What the U.S. Stimulus Package Does for Renewable Energy
from U.S. News & World Report
With about US$50 billion in spending and US$20 billion in tax provisions, energy won big in the stimulus package. Spending projects include US$11 billion for the electrical grid, US$2 billion for advanced battery technology, and US$5 billion for home weatherization. Grants for energy programs also are major routes for cash, with US$6.3 billion going to states and towns. An additional US$300 million funds state and municipal purchases of electric and hybrid cars. (They appear in other parts of the package, too: The U.S. federal government will buy US$300 million worth. There's also a 10 percent tax credit for those who convert their cars to electric power and a 50 percent credit to gas stations that install pumps for alternative fuel like ethanol.) More

U.S., U.K., Australia to Establish Green Building Standards
from Greener Buildings
Major green building organizations and their assessment systems in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have agreed to work together to develop common metrics for measuring carbon emissions from new office buildings and homes. More

Giant Eco-Egg Skyscraper: A Conceptual Luxury Hotel
from Inhabitat
From the unseen, unsung files of design competitions past comes the Envision Green Hotel proposed by Miami-based Michael Rosenthal Associates for Hospitality Design’s Radical Innovation design competition. Part wind tower, part urban eco-resort and all egg, this “lobular” structure is touted as one of the most recognizable landmarks for the city in which it would ultimately be…laid. Inhabitat leaves it up to you to decide whether this is an egg-cellent idea or something not quite fully hatched. More

Skyscraper Plans for Birmingham, England
from BBC
Plans for two skyscrapers which could dominate Birmingham city centre's skyline have been unveiled. Kuwaiti firm Sahlia Investments wants to build a 27-storey glass tower called the Beorma Building as part of a wider Beorma Quarter complex by the Bullring. More

Sweden Unveils 'Ambitious' Clean Energy Strategy
from AFP
Sweden's government presented what it described as Europe's "most ambitious" strategy to improve energy efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The government said it now aims by 2020 for renewable energy to comprise 50 percent of all energy produced, for the Swedish car fleet to be independent of fossil fuels 10 years later and for the country to be carbon neutral by 2050. More

Gensler Unveils China's Tallest Building at Mipim
from Building
Undaunted by the global financial maelstrom, architect Gensler unveiled plans for China's tallest building, the 632m-tall Shanghai Tower. Located in the Luijiazui Finance and Trade Zone of the city, the tower—which is being developed by Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Company—broke ground last year and is due for completion in 2014. More

Texas Oilmen Lead Charge of 'Green' Energy Exploration
from USA Today
George Alcorn is a third-generation Texas oilman. His grandfather drilled for oil in the 1930s, then his father and his uncles followed suit. When Alcorn, 51, looks into the future of his business, though, he doesn't see black oil gushing from a well—he sees steam. Alcorn recently revamped his business strategy from traditional oil exploration to using abandoned wells and drilling technology to generate geothermal energy as a way to power cities. With mounting national interest in renewable energy, oil companies are starting to think in renewable terms. President Obama's US$800 billion economic stimulus, which contains incentives for renewable projects, has helped push the swing. More

Is “Skyscraper Farming” the Future of Farming in the Middle East?
from Green Prophet
Imagine being able to place an entire farm, complete with crops and livestock, in the same space as is required for one of today’s modern urban skyscrapers. A Columbia University professor, Dickson Despommier, has been involved in such a project that could turn a 30 story glass faced building into a vertical agricultural enterprise capable of feeding 50,000 the year round. While such an idea may seem a bit far-fetched to some people, to others who live in densely populated areas such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York City, see this idea as having great benefit, as well as being much more environmental friendly than standard agricultural practices which contribute greatly to greenhouse gases and global warming. More

How's Your Staff Holding Up During This Economy?
from Fox Business
Employee engagement is more than a 21st century buzzword. Studies indicate that highly engaged employees outperform their disengaged counterparts by as much as 20-28 percentage points. During tough economic times, this significant upside to the bottom line can often foreshadow a company's very survival, according to Greg Harris, president, Quantum Workplace, a market research company that surveys employee engagement, loyalty and retention. More

Real Estate Woes Seep into Malls, Office Towers
from Christian Science Monitor
Now it’s the real estate developers who are slated to get a bailout. By April, the U.S. federal government expects to have a plan to refinance office towers and shopping centers in danger of defaulting. The scale is likely to be massive: Last week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke hinted at providing another US$1 trillion in credit. More