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A look back at the best facility lighting options for 2014
Pamela Tresp Facilities & GroundsThe ladies out there will remember that the most popular episode on Oprah Winfrey's show was her annual "favorite things" episode. While I'm certainly not Oprah and not giving any product away, I do want to share some of my favorite things from this past year used in various commercial/industrial facilities. Hopefully, some of this information will be of value and maybe spark some ideas to make your life easier.
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UK supermarkets prepare for new cooling landscape
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingMajor supermarkets in the United Kingdom are calling upon the cooling industry to come up with solutions that will help them face a new landscape characterized by tight margins, smaller store footprints and new refrigerant choices imposed by the European F-gas regulations.
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Specifying dust control for bulk materials handling
Carl Harr Construction & Building MaterialsDust suppression has become an increasingly important challenge in demolition operations. Raised awareness and tighter regulatory standards both contribute motivation for contractors to find efficient, cost-effective methods of particle control.
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The case for environment-friendly e-waste recycling and disposal
Piyush Bakshi Waste Management & EnvironmentalAccording to a study by StEP Initiative, the volume of e-waste generated around the globe by 2017 will be around 66 million tons. The U.S leads the world in generation of electronic waste, with nearly 10 million tons generated each year and each American contributing around 66 pounds.
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Disruptive plastic products rapidly emerging in green building field
Don Rosato EngineeringGreen building technology redefines how we make and live in buildings. From a plastics material and processing perspective, we can both reduce a building's energy consumption and simultaneously provide for a building's energy production. These plastic material and process advances "disrupt" an existing market by displacing earlier technology. Let's delve into some emerging green building technologies that involve plastic material and processing aspects.
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Despite setback, approval of Keystone XL looks likely in 2015
Lucy Wallwork Natural ResourcesTen months ago, I described 2014 as "decision time" for the Keystone XL pipeline. Now it looks like the change in political winds following the resounding Republican victory in the midterm elections will bring that decision closer. The bill may have narrowly failed in the Senate on Nov. 18, but Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper — Keystone XL's greatest champion — is about to gain some friends in Congress.
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Solar roadways: Better for show than practicality?
Lauren Swan EngineeringWith the new solar road opening for cyclists in the Netherlands, a debate has been reignited that was initially begun by the Dutch's installation of solar panels into their roads. On the one hand, the government is trying to practice energy conservation and go "more green," while on the other hand, there are plenty of engineers who believe this is not a feasible option due to the mathematics supporting the installations.
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Green building regulatory trends drive plastics use
Don Rosato EngineeringThe construction and operation of buildings has a significant impact on the environment. In the U.S., buildings account for 39 percent of total energy consumption and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Buildings also use a tremendous amount of natural resources to construct and operate.
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Smart home investments deliver boost to renovation industry
Bambi Majumdar Construction & Building MaterialsIndustry reports show that things are looking up for the home renovations market. What's fueling this growth? Many homeowners are starting to invest in energy-saving renovations, particularly in the attic and kitchen.
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European cooling industry pledges to take action on HFCs
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingYou may recall last month that I drew some comparisons between the work that was going on in Europe and the U.S. over getting to grips with high-GWP refrigerants. At the time, I praised the U.S. for the recent actions on cooling — both the government and agencies for "wielding the stick" in hastening the moves toward lower GWP, and the cooling industry for committing some serious investment to low-GWP projects.
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