Omaha Adds New Recyclable Items

Get Ready Omaha - we now recycle Juice Boxes and dozens of other aseptic and gable top containers! The Omaha Public Works Department is pleased to announce that gable-top and aseptic food cartons are now recyclable in Omaha's curbside and drop-off site recycling program. Gable-top cartons are containers that you will find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and hold products such as milk, cream, fresh juice and egg substitutes. Aseptic cartons are containers that are shelf-stable, meaning they have a long shelf life and don't require refrigeration prior to opening, and hold products such as soup, broth, wine, soy milk, juice and milk. To learn more about carton food containers, click here for a FAQ. And don't forget to recycle all the other recyclables found throughout your house. Click here to go to Omaha's recycling page and review what you can recycle at http://www.omaharecycles.com/. Recycling. It's O! so Easy!

Solar-Updated Greenhouse Tour

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) will be commissioning a solar hot water system in the Horticulture Department's Fort Omaha Campus greenhouse on April 1, 2011. This is the first solar installation of its kind in the state and the first in any community college across the country. The purpose of the solar system is to assist with heating the greenhouse during the winter and to provide heat for bedding plant growing tables.The funding for the solar installation was provided by a grant from the Nebraska Energy Office.

The greenhouse was selected as a demonstration site because it provided multiple types of different heating uses and can show an energy cost savings. The technology of the solar demonstration system is readily transferable to greenhouses and hot houses across the state for bedding plants and vegetable crops, thereby impacting the economies of rural Nebraska.

Students will have access to the system for installation seminars as they disassemble and re-assemble various components of the system.The Nebraska Solar Energy Society will hold their bi-monthly meeting at the Fort Omaha Campus and provide a speaker at the buffet following the commissioning tour of the solar system. The Nebraska Solar Energy Society is a group supporting the expansion of solar technology with public education programs.For more information about the solar tour, contactMichael Shonka, Project Coordinator for Sustainable Energy Technology, at mshonka1@mccneb.edu or(402) 738-4536.

The solar tour of the greenhouse begins at 6 p.m. The tour is free. The buffet dinner follows at 7 p.m. The cost of the of the dinner is $15. RSVPs are requested at focuseg@cox.net or call Gary Boe (402) 321-2797.

Campus map link is below. Meet at Greenhouse, Bldg 27. Dinner at Bldg 21. http://www.mccneb.edu/campuslocations/maps/Fort%20Omaha%20Campus%20Map.pdf

Electric Submeters Optimize Building Performance at Engineering Firm’s Headquarters

Mar 22, 2011 3:53 PM via http://ecmweb.com

...MEI’s LEED-NC certification showing points received by category. Submeters are especially useful for measurement and verification in the energy and atmosphere category, in which MEI achieved nearly the maximum allowable points...

Submeter manufacturers have responded to the green challenge by developing next-generation hardware and software tools that specifically address the needs of sustainable facilities by providing functionality that helps users measure and verify compliance with LEED, EPACT, Renewable Energy, Demand Response, and other major energy initiatives. Certified to ANSI C12.1 & C12.16 national accuracy standards, new-generation meters offer a number of important features for new construction or retrofit applications, including:

- Scrolling LCD display of kilowatt (kWh) usage,
- kWh in dollars,
- Current demand load (kW),
- Cost per hour, based on current load,
- Estimated CO2 emissions in pounds, based on DOE standards,
- Estimated hourly CO2 emissions based on current load,
- Net metering, including utility-delivered vs. user-received power and net usage, and
- Compatibility with pulse-output utility meters, including water, gas, BTU, steam, etc.

Read the full story at http://ecmweb.com/case-studies/electric-submeters-optimize-buildling-performance-20110322/#

ICAN Women's Leadership Conference

ICAN's 18th Annual Conference will take place in Omaha on April 7th, 2011. More information is available at www.icanglobal.net

NEW highlights from the conference include:
- 80 Duchesne Academy girls will be joining us at the conference to welcome the honorable Mary Robinson, a fellow Sacred Heart school alumn.

- Women from China, Lithuania, and Germany will be taking part in the conference as part of Omaha's Sister City Association.

- Registration is open for ICAN's first speed networking event, Connection Corner on April 6, 2011 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love" will be available to sign books along with many other conference speakers.

- The Alliance for Business Ethics will be presenting the honorable Mary Robinson with the prestigious Beacon of Ethics award.

And there is so much more! Many women are inviting their friends and clients from all over the United States to take part in this unique conference and we invite you to do the same!

When registering USGBC NFC members can submit the code “non-profit” to get a 50% discount. Email ican@icanglobal.net with questions.

Nebraska's Mr. Energy Presentation

When: Wednesday, April 20th at 11:30am

Where: Creighton University, Skutt Student Center, Rm. 104

Creighton University is pleased to announce that Robert Byrnes, Nebraska's Mr Energy, will present as part of their Earth Day 2011 celebration. Mr. Byrnes has developed the technology on his farm to essentially be off the energy grid, and he generates electricity and fuel to conduct his daily life and enterprises. For more information, visit:
http://www.creighton.edu/adminfinance/facilities/energymanagement/programs/earthday/ed11/index.php

2011 neighborhood grants program under way

via Omaha by Design

Hey, neighborhoods – got your ideas ready?

Mayor Jim Suttle has allocated $90,000 to award grants to neighborhood associations citywide in 2011. Grants are available in two areas – neighborhood green improvements and crime prevention. Associations may apply for one or both grants for a maximum combined total of $5,000.

Some examples of green improvement projects are community gardens, bike racks, trail/walking path signage, recycling receptacles, benches and picnic tables, energy efficient lighting, green space development, and tree purchasing and planting.

Crime prevention grants focus on community involvement to reduce crime and improve public well being. Each association must have local law enforcement approval. Project examples include communication for citizen patrols (radios, radio batteries and scanners), Omaha Coalition of Citizen Patrols-approved uniforms and car signage, and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.

The 2011 program will not fund one-time events, projects on private property, neighborhood entrance signs and analog radio equipment.

Neighborhood associations must be registered and listed in the City of Omaha’s Neighborhood Association Directory in order to be eligible. To access the directory, visit www.cityofomaha.org/mayor, then click on “Neighborhoods” and then “List of Associations.” Priority funding will be given to applicants that have participated in a Place Game workshop conducted by Omaha by Design. See this fact sheet for details.

The application deadline is Friday, April 1, at 4:00pm. Applications can be downloaded from www.cityofomaha.org/mayor. The grant awardees will be announced Friday, April 22. For more information, contact Tom McCauley at 402.444.7918 or tom.mccauley@ci.omaha.ne.us.

OPPD Grant for Energy Education and Energy Efficiency Kits

Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 15th

The "Get A Head Start on Energy" education program was developed by the Nebraska Energy Assistance Network (NEAN) and is designed as a learning experience for households to discover ways to reduce or stabilize energy use in their homes, and to better manage and plan for energy-related expenses. This grant program is targeting community-based organizations and agencies that work with seniors, new home buyers, those with limited incomes or those struggling financially. This can include neighborhood associations, libraries, senior centers, housing agencies or others who sponsor adult-based education programs.Visit http://www.oppd.com/AimGreen/22_006056 for application materials and more information on this grant.NEAN is a statewide coalition of utilities, human service and governmental agencies, and community leaders partnering with local non-profit agencies to educate Nebraskans on ways to improve their energy use. For more information, visit: http://www.nebraskaenergyassistance.com/

Two New Professional Courses Open for Enrollment at Southeast Community College

BPI Building Analyst Training
This five-day intensive BPI: Building Analyst Training course includes instruction in the classroom and hands-on field training using diagnostic equipment in a home. The course fee includes both written and field exams that one must pass to become a BPI Building Analyst Professional. With the proper understanding and the proper equipment, a BPI Building Analyst is qualified to make recommendations to the homeowner on how to reduce energy consumption and improve home performance.

Course Number: CNST-6356-CEWB Date: March 28 – April 1, 2011 Time: 8 am-5 pm each day Cost: $1595 Location: Room 304, SCC Continuing Education Center, 301 S. 68th Street Place, Lincoln, Nebraska

LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Course
Federal, state and municipal ordinances are setting LEED as the standard for new construction, so building professionals including skilled trades people will benefit from a comprehensive understanding of the LEED Credit Rating System, LEED standards and the LEED design system generally. This LEED GA course in preparation for the LEED GA exam provides participants with exactly the understanding they’ll need to successfully pass the exam and acquire LEED GA certification making entry into Green building a seamless transition.

Course Number: CNST-6357-CEWA Date: March 28, 2011 Time: 9 am-5 pm
Cost: $345 Location: Room 302, SCC Continuing Education Center, 301 S. 68th Street Place, Lincoln, Nebraska

Contact Shannon Moncure at smoncure@southeast.edu or (402) 323-3381 to enroll.

ENERGY STAR Upcoming Change in EPA Policy for Label Years

Starting on January 1, 2012, EPA will adopt a new policy for establishing the year that displays on the ENERGY STAR label and certificate.

Current Policy Currently, the year on your label is based on the 12-month period ending date listed on your Statement of Energy Performance (SEP).
New PolicyFor all label applications approved on or after January 1, 2012, the year on your label will be based on the year during which your label application is approved, regardless of the SEP period ending date.

Will the New Policy Affect You? For many buildings, the SEP ending date and approval date fall within the same calendar year, meaning the change in policy will go unnoticed. However, for buildings that apply near the end of the calendar year, the new approach may change the year that shows on the label. For example, suppose that a building applies for the ENERGY STAR with the SEP period ending 12/31/2011. Because the data is from December they will not be able to prepare the application until 2012. Therefore, this application will be received by EPA, reviewed, and approved within 2012. Under the current system, the label itself would have read 2011, corresponding with the date on the SEP. However, after the change, this label would read 2012, corresponding to the date of approval.

There are a couple of important notes to bear in mind:
•Eligibility to Apply – Your eligibility will still be determined on a 12-month basis, according to the period ending date on your SEP.
•Labels per year – Under the new system any individual building will only be permitted to earn one label per calendar year. If your building is approved on January 1, 2012, it cannot be approved again until January 1, 2013.
•Interim Year (2011) – Buildings that submit label applications near the end of 2010 will receive 2010 labels during the calendar year 2011. With the new approach, however, if these buildings re-apply for labels near the end of 2011, they will receive 2012 labels, thereby skipping the year 2011. EPA will work with these buildings to help them preserve the continuity of their label years.
•Deadline to Receive a 2011 Label – Any application approved in the calendar year 2012 (starting with January 1) will receive a 2012 label. Therefore, if you want a 2011 label you need to have your application postmarked by November 15, 2011. Submission by this date will ensure that your application can be reviewed and approved during 2011, provided that it is a complete application and that any problems are resolved by December 31, 2011.

Why Did EPA Make this Change? The purpose of this change is to align the year that displays on your label with the calendar year in which it was approved. This change will make it easier for you and EPA to communicate and celebrate your award with the public.

If you have any additional questions about this change please contact buildings@energystar.gov.