Towers in Manhattan Gather Heat for Power

Later this year, a double-rigged crane will hoist a giant power turbine part way up One Penn Plaza, a black monolithic skyscraper next to Madison Square Garden. When the natural gas-powered generator on the 12th floor starts, it will not only produce some 6.2 megawatts of electricity — enough to power up to half the 57-floor building on a busy day — but it will also siphon off excess steam and use it to help heat and cool the 37-year-old skyscraper. More More

More Efficient Electricity Usage Could Cut U.S. Energy Use by 30 Percent

If the energy efficiency across the United States was equivalent to that of the top performing states, the nation could save 1.2 million GWh, equivalent to 30 percent of its annual electricity use, according to a new report from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). More

Study: Commercial Buildings May Not Recoup Green Costs for Decade

Pressure is mounting in statehouses across the country to reform building codes and improve energy efficiency. But for commercial office developers, the push for greater efficiency in their buildings may mean a drop in their profits. A study released by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, found that a 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency over code -- a benchmark often cited by prominent efficiency advocates -- is not financially feasible for most new, Class A office construction. More

Corporate Office's New Address, Phone

Laurence Gration, CEO of AFE, along with all the staff, have relocated. The new space, Gration says, has numerous advantages but most importantly, improves operating efficiency. Effective March 1, you can reach AFE at 12801 Worldgate Dr., Suite 500, Herndon, VA 20170. The new phone number is (571) 203-7171. E-mails will not change. More

GE to Build First 'Ecomagination Centre' at Masdar City

Masdar has announced that GE will be an anchor partner in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. The two companies have outlined plans to house a new Ecomagination Centre, focused on sustainable business solutions and to form a broader R&D relationship that will support the development and deployment of new and innovative technologies. The centre is part of a multi-faceted strategic partnership signed by Mubadala and GE in July 2008. More

Helping China Go Green

An Oregon cast shares the stage in China's sustainability movement, but the nation could steal the show with its vision of economic and environmental harmony. More

A Zero-Emissions City in the Desert

The first hints of the project are visible. A white wall stretches through the desert, like a chalk line on a dusty playing field. A bus with darkened windows stirs a low cloud, ferrying workers past a cluster of steel cranes, two portable drilling rigs, and a stand of concrete columns sprouting rust-colored rebar. A tall wire fence guards rows of solar panels mounted on concrete pads. More

The Latest New Wrinkle in the Art of Building Tall: A High-rise Old Folks Home

With millions of Baby Boomers nearing their 65th birthday and yuppies turning into "ruppies" (retired urban people), it was only a matter of time before the world got something like The Clare at Water Tower in Chicago, a stylish skyscraper in which to grow old. But it took an architect with the skill and artistry of Ralph Johnson, a principal at the Chicago office of Perkins+Will, to ensure that this 54-story high-rise would nestle so deftly into the cityscape and provide a humane environment for its residents, some of whom get around with walkers and white canes. More