July 5, 2009
· Filed under Misc
I found this on a Blog called GreenPacks and found it interesting:
The Sears Tower in Chicago is to undergo a “green” change that will cost a cool $350 million. The plan is to make the 110-story office tower,the tallest building in the United States as well as in the Western Hemisphere at a height of 1,450 feet, “a beacon for environmentally sound space.” Green Sears Tower American Landmark Properties, which owns Sears Tower, expects to cut the building’s electricity consumption by 80% and water consumption by 40%. Sears Tower, built in 1973, will be renamed Willis Tower later in the summer of 2009.
The 9-point “green” plan for Sears Tower includes the following measures:
1.Replacing the tower’s 16,000 tinted single-pane windows and creating a ‘thermal break’ between Chicago’s chilly winters and hot summers and the interior.
2.Installing gas boilers equipped with fuel cells, which generate electricity, heat and cooling.
3.Revamping the tower’s 104 elevators and 15 escalators to reduce their usage of electricity by 40%.
4.Conserving 24 million gallons of water with new restroom fixtures and ‘condensation capture.’
5.‘Harvesting daylight’ by installing systems that automatically dim lighting based on available natural light.
6.Installing solar panels to heat water.
7.Erecting wind-turbines, if possible.
8.Planting green roofs in order to reduce storm runoff and the urban heat island effect.
9.Replacing granite plazas and walls surrounding Sears Tower with trees, terraced park space, glass storefronts, and an interactive digital display.
June 5, 2009
· Filed under Misc
Welcome to the blog for the Green Chapter of High Output Business Network (HOBN). You are witnessing the begining of something very powerful in Vancouver. A committed group of successful people coming together with a common purpose. Sustainability is one of those buzz terms being tossed around a lot these days with many people and company’s attempting to jump on the bandwagon for personal gains. With the HOBN Green Chapter you will not see any of that.
The vision of the HOBN Green Chapter is to provide a platform for businesses committed to sustainability to gather, discuss and find ways their activities can positively impact the environment, community, society, and the economy.
The Green Chapter invites businesses to look at their processes, products, and manufacturing activities with an eye to reduce or eliminate any adverse effects on the environment. In addition, we welcome socially sustainable organizations that give back to the community, whether through employees volunteering their time or through charitable donations.
We welcome you to join us for our next live meeting on Friday morning starting at 715AM. We are meeting at T.O.R. The Office Resource, 355 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC. Though you do not need to wait until the next meeting to share your ideas. The purpose is for everyone to take consistent ACTION to help make the planet and our community more sustainable. Remember, without action there can be no change, so let’s all work together and then we can make a difference.
Cheers everyone,
Chuck
