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GovFacility eNews
Volume 3, #3, October 2008
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In this issue:
1. Welcome to GovFacility eNews
2. News
3. Events
Welcome to GovFacility eNews!
Welcome to the October 2008 issue of GovFacility eNews. This is a monthly e-newsletter providing news, events, and other information for public sector facility managers responsible for the management, maintenance, and security of buildings occupied by government employees and used by citizens. We realize facilities management is a tremendous responsibility, more so than ever in the wake of 9/11, often with little or no increase in funding, while you are often called to do more with the same or less. We hope to offer information that helps you make decisions, and we hope that you will share information with us regarding news and stories, best practices, products and services, events -– anything germane to your needs as facility management professionals. The www.GovFacility.com web site contains information we think you will find helpful. Let us know how we are doing and what other sorts of information you require.
If you have news or any other information you would like to share, please email either:
Juli Maltagliati at juli@govfacility.com
Mark Amtower at amtower@erols.com
Thank you.
NEWS
DOE to invest $53 million in 21 solar power projects. October 5, 2008.
DOE announced on September 19 that it will invest up to $35 million over the next 4 years in 15 concentrating solar power (CSP) projects which, combined with the project cost-sharing from the project participants, will result in up to $67.6 million being invested in these projects. CSP technologies concentrate the sun's heat for conversion into electricity, and the ability to store that thermal energy and draw on it after sunset will greatly increase the economic feasibility of CSP power plants. Of the 15 projects, 11 will involve the research and development (R&D) of thermal energy storage technologies, 1 involves R&D for advanced heat transfer fluids, and 3 will be geared toward near-term demonstrations of thermal storage technologies. The projects are expected to further DOE's goal of reducing the cost of CSP electricity from today's 13-16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) with no thermal storage to 8-11 cents per kWh with 6 hours of thermal storage by 2015, and to less than 7 cents per kWh with 12-17 hours of thermal storage by 2020. Seven companies and six universities were selected for this award.
In addition, DOE announced on September 29 that it will invest $17.6 million, subject to annual appropriations, in six company-led, early-stage photovoltaic (PV) projects under the Solar America Initiative's "PV Incubator" funding opportunity. The "PV Incubator" project is designed to fund prototype PV components and systems with the goal of moving them through the commercialization process by 2010. The 2008 award will be the second funding opportunity released under the PV Incubator project. With the cost share from industry, which will be at least 20%, up to $35.4 million will be invested in these projects. The projects will run for 18 months, and will be subcontracted through DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Full Story: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/news.html
Diverse coalition of organizations calls upon the Congress and next President to make energy efficiency a national priority. September 16, 2008. WASHINGTON.
Today more than thirty groups, ranging from the AFL-CIO to The Real Estate
Roundtable, issued a call to action for the federal government and states to make energy efficiency a frontline approach to addressing energy supply constraints and reducing global warming emissions. As early as today Congress could start voting on drilling and alternative energy proposals, which include efficiency provisions.
The broad-based group of industry and financial leaders, state treasurers, environmental groups and energy policy advocates urged the government to greatly ramp up its commitment to energy efficiency measures. Among additional priorities, the group called for:
- Governors and state leaders to prioritize efficiency and allow it to compete with power generation;
- The next President to appoint a National Energy Efficiency Advocate;
- The Congress to establish worker training programs; and,
- And both the next President and Congress to remake the regulatory and financial incentive landscape in order to make the United States a worldwide leader in efficiency technologies.
Specifically, the statement declares that “[r]apid adoption of policies and programs that drive greater energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, industries, and government facilities will make electricity more affordable and reliable, enhance our standard of living, create new jobs, and protect the environment.” The statement concludes that “[a]n effective strategy to spur investment in energy efficiency, involving the private sector and government, including regulatory agencies, would reap large energy savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and serve as an engine for economic development, creating millions of new jobs.”
Full Story: http://www.energyfuturecoalition.org/pubs/EFC_EE_National_Priority_Release.pdf
GAO releases new report: “Disaster Recovery: Past Experiences Offer Insights for Recovering from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and Other Recent Natural Disasters.” September 2008.
Why GAO Did This Study:
This month, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav struck the Gulf Coast producing widespread damage and leading to federal major disaster declarations. Earlier this year, heavy flooding resulted in similar declarations in seven Midwest states. In response, federal agencies have provided millions of dollars in assistance to help with short- and long-term recovery. State and local governments bear the primary responsibility for recovery and have a great stake in its success. Experiences from past disasters may help them better prepare for the challenges of managing and implementing the complexities of disaster recovery. GAO was asked to identify insights from past disasters and share them with state and local officials undertaking recovery activities. GAO reviewed six past disasters—the Loma Prieta earthquake in northern California (1989), Hurricane Andrew in south Florida (1992), the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, California (1994), the Kobe earthquake in Japan (1995), the Grand Forks/Red River flood in North Dakota and Minnesota (1997), and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast (2005). GAO interviewed officials involved in the recovery from these disasters and experts on disaster recovery. GAO also reviewed relevant legislation, policies, and its previous work.
Read Full Report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081120.pdf
EVENTS
NOVEMBER 2008
Design-Build Conference & Expo. Las Vegas, NV. November 3-5, 2008.
Sponsored by Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)
http://www.designbuildexpo.com/home.cfm
Maintenance Expo. Paris, France. November 4-7, 2008.
Sponsored by Reed Exhibitions France; French Association of Maintenance Engineers (AFIM)
http://www.maintenance-expo.com/
Mid-Atlantic Buildings & Facilities Management Show & Conference (MABFM’08). Somerset, NJ. November 5-6, 2008. Sponsored by Professional Expos.
http://www.proexpos.com/MABFM/
Realtors Conference & Expo. Orlando, FL. November 7-10, 2008.
Sponsored by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
http://www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/
CoreNet Global Summit Orlando. Orlando, FL. November 9-11, 2008.
Sponsored by CoreNet Global.
http://www2.corenetglobal.org/summits_events/orlando_2008/index.vsp
Advanced Facilities Management and Engineering Conference and Exhibit (AFEC 2007). Denver, CO. November 12-13, 2008. Sponsored by Building Operators Association of Colorado (BOAC); International Facility Management Association (IFMA); Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE).
http://www.afec.biz/
Contingency Planning & Management (CPM) East. Orlando, FL. November 12-14, 2008. Sponsored by The CPM Group.
http://www.contingencyplanning.com/mcv/events/east/
WorkTech08. London, UK. November 17-18, 2008
Sponsored by Unwired.
http://www.unwired.eu.com/WT08/London/home.html
Build Boston. Boston, MA. November 18-20, 2008.
Sponsored by Boston Society of Architects/AIA (BSA).
http://www.buildboston.com/home.asp
Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. Boston, MA. November 19-21, 2008.
Sponsored by US Green Building Council (USGBC).
http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/
DECEMBER 2008
POWER-GEN International. Orlando, FL. December 2-4, 2008.
Sponsored by PennWell Corporation.
http://pgi08.events.pennnet.com/fl//index.cfm
The National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition (NECE). Las Vegas, Nevada. December 2-5, 2008: Conference; December 3-5, 2008: Exposition. Sponsored by Continental Exhibitions.
http://www.ergoexpo.com/NECE/
Facilities Management Summit (FM Summit) (NE Region). Philadelphia, PA. December 8-9, 2008. Sponsored by Forum Networking Events (FNE).
http://www.forumnetworkingevents.com/forums/facilities_management/index_ne.htm
International Maintenance Conference (IMC-2008). Bonita Springs, FL. December 8-11, 2008. Sponsored by Reliabilityweb.com.
http://www.maintenanceconference.com/imc/index.htm
Ecobuild Fall and AEC-ST Fall Conference and Exhibition. Washington, DC. December 8-11, 2008 Conference; December 10-11, 2008 Exhibit. Sponsored by Ecobuild America.
http://www.ecobuildamerica.com/fallhome.html
JANUARY 2009
Interiors Birmingham. Birmingham, England. January 18-21, 2009. Sponsored by CMP Information.
http://www.interiorsbirmingham.com/lighting/index.html
AHR Expo - "The World's Largest HVAC&R Exposition." Chicago, IL. January 26-28, 2009. Sponsored by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) [formerly ARI & GAMA]
http://www.ahrexpo.com/
FEBRUARY 2009
Scottish Energy and Environment Conference (SEEC) 2009. Glasgow, Scotland. February 3, 2009. Sponsored by Washington-Dowling Associates.
http://www.seecon.org.uk/about-seec.htm
Facility Management Gipfel 2009. Montreux, Switzerland. February 8-10, 2009.
Sponsored by Marcus Evans.
http://www.facilitymanagementgipfel.com/
Construction Safety & Health Conference & Exposition. Rosemont, IL. February 17-19, 2009. Sponsored by Construction Safety Council (CSC). http://www.buildsafe.org/Conference/2008/index.html
China International Heating, Ventilation & Air-conditioning Expo. Beijing, China. February 25-27, 2009. Sponsored by Beijing B & D Tiger Exhibition Co., Ltd.
http://www.cihe-hvac.com/en/
GovFacility eNews is published by Amtower & Company. Free subscriptions are available at www.GovFacility.com
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