In December, the City Council voted 17-0 to pass Bill No. 080025, introduced by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. The bill requires LEED-silver standards for all government construction projects over 10,000 square feet that are primarily funded by city capital dollars and controlled by the city. The measure is an important step towards reaching the Target
MoreBoathouse Row’s signature style goes green…red and goldby Lee Stabert
The lights of boathouse row are iconic Philadelphia—they get top postcard billing alongside the Liberty Bell and the Art Museum steps. So, you can imagine the fuss a few years ago when they decided to change them, replacing every bulb with an energy-efficient, long-lasting LED.
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Three Decades later, Jon Costanza returns to his place in the sunby Samantha DrakeThese days, when Jon Costanza talks to groups about the benefits of solar power, he starts off with his ponytail tucked up out of sight. His audiences, consisting of many people dressed in business suits, often look far more conservative than those
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Philly runs on uncertain energy. It’s hard to imagine, but our electricity actually costs less than it could. Currently, our bills are lowered through rate caps applied by the state. On December 31, 2010, those caps expire, prices are expected to spike and no legislation is in place to protect us.
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Liz Robinson talks about Philly’s energy problems and a different path forward
Liz Robinson has been helping Philadelphia conserve energy since 1979. As Executive Director of the Energy Coordinating Agency, an energy nonprofit that services low-income residents, Liz has worked on the EnergyEfficiency Resource Standard, which instituted early efficiency measures for Philly’s affordable housing. She also
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Laura Blau taught energy savings to her six year old son, Nandor, using the green cloth dragon that hangs from his bedroom door. Every night, if Nandor’s clothes are still clean, he puts them inside the dragon’s pouches and wears them the next day. Overtime, Laura does less laundry and when she does, she uses
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New legislation could mean Pennsylvania is finally turning around its energy policy
by Will DeanPennsylvania has long lagged behind other parts of the country in terms of supporting alternative energy and energy conservation. Perhaps because of our massive coal resources, the Keystone State has kept its thinking about energy production firmly in the past. In 2008,
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Alternative energy entrepreneur Mike McKinley talks about what solar can do for Philly
by Dana Henry
Mike Mckinley was a cognitive neuroscientist working for Pfizer in southern California when the lights went out. Utility spikes caused by the deregulations of Enron and Reliant Energy (the same will happen with PECO in 2010) had led to a series
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Efficiency tips save energy and dollars
According to the Energy Coordinating Agency, most of Philly’s aging housing could use around 40 to 60 percent less energy, but it will require more than just changing light bulbs. Many solutions are simple DIY projects, but larger projects carry some risk. Insulation, for example, can cause moisture build-up (and
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Audits uncover energy leaks in a Philly rowhome.
by Will Dean
On a brisk December morning, a white van pulls up outside a quaint, stone-fronted, two-story duplex rowhome in Mount Airy. There are a few people inside, myself included, and some ghostbuster-esque equipment, including fans, various detectors, meters and a big fan. The only invisible thing we’re
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