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Compounding the benefits of nature in healthcare settings
Michael J. Berens Healthcare AdministrationResearch in biophilia — the notion that humans experience an instinctive bond with nature and other living things — as well as the effects of daylighting has greatly increased our understanding of and appreciation for the ways in which access to nature and nature views enhance the experience of occupants in built environments.
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EU looks at Ecolabel for supermarkets
Andrew Gaved Waste Management & EnvironmentalReaders will know that European supermarkets have made significant progress in recent years in converting their properties to lower-energy systems using lower-carbon refrigerants. Transcritical carbon dioxide systems have rapidly become the technology of choice for supermarket refrigeration managers wanting to reduce the global warming potential of their stores. Now, a European-funded initiative called SuperSmart is hoping to hasten the take-up of greener refrigeration methods by proposing an EU Ecolabel for food retail stores.
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Urban challenge: Cities and climate change
Lucy Wallwork Civil & GovernmentWhen it comes to climate change, cities occupy the role of both hero and villain. On the one hand, cities consume over two-thirds of global energy and are responsible for 37-49 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. On the other, cities are also a key part of the solution. Even when it must happen without support at the federal level, cities are taking action on climate change.
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Green meets smart: Eco-friendly packaging solutions
Delany Martinez Distribution & WarehousingFrom a manufacturing standpoint, ordering necessary packaging material seems simple enough. At its core, it's merely multiplying anticipated outgoing packages by the Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, air pillows and other void-fillers needed to keep product safe.
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A bid to clear the air in the UK
Andrew Gaved Waste Management & EnvironmentalIn the U.K., pollution has become something of a political hot potato, thrusting the HVAC industry's role in raising standards of indoor air quality (IAQ) into the spotlight. Now, campaigners want there to be a new Clean Air Act — the legislation was first brought in 60 years ago in a bid to see off the famous London smog that had created poor visibility and breathing difficulties in the postwar period.
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Urban challenge: How cities are making the most of Big Data
Lucy Wallwork Civil & GovernmentData has been described as the "new oil" powering our economies. It is also increasingly powering our cities. A handful of U.S. cities are starting to reap the dividends of using data to help their cities flourish, replacing filing cabinets with complex data infrastructure. In the third article in this "urban challenges" series, let's look at some of the early pioneers and how we can expect data to influence the future of cities.
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Powered by nature: Alternative energy in factories and beyond
Delany Martinez Distribution & WarehousingOnce considered a static "cost of doing business," the high price of energy in manufacturing is no longer a given. There is now considerable financial negotiation room thanks to renewable and alternative energy sources.
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Urban challenge: What should be done about gentrification?
Lucy Wallwork Civil & GovernmentGentrification is the process in which an influx of wealthy residents into an urban district causes rents to rise and the neighborhood to be reshaped in line with middle-class (usually white) characteristics. And it's becoming an growing headache for policymakers and the mayors of some of America's hippest cities.
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Scotland takes brave approach to climate change
Andrew Gaved Waste Management & EnvironmentalIn the U.S., the HVACR industry waits with bated breath to see what new President Donald Trump is going to do with regard to climate change policy — and what sort of restrictions he will put on the EPA. Meanwhile, across the Pond in the U.K., the Scottish government has shown a heartening amount of ambition for carbon cutting with its own draft climate change plan. In fact, the Scottish plan is so ambitious that it has thrown the spotlight on the U.K. Westminster government's own somewhat-more-conservative carbon cutting plans.
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Hoteliers reap long-term gains by going green
Donna Balancia Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementRamp-up expenses can be costly, but hotels that "go green" can harvest rewards with new business and long-term financial gains. Going green has its advantages in the tourism world. Hotels that meet state green certifications derive benefits ranging from saving money to saving the environment. While there is no sweeping federal legislation that mandates hotels go green, many states have taken on their own government-implemented rules and guidance.
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