cutting energy waste and tapping clean energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal. The SEU’s Energize Delaware aims to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent by 2015, cut CO2 emissions by 33 percent by 2020, and create thousands of new jobs.
    
    According to the 2009 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released this week each of the 50 states were ranked in six categories to measure their efforts to make the most of energy efficiency as the first, best, and cheapest way to realize savings, meet demand and foster economic growth. Delaware moved up from 32 to 20 since last year’s report, the most improved of any other state.
    
    Sen. McDowell noted that the path to the top ten ranking is well marked. Per capita Delaware uses more energy than any of its neighboring states and pays more for its energy.
    
    Programs offering residents and businesses the opportunity to save money and energy include the SEU’s “Energize Delaware” Appliance Rebate Program, which provides rebates ranging from $25-$100 for ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers and dehumidifiers. A rebate form can be downloaded at www.energizedelaware.org.  More programs are scheduled to roll out in the coming months, including a commercial and industrial lighting incentive program, renewable energy grants for homeowners and businesses, and community-level and home performance initiatives to maximize and combine renewable energy and efficiency.
    
    Several state and municipal governments are studying Delaware’s comprehensive approach to achieving significant energy and dollar savings, job creation, and improvements to the environment.

    -----------------

    Energize Delaware is an initiative of the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), a unique nonprofit organization created to foster a sustainable energy future for the state. Under the program banner of Energize Delaware, residents and businesses in Delaware will have a single point of contact for education, resources and programs that will include low and no‐cost steps to save thousands on energy bills, boost the economy and improve the environment through new clean energy sources. The Energize Delaware programs will focus on conservation, efficiencies and the use of renewable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal. www.energizedelaware.org

     

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• Green Day Spa Opens near Elsme

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    Delaware’s First Green Day Spa Opens!

    

    Bliss Elements located at 2400 Kirkwood Highway just outside of Elsmere is the result of a powerful shared vision of co-founders Sherell and Michael Flagg. With almost 2 decades of experience in the field of Cosmetology they have created a sustainable oases for their guests to be pampered and just “BE”.
    
    Intrigued by change and the inherent belief that making small changes will eventually lead to making a big difference, they patiently worked toward their goal of one day operating a Green Day Spa. Sherell has always been interested in decorating and design. Michael possesses an innate inquisitiveness and ability to figure out how to implement ideas. Together along with their children they call themselves “Team Flagg.”
    
    Their dissatisfaction with the quality of products that were currently available, Michael and Sherell began researching natural ingredients and their attributes. After much due diligence, they now produce their own line of high quality, eco-friendly beauty care products using as many sustainable ingredients and as much reusable packaging as possible.
    
    Earlier this year they revisited a site they had consider but passed on a few years ago. Suddenly, with remarkable synergy, everything seemed to “just fall into place.”  They acquired the space and Team Flagg went to work. In less than a month they had built their dream. Doing the majority of the rennovation work themselves gave the Flaggs the opportunity to choose the most environmentally friendly and sustainable products available;  from the lighting to the flooring, from no-VOC paints to their business cards, even the water that they offer their guests to drink.
    
    Bliss Elements is a full service salon and day spa with extra touches, such as a computer cafe for their guests and a private room for clients with alopecia or others who simply want a little more privacy.
    
    The attention to detail and the genuine concern for their guests' well being is tantamount to the Flaggs. The atmosphere is infused with their positive energy. When you walk through the door, you are immediately transported to, dare I say it, a blissful state.

    

    
    What’s next for Team Flagg? They hope to be a model for other Green Day Spas and to teach others what they have learned. One thing is certain, they are truly on a mission and will continue to live their powerful shared vision.
    
    Find out more about Bliss Elements Day Spa ,A place where you can just “BE”, visit BlissElements.com or call for an appointment at 302-543-5469.
    
    Bliss Elements Day Spa
    2400 Kirkwood Highway
    Wilmington, DE 19805              
    
    -- by Christine K. LaMonica

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• Reviving DE's Auto Industr

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    American car company, Fisker Automotive, will begin building stylish, affordable, efficient plug-in hybrid cars in Delaware. The NINA is a family-oriented sedan starting at $39,900.

  • 4 weeks ago
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• Former GM Plant to Build Affor

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    

    WILMINGTON, DE -- Oct. 27, 2009 – Fisker Automotive has selected the Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington Delaware to build affordable plug-in hybrid cars.
    
    Fisker executives made the announcement inside the dormant facility today, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and other state officials.
    
    The plant will support Fisker Automotive’s Project NINA, the development and build of an affordable, family-oriented plug-in hybrid sedan costing about $39,900 after federal tax credits.
    
    Production is scheduled to begin in late 2012.  Fisker Automotive anticipates Project NINA will ultimately create or support 2,000 factory jobs and more than 3,000 vendor and supplier jobs by 2014, as production ramps up to full capacity of 75,000-100,000 vehicles per year.  More than half will be exported, the largest percentage of any domestic manufacturer.
    
    The modernized Wilmington Assembly plant was selected for its size, production capacity, world-class paint facilities, access to shipping ports, rail lines and available skilled workforce.
    
    “This is a major step toward establishing America as a leader of advanced vehicle technology,” said Henrik Fisker, CEO.  “Wilmington is perfect for high quality, low volume production and will soon be the proud builder of world-class, fuel-efficient Fisker plug-in hybrids.”
    
    Fisker Automotive has signed a letter of intent with Motors Liquidation Co. (MLC), formerly known as General Motors Corp. to purchase the Wilmington plant for $18 million after a routine four-month evaluation period.
    
    An additional $175 million will be spent to refurbish and retool the factory over the next three years.
    
    Funds will come from a conditional loan of $528.7M the Department of Energy awarded the company in September.
    
    The loan is part of the $25B Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan program (ATVM) appropriated by Congress in 2007 to help the United States lead in the development and manufacturing of advanced technology vehicles.
    
    The company’s first car, the Fisker Karma, will be the world’s first production plug-in hybrid when it goes on sale this summer at retailers in the U.S. and Europe.
    
    Fisker plug-in hybrid cars will help remove the country’s dependence on foreign energy by eliminating the need for 42 million barrels of oil by 2016.  They will also offset 8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
    
    “With our close-knit business, government, and educational communities and our potential to respond rapidly to new opportunities, today's announcement is a testament to what works best in Delaware.  Fisker is a perfect partner in shaping Delaware's economic future, and we are thrilled that the vehicle that can reshape the automobile industry will be built here in Delaware, by Delaware workers.” said Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware).
    
    Gary Casteel, UAW director responsible for the plant, said,  "It gives me great pride to give UAW Local 435 workers the opportunity to partner with Fisker Automotive to create a greener America by building a plug-in hybrid car that will compete globally."

    
    
    Watch the Video

     

    ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
    Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company with a vision to lead the automotive industry into the next-generation of automobiles with high-end design expertise and eco-friendly powertrain technology.  Global headquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.
    
    The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive OEMs.  Previously, Fisker, CEO, was design director for Aston Martin and president and CEO of BMW’s DesignworksUSA.  Koehler, COO, led operations for Ford’s Global Advanced Design Studio and created concept cars for Aston Martin, MINI and BMW.
    
    ABOUT WILMINGTON ASSEMBLY
    The Wilmington Assembly plant was built by General Motors in1947.  Over the years it has been expanded to 3.2 million square feet on 142 acres of land.  It includes an on-site powerhouse and waste water treatment facility.  More than 8.5 million cars have been manufactured there, including the Pontiac Streamliner, original Chevrolet Impala, 1997-1999 Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn L-Series and the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky/Opel GT roadsters.  Production capacity is 300,000 cars per year.  The plant and its workforce have received many awards for excellence in quality, production and safety.

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• 9th Annual Native Plant Sale

  • From: GreenDelaware
  • Description:

    St. Jones Reserve Open House on Nov. 7
    Event includes the Delaware Native Plant Society’s Annual Plant Sale
     
    The St. Jones Reserve will host a free Open House and the Delaware Native Plant Society’s 9th Annual Native Plant Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 7. The Open House and plant sale will be held rain or shine at the Reserve located at 818 Kitts Hummock Road near Dover.
     
    Held every year on the grounds of the St. Jones Reserve, the Delaware Native Plant Society’s Annual Plant Sale is a much anticipated event that offers beautiful native plants for sale for home landscapes. Native trees, shrubs, and perennial plants, including ferns, cardinal flower, pawpaw, and other difficult-to- find plants, will be available to purchase at exceptionally low prices. For the best selection, buyers are encouraged to arrive early.
     
    According to Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve manager Kimberly Cole, new this year, the Reserve will hold an Open House and invite the public to tour the buildings and grounds and enjoy autumn’s splendor on the estuary. “We added the Open House to introduce the community to the many opportunities that the St. Jones Reserve has to offer.” said Cole. “We welcome families and people of all ages to our view our coastal stewardship exhibits, see science in action and experience the natural beauty of the Reserve,” said Cole.
     
    With activities planned for all ages, visitors can:
    
        * Tour the St. Jones Center for Estuarine Studies, a building dedicated to understanding Delaware’s coastal areas, including its research laboratory, exhibits and classrooms;
        * watch as real-time weather and wave conditions are reported to the internet from sensors at the Reserve and in the Delaware Bay;
        * explore the amazing creatures that live in our estuaries;
        * hear about the many ways that you can enjoy getting involved;
        * watch the video, Delaware’s Undiscovered Treasure, that features the Blackbird Creek Watershed near Townsend – one of the most beautiful and ecologically important areas in the state;
    
        * talk with researchers who explore our bays and learn about the Thank You Delaware Bay initiative;
        * test your Coastal IQ with the help of Google Earth;
        * take part in kids activities, walk the boardwalk trail, and more.
     
    "The Delaware Native Plant Society and the St. Jones Reserve share the same goals of protecting and conserving our native plants, and this event is a wonderful opportunity for us to work together to promote stewardship,” said Eric Zuelke, nursery manager for the Delaware Native Plant Society.
     
    Organized in 1998, the Delaware Native Plant Society, a non-profit organization, has a statewide membership and encourages the use of and works to preserve, conserve, restore, and propagate native plants and native plant communities in Delaware.
     
    Plants are grown in the Delaware Native Plant Society’s nursery from locally collected seed, have been donated by members, or have been rescued from sites scheduled for clearing and development. This is one of only a handful of sources for plants collected and grown in the Delmarva region. The sale is the society’s only fundraising event; all proceeds go back into nursery operations. For more information, visit www.delawarenativeplants.org.
    
    The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) was established in 1993 to promote the stewardship and understanding of Delaware’s coastal areas through science and education.  DNERR is a cooperative program between the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Delaware Coastal Programs and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is one of 27 National Estuarine Research Reserves across the country. For more information, visit http://www.swc.dnrec.delaware.gov/coastal/dnerr.
     
    --Oct. 22, 2009, Vol. 39, No. 426 - News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

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