NRCA will offer its SpecRight Program training session Feb. 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. This program coincides with NRCA's 122nd Annual Convention, which will be held Feb. 1-5, 2009, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Participants will learn how to use NRCA's EnergyWise Roof Calculator Online to demonstrate to building owners how insulation can reduce energy costs. Additional topics include cool roofs and the latest trends in energy codes. Participants will earn 0.75 CEU upon completion of this one-day session. Click here for more information and to register.
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NRCA University has launched Vegetative Roof Systems, an interactive online educational program. Vegetative Roof Systems focuses on vegetative roof system types, components, accessories, design, installation, maintenance and safety concerns. The educational program takes about an hour to complete and is broken into lessons for each topic. Quizzes follow each lesson to test participants' knowledge and reinforce information from the lesson. The program will benefit roofing contractors, architects, building owners, manufacturers, roof system designers and other roofing professionals interested in an introduction to vegetative roof systems.

Vegetative Roof Systems is one of seven modules in NRCA University's Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series, an online educational series aimed at helping roofing professionals and end users understand how roof systems can contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection. For more information about Vegetative Roof Systems or to register, click here.
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One of the most widely and frequently discussed topics in the roofing industry during the past year has been environmental awareness, and NRCA and the roofing industry have been increasingly involved with this issue. Because of this growing interest in environmental awareness and sustainability, NRCA has developed new offerings to meet the need for updated and accessible technical and educational tools for the construction and roofing industries. "NRCA's environmental offerings" details the environmental resources NRCA provides, including conferences, a new manual and a new online educational series. Click here to read the full article.
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NRCA University will be holding a one-day contractor-focused educational conference in several cities during 2009. Vegetative Roof Systems for Roofing Contractors: Your Rewards, Responsibilities and Risks is specifically designed for roofing contractors and those who are interested in properly designing, installing and maintaining vegetative roof systems for their clients. Participants will learn about vegetative roof system benefits; terminology; waterproofing membranes and construction details; growing media and plant selection; building and energy code compliance; and business and legal issues and will earn 0.75 CEU.

The 2009 conference will be held Feb. 18 in Baltimore, Feb. 26 in Atlanta, March 5 in Chicago, March 11 in Seattle and April 23 in Boston. For more information or to register, click here or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.
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NRCA is offering a year-end closeout on 2008 CDs, taking 50 percent off NRCA Construction Details on CD—2008 and The NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems—2008 on CD. In addition, the November sale has been extended, and some of NRCA's technical products, such as The NRCA Building Codes Manual, Third Edition, The NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems—2008 and the Repair Manual for Low-slope Membrane Roof Systems, are 20 percent off until Dec. 15.
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Bangor Brownfield Site To Go Green
WCSH6 (Portland, Ore.) (12/09/08)

In Bangor, Maine, House Revivers acquired the New Franklin Laundry Building three years ago and assisted the former owners in cleaning up a toxic chemical on the property. Now, the firm has formulated a plan to turn the building into a 15-unit green condominium community, boasting everything from geo-thermal heating to a green roof system with grass to help keep heat out during the summer and in during the winter. House Revivers co-owner Suzanne Kelly said the best part of the project is using a recycled building, adding: "Instead of tearing something down and putting something else up, we try to work with what's there and what's special about the historic building." Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring.
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Engineers Study Environmental Benefits Of Green Roofs
KHBS/KHOG 40/29 (Ark.) (12/08/08)

As part of a research project at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Watershed Research and Education Center, graduate student Channon Toland is taking a close look at the use of green roof systems to control the stormwater that now runs off manmade structures. Toland is working with Brian Haggard, director of the Arkansas Water Resources Center, and Mark Boyer, head of the department of landscape architecture. Together, they built 15 mock green roof systems at the university and then mapped and monitored the growth of plants on the roofs of two new buildings on campus to learn which species were able to thrive in a rooftop environment in the state's climate. Using donated funds from the U of A Women's Giving Circle, Toland and Boyer built tables to serve as the mock green roofs. Roofing materials and installation were provided by Siplast, a Texas-based roofing company with facilities in Arkansas. Toland rallied landscape architecture undergraduate students to assist in installing a variety of plant species in random order on each of the mock roofs. Toland's next task will be to evaluate these plants for their viability for use on green roof systems. After every rain since the green roof systems were completed in September, Toland has collected water samples for analysis in Haggard's water quality research lab. The analyses check pH levels and turbidity in the samples, along with content of nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon and trace metals. Other data Toland is collecting includes the amount of rainwater the green roof systems retain, whether they make a significant contribution to watershed quality and the long-term nutrient contribution from the rooftop plants. Haggard remarks: "Green roofs are becoming popular in many areas. But there's not much data on what comes off of them." Toland is hopeful that the information gleaned from his research will help architects, city planners, and environmental engineers make better decisions about green roof system design and plant selection in order to reduce the impact of construction on local water quality.
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Edison Flips Switch on Fontana Solar Project
San Bernardino County Sun (CA) (12/01/08) Wrye, Matt

Because of the more than 33,000 solar panels now soaking up sunlight on top of a warehouse in Fontana, Calif., Southern California Edison is reaping a couple of extra megawatts of power on its electricity grid. In late November, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger flipped the switch on the utility's pilot solar project, which many hope will be the beginning of a proposed 250-megawatt photovoltaic solar panel operation spread across the rooftops of many Southern California commercial buildings. The envisioned $875 million project would rank as the biggest of its kind, but Southern California Edison has to first obtain approval from the California Public Utilities Commission. Randy Schultz, project manager for the company's Project Development Division, states: "We're hoping to hear from them by the end of March." Edison estimates that the $10.5 million Fontana solar project will generate enough juice to power 260 residences. ProLogis, a Denver-based industrial REIT, is leasing 600,000 square feet of rooftop space to Southern California Edison on the Fontana facility. Ultimately, Southern California Edison hopes to lease enough Southern California commercial rooftop space—as many as 150 buildings—to throw thousands of more solar panels into the mix to pump 250 megawatts of electricity onto the grid. That amount of power would equal about one-tenth the electricity created by one of California's largest power plants, enough for approximately 162,000 households.
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Urban Roofs Going to Seed
Stamford Advocate (CT) (12/01/08) Perez, Magdalene

Stamford, Conn., land use officials have long encouraged downtown builders to install green roof systems by offering incentives for planting atop parking garages. Now, builders are bringing a new wave of green roof systems to the city, with an eye on saving energy and giving employees better work environments. Among the structures putting the concept into action are the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Metro Tower and High Ridge Park. The new Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters downtown, for instance, will contain more than an acre of cultivated rooftop, with thick soil and trees. The terrace-like design will enable RBS staffers to enjoy this building amenity up close. The plants, which are all native to the Stamford metro area, will also help absorb water that can be reused for cooling and irrigation and cut the city's heat island effect. The city's next green roof system will be installed at Metro Tower, the office building W&M Properties is planning to erect in Stamford's South End. The green roof system, incorporated on the tower and its parking garage, will capture stormwater runoff and reuse it as flush water in toilets, reports Tom Durels, the firm's executive vice president. Additionally, the building will maximize use of natural light, prevent heat transfer and distribute heating and cooling via a floor system that employees can adjust within their own personal workspace.
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Rutter's Opens in New Pa. Market
Convenience Store News (12/09/08)

Rutter's Farm Stores recently opened a new store in Carlisle, Pa., its first location in that market. The new, 24-hour store features everything from a premium-coffee island to 20 fueling positions to an automatic, two-bay car wash. The store also boasts an environmentally friendly design, including a white roof system that will keep the building cooler while reducing energy demand.
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Building Getting City's First 'Green Roof'
Louisville Courier Journal (KY) (11/28/08)

Louisville's seven-story Economic Development Building will soon boast the city government's first green roof system. The $420,000 project will feature plants and soil instead of gravel and tar. It is intended to save energy and reduce stormwater runoff into a sewer system that regularly gets overwhelmed during rains. The green roof system joins several others on privately owned buildings spread throughout Louisville that have been put in place in the last couple of years. Joe Summers, a regional sales coordinator for The Zero Co., states: "These are small steps for our city, but every green roof helps." Zero is the contracting company on the Economic Development Building's roof system and several other privately owned buildings. In total, approximately 10,300 plants will grow atop the structure, many of them small sedums that feature water-storing leaves. The project is on track for a mid-January completion, reports Cecil Goins, the project manager for metro government.
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Library Begins a New Chapter
Albany Times Union (NY) (11/28/08) Hornbeck, Leigh

In the Albany suburb of Glen Falls, the Crandall Library will unveil an $18 million new wing on Dec. 12. Construction began in June 2007, with contractors renovating the original structure and demolishing a wing built nearly 40 years ago. The project has quadrupled the library's space to nearly 53,000 square feet. Next, the library board will apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Among the library's energy-efficient features is a white roof system, which reduces the need for air conditioning. Also featured is a daylight harvesting lighting system that dims the lights when sunlight is pouring into the building and makes them brighter when it is cloudy or dark outside.
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Green Building Could Triple in Five Years
Greener Buildings (11/19/08)

A McGraw-Hill Construction study projects that the value of green building construction could increase a possible 300 percent to as much as $140 billion by 2013. Green Outlook 2009 observes that green building construction's value has risen by a factor of five between 2005 and 2008, increasing from $10 billion to an estimated range of $36 billion to $49 billion. McGraw-Hill's Harvey M. Bernstein says: "Green growth is phenomenal across the globe. The business opportunities afforded by green building, even in the midst of a global economic crisis, are real and recognized by industry players." Green Outlook 2009 comes on the heels of two other highly positive McGraw-Hill reports. A September study predicted a major surge in growth and profits in green construction globally while a second study in October concluded that green residential construction is continuing to trend upward despite the economic downturn.
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Portland's Famed Powell's Books Going Solar
KGW.com (Portland, Ore.) (11/23/08) Blackman, Teresa

In Oregon, Portland's renowned Powell's Books has made the decision to go solar. In December, the company will begin harnessing the sun's power with one of the biggest solar electric installations in the state. It will include a roof-mounted 100-kilowatt photovoltaic system that will provide approximately 110,900 kWh annually, or about 25 percent of the store's yearly power consumption. The bookstore, which routinely ranks as Oregon's second-largest retail attraction, covers an entire city block.
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San Jose's Tech Museum, SunPower Turn on Downtown Solar Roof
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal (11/21/08)

The Tech Museum of Innovation joined with the city of San Jose, San Jose-based SunPower Corp. and Helio Micro Utility Inc. to power up more than 800 solar panels on the roof of downtown San Jose's Parkside Hall in late November. The event culminates a deal that was signed by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, SunPower Chief Executive Officer Tom Werner and Tech President Peter Friess in 2007 to install the 185-kilowatt solar electric system on the building, which is connected to the museum. This marks the first-ever commercial solar roof system on a downtown building. Designed and installed by SunPower, the tiles are nonroof-penetrating and tilt at a 10-degree angle to increase energy capture. The system is expected to generate enough electricity to match nearly one-tenth of the structure's power use.
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Products at the Greenbuild Expo in Boston Showcase Environmental Innovation
Cape Cod Online (11/25/08) Shemkus, Sarah

More than 800 exhibitors met in Boston in mid-November for the Greenbuild Conference and Expo to display products and services culled largely from natural resources. Many of the high-tech solutions on display were also relatively uncomplicated tools for maximizing on rainwater collection, wind, sunlight and solar energy. Aside from windows, skylights and other building features conceived to take advantage of sunlight, illumination merchandise included light tubes that rely on diffusers and optical fibers and reflective coverings to deflect sunlight deep inside a building's exterior, minimizing the need to rely on expensive electric lighting. Green roof systems that absorb rainwater, minimize runoff and help moderate indoor temperatures were also on display. Other divisions in which businesses displayed include rainwater accumulation systems, bamboo carpeting, solar installers and green energy consultants.
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Atlantic City Center Begins Installation of Largest Solar Roof System in U.S.
Environmental News Network (11/18/08)

In New Jersey, the Atlantic City Convention Center (ACCC) is set to feature the largest single-roof photovoltaic system in the country, with more than 13,300 panels capable of generating 2.36 megawatts. The panels will cover approximately 290,000 square feet, or 66 percent of the facility's rooftop space. According to the ACCC, the solar panels are designed to prevent the release of 2,349 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year. The panels will operate under a 20-year deal with Virginia-based Pepco Energy Services. Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the ACCVA, states, "With each step we take, the ACCVA continues to embrace green initiatives and stand at the forefront of the environmental movement. Following Gov. Jon S. Corzine's lead in taking a proactive look at environmental issues, our outstanding team has worked in conjunction with Pepco Energy in order to develop this project, which allows us to use our natural resources to run the convention center more efficiently."
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Patrick to Unveil Solar Power Plan
Boston Globe (11/19/08) Ailworth, Erin

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick wants to install rooftop solar power systems at new retail stores in the state by 2012. The initiative would include flat-roofed retail buildings of at least 50,000 square feet. Compliance would be voluntary, but the governor may eventually turn solar power energy generation into a construction standard. David Begelfer, chief executive of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, says there will be issues related to costs, municipal zoning regulations and coordinating with local utility providers. Begelfer asserts: "If this thing works, it's a no-brainer. We know that this is coming, and if it's going to be out there anyway, why not get involved in it at an early stage?" Earlier in 2008, Patrick signed legislation to significantly boost solar power capacity in the state by 2017. Some retailers in Massachusetts have already implemented limited solar installations, including BJ's, Hannaford and Shaws. Mark Buckley, vice president of environmental affairs at Staples, says all of the company's leases allow the company to install solar power if it becomes available. By the end of 2008, Staples says it will have solar power systems on the roofs of 25 stores and distribution centers across the country, but none will be in Massachusetts.
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Encinitas: City Hall Flips Switch on New Green Roof
North County Times (CA) (11/15/08)

As part of its goal to become the first "green" civic center in Southern California, the Encinitas Civic Center has taken the wraps off a new "cool" roof system. The $3.5 million project was completed earlier this fall, and city officials are now hoping to obtain silver accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The project, which was designed by PE Consulting and Xnergy, replaced City Hall's previous aging roof with solar panels and a chiller system. Other improvements include an integrated solar system that enhances building automation and aesthetics and skylights that provide natural lighting inside. Encinitas officials project that the project will pay for itself in 12 years and save taxpayers approximately $4 million over a 25-year period.
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New Schnucks Focuses on Being Green
Evansville Courier & Press (IN) (11/08/08) Wersich, Carol

In November, a new Schnucks supermarket opened in Newburgh, Ind., featuring a number of environmentally friendly features. The grocery store's sustainability and green initiatives focus on lowering energy and water use, as well as reducing contributions to landfill waste and increasing the use of recyclables and recycled materials. The new store's exterior features a highly heat-reflective white roof system and a low-pressure sprinkler system. The interior includes energy-efficient lighting; water-efficient plumbing fixtures; and an energy management system to control lighting, air conditioning, heating and refrigeration. Ross Hutsel, Schnucks' director of facilities engineering, notes that the chain is pursuing a "building block" approach that will enable the company to upgrade each new store with the latest advances in energy- and water-efficient technologies and building practices. He states: "The new Newburgh store is a continuation of our work to date and another step toward our goal of achieving a [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certified prototype store design."
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$420M Waldorf Coming to Philadelphia
Commercial Property News (11/01/08) Gilligan, Eugene

A 58-story Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Residences has been announced for Philadelphia, with a January 2010 groundbreaking set. The $420 million mixed-use project, which will be co-developed by Mariner Commercial Properties Inc. and Gatehouse Capital Corp., is being planned for a 2012 grand opening. The 670-foot-tall structure will rank as Philly's sixth-tallest building and will contain 175 guest rooms. To be managed by a Hilton Hotels Corp. affiliate, the lodging will also feature a 5,600-square-foot ballroom; a 2,500-square-foot junior ballroom; and approximately 3,500 square feet of pre-function space. Additionally, the property will feature 136 for-sale residences, with prices starting at $1 million. Sustainability will be a key part of the project. Some of the green components include a green roof system and an active chilled beam HVAC system. The development team has hired Re:Vision Architects of Philadelphia, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consultant, to ensure that the project reaches the highest sustainability standards.
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