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Dallas is the latest to ban bags — Is your city next?
Danielle Manley RetailWe all want to do our part to help save the environment, and cities have been getting involved in recent years by banning disposable bags. The most recent bag ban happened in Dallas where residents will be required to pay 5 cents per bag starting Jan. 1, 2015. But how is this going to affect retailers and consumers? And is it legal for cities nationwide to ban bags?
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Electrical submetering is smart energy management
Jeannea Jones Facilities & GroundsSubmetering allows for monitoring of the electrical consumption of individual components within a building, such as heating and cooling systems, lighting, refrigeration and more. This method utilizes individual "submeters" that allow facility managers to observe the energy use and performance of their equipment, creating opportunities for energy and capital expenditure savings.
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Understanding new regulations for energy‑efficient buildings
Bambi Majumdar Facilities & GroundsEnergy efficiency is a journey, and we cannot take our foot off the gas pedal, lest we drive into major power wastage. The latest energy efficiency legislation — The Energy Efficiency Improvement Act, H.R. 2126 — that has just been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives is a significant step forward.
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Innovations in improving indoor air quality
Michael J. Berens ManufacturingEfforts to improve indoor air quality have encountered some limitations as builders and engineers have had to balance them with other demands, such as improving building performance and reducing energy consumption. A number of industry organizations, research institutions and universities throughout the world are engaged in finding solutions that will satisfy both IAQ and energy requirements. Some recent developments show promise of helping to breaking the gridlock.
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The problem of green washing in the spa industry
Beatrice (Vallant) Hochegger Recreation & LeisureThis article aims to reveal a downside and challenge that goes hand-in-hand with being "green" — and not only the spa industry, but every industry. We are talking about the phenomenon of green washing.
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Innovative solar energy applications point the way forward
Don Rosato EngineeringMost people no longer ask whether solar energy will be a success, the question is rather which forms of photovoltaic (PV) technology and system types will be successful.
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Big data and big oil — a perfect marriage?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesBig oil and gas companies are finding new ways to extract data streams, combine them, merge them and gain insights that can optimize their businesses, increase profits and save the environment. We're talking about big oil meeting big data.
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Solar energy process technology developments to watch
Don Rosato ManufacturingSystem considerations such as reliability, overall energy production rate and competitiveness in the Levelized Cost of Energy are dominating solar energy or photovoltaic maturation as subsidized manufacturing is replaced by true grid parity.
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Can solar energy compete with fossil fuels?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesAccording to the Edison Electric Institute, such utility-sized solar plants will soon appear across the United States with 232 under construction, in testing or to be granted with permits. One question, however, remains: Can solar compete with fossil fuels in terms of price?
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The View From Europe: Fridge doors debate heats up
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThe so-called "doors on fridges debate" has been a constant and at times controversial discussion in the United Kingdom. In the last three or four years, it has often pitted supermarket refrigeration engineers against their retail merchandising colleagues.
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