DACH Region Announces Investor Scores for Carbon Emissions
The good news upfront: the majority of companies from the DACH region today recognize the business case for evaluating, reporting and managing issues related to carbon emissions reduction. 69% of all 184 responding companies have received a CDP Carbon Disclosure Score above 50 in 2012, meaning they not only provide more than half of the data required to manage climate change, but also enough information to be judged on their actual climate protection performance (CDP Carbon Performance Band).
Construction Material Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Impacts
Life Cycle Assessment is not about how well one performs on an exercise bicycle but instead endeavors to characterize the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its life cycle starting with obtaining raw materials and ending with disposal.
Achieving Environmental Water Management Efficiency
Although approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, less than 1% is available for human use. Since 2006, the EPA’s WaterSense Program has helped consumers and businesses save a cumulative 287 billion gallons of water and over $4.7 billion in water and energy bills. EPA’s WaterSense Program promotes and enhances the market for water-efficient products and services, and educates homeowners, businesses, landscapers and others. WaterSense also develops performance criteria for water efficient products and services.
Smart Grids Meet Intelligent Buildings for Energy Management
Smart Grids are coming and we need intelligent buildings to get the benefits on both sides of the meters. Both the utilities and the customers can use the information technologies to more wisely manage energy and reduce their environmental impacts. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Your energy bills, provided many days after usage, are not very useful for real time energy management and the ability to reduce unnecessary loads and their greenhouse gases.
