Organizers Commit to C&D Recycling for 2012 Olympics
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) of London has announced that it has set a 90 percent recycling goal for the construction material generated during the building of the London 2012 Olympic Park, venues and infrastructure.The ODA has awarded a contract to Veolia Environmental Services, which will establish a materials management service and debris consolidation center on the site, according to a press release from the ODA. Any debris generated by construction activities will be recovered and reused or recycled and diverted from landfill.
Movements of material by water will be a key aspect of the management contract, and any material not able to be reused on site will be taken to external licensed facilities for further processing.
More information is available online at www.london2012.com.
USGBC Set to Modify Green Building Standards
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that it is changing its certification process for green buildings through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.A 30-day online public comment period ended June 22, and the new version, LEED 2009, is scheduled to debut in January.
More than 1,500 buildings have received LEED certification since the program was introduced in 2000, and more than 11,000 are seeking certification.
LEED certifications are available in eight categories: new construction, existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and shell, retail, schools, health care and homes. Another category, for neighborhood developments, is in the pilot stage.
LEED 2009 will reorganize the commercial rating systems by consolidating, aligning and updating them into one system that’s "simpler and more elegant and committed to continuous improvement," according to USGBC spokeswoman Ashley Katz.
Points will be allocated differently and reweighed, and the entire process will be flexible to adapt to changing technology, account for regional differences and encourage innovation, according to a press release from the USGBC.
More information is available at www.usgbc.org.
In Memoriam: Ivan Homrich
Ivan R. Homrich, the founder of Homrich Wrecking Inc., passed away at the age of 83 in mid-July.Homrich died while working on his farm in Maybee, Mich.
He began Homrich Wrecking Inc. with his wife Loretta in 1964, based out of their home in Maybee. The company, now based in Carleton, Mich., has grown to offer a full range of services, including demolition, environmental remediation, site preparation and recycling.
Homrich Wrecking serves customers in its home state of Michigan and throughout the Midwest. More information about the company is available online at http://www.homrichinc.com
U.K. Developer Proposes Recycling Park in Yorkshire
A land developer in the United Kingdom is inviting interest from recycling companies and organizations to locate within a 45-acre parcel of land in South Yorkshire.Sheffield-based developer Loxley Land and Property says the site, also known as Beeley Wood, offers "vast capacity and flexibility of usage" for companies "dealing with any manner of recyclable materials."
The developer’s parent company is Sheffield demolition and recycling firm Euro Dismantling Services (EDS), which acquired the land two years ago and has since undertaken demolition work at the site to prepare it for redevelopment.
"Beeley Wood presents an excellent opportunity for a broad range of recycling companies who are looking to create [custom] buildings in which to house their operations," says Eldon Stevens, property manager for Loxley Land and Property. Resource Efficiency Yorkshire (REY), an agency funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund, is also involved in the effort.
"The recycling sector is set to grow significantly in the region," says Andrew Hartley, program director at REY. "We estimate that in Yorkshire and Humber alone the public and private sectors will commit investment of £3 billion to waste management and recycling over the next three years. A major challenge for businesses seeking to capitalize on this market potential has been the availability of suitable development sites. The size and location of Beeley Wood, the opportunity to network with other similar businesses and the supportive environment, make it a nationally significant development for the sector."
He continues, "For recycling businesses the site is close to large concentrations of potential commercial and local authority customers and has the scale to become the recycling hub for the North of England, propelling Yorkshire and Humber towards the premier division of recycling regions."
Recycling company representatives wishing to find out more about the Beeley Wood site can go to http://www.locleylandproperty.co.uk
EPA Awards Brownfields Development Grant
The city of Springfield, Mo., has been chosen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to receive $50,000 in brownfields technical assistance to sustain redevelopment in the Commercial Street Historic District.Springfield is one of only 16 communities in the U.S. to be chosen by the EPA as a Brownfields Sustainability Pilot. The funding will support the community by helping to achieve greener, more sustainable assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields projects. It will also support sustainable activities such as materials recycling, green building and green infrastructure design, energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy development and native landscaping.
The Commercial Street Historic District is a six-block area and is a National Historic Registered District. It has an industrial and commercial history, and has been a major focus of Springfield’s recent revitalization efforts.
More information about the brownfields sustainability pilot program is available at www.epa.gov. More information about the Commercial Street Historic District is available at www.springfieldmo.org.
Vogel Bros. Leads School Supply Donations Program
For the 15th year, the Vogel Foundation and Madison Urban Ministries have announced they are spearheading the School Supplies for Kids program. Through the foundation, they purchase the required pens, pencils, crayons, paper and other basics for more than 15,000 at-need children at 135 schools throughout Dane County, Wis. The year, even more so than in previous years, the economic downturn will affect needy families. In the past, the Vogel Foundation has ordered $50,000 worth of supplies on average to meet these needs, but the need is actually much greater."No child should be limited in what they can achieve by not being able to afford these basic supplies," says David Vogel, chairman of the board of the Vogel Foundation. "It is extremely important that we invest in our future by helping support these deserving school children."
To continue success of the School Supplies for Kids program, contributions are needed from Dane County businesses, foundations and individuals. Tax deductable contributions can be made to Madison Urban Ministry (School Supplies) and mailed to David Vogel at P.O. Box 7696, Madison, WI 53707-7696.
R.W. Beck Selected to Develop Facility Database for CIWMB
R.W. Beck, Seattle, has been selected by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) to document the state’s solid waste management and recycling infrastructure.The initiative aims to deliver this information, and a model for projecting future needs through a new, interactive Web-based information system featuring GIS capabilities, to be added to CIWMB’s expansive Web site, according to the press release.
"This is the first data gathering, management and modeling project of its size," says Ed Boisson, project manager at R. W. Beck. "CIWMB’s decision to centralize information on the nation’s largest and most advanced recycling infrastructure should be of keen interest to waste management and recycling organizations throughout California and in other states."
Boisson says he believes the tool can help CIWMB and local governments evaluate current and future needs for recycling processing facilities, composting sites and other waste reduction infrastructures. Private sector firms could also use the tool to investigate market opportunities.
The infrastructure inventory and information framework will also facilitate consideration of regional initiatives by mapping existing solid waste and recycling facilities and projecting regional waste generation and infrastructure needs. "Ultimately, this tool will make it easier for state policymakers to set a baseline grounded in current realities and plot a course towards CIWMB’s zero waste goal," Boisson says.
The project will begin with a broad user needs assessment to ensure the information system responds to stakeholders’ needs and priorities. As it gathers and manages data, R. W. Beck will abide by the confidentiality requirements of facility owners and operators. The Firm will work with CIWMB on this two-year $900,000 project to research and collect data, and develop the final information framework, as well as a protocol for periodic updates.
More information can be found online at www.rwbeck.com or the CIWMB’s Web site www.ciwmb.ca.gov/.
San Francisco Mayor Signs Green Building Legislation
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has signed the city’s green building ordinance that imposes strict green building requirements on newly constructed residential and commercial buildings, as well as renovations to existing structures.The ordinance requires newly constructed commercial buildings of more than 5,000 square feet, residential buildings more than 75 feet high and renovations on buildings of more than 25,000 square feet to be subject to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications.
The city’s Climate Action Plan found that energy use in buildings accounts for approximately 50 percent of San Francisco’s greenhouse gas emissions, making green building a critical component in the city’s efforts to address climate change.
Some of the significant cumulative benefits this ordinance is expected to achieve through 2012 are: reducing CO2 emissions by 60,000 tons, saving 220,000 megawatt hours of power, saving 100 million gallons of drinking water, reducing waste and storm water by 90 million gallons, reducing construction and demolition debris by 700 million pounds, increasing the valuations of recycled materials by $200 million, reducing automobile trips by 540,000 and increasing green power generation by 37,000 megawatt hours. C&DR
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