Page 8 - Green Builder July-August 2019 Issue
P. 8
Green Building NEWS
The Latest on Sustainability and Renewable Energy
Garden State Goes All In for Green Power
New Jersey plans to switch off all non-renewable energy by 2050.
EW JERSEY HAS UNVEILED an initiative to power the state entirely
by renewable electricity by 2050, largely through expanded elec-
tric-vehicle adoption and offshore wind and solar unit installations.
N The proposal, known as the Energy Master Plan (EMP) will also cre-
ate additional clean energy-related jobs and training programs, according to
Gov. Phil Murphy. Also, many of the EMP’s benefits will be aimed at underserved
areas, such as low-income communities.
Murphy calls the EMP “a comprehensive roadmap toward achieving our goal
of a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050.” It is “a critical step forward in
reducing the effects of climate change and securing our state’s clean energy
future for the benefit of all New Jerseyans and for generations to come.”
Other goals include maximizing energy efficiency and conservation;
reducing energy use and emissions from the building sector through decar-
bonization and electrification; the expansion of statewide net-zero carbon
home incentive programs; modernizing the grid and utility infrastructure; and COURTESY OF PHIL MURPHY
leveraging the economic and environmental opportunities that clean energy
provides, Murphy notes.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities will host public meetings to collect Net-zero know-how. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy considers the state’s
feedback and comments from key stakeholders until Sept. 16. Energy Master Plan critical to its fight against climate change
USGBC Unveils ‘Outstanding Projects’ of 2018
LEED Project of the Year will be decided by member online voting.
CENTURYOLD RHODE ISLAND home has been named as the U.S. built in 2018.
Green Building Council (USGBC)’s “Outstanding Single-Family And for the first time, USGBC members were given the chance to vote online
Project” of 2018. The Holt Residence in Providence, R.I., was recog- for the “LEED Homes Project of the Year.” Results were not available at press time.
A nized for its absence of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) A complete list of winners is available on the USGBC website.
in its building materials, as well as the 1,000-gallon cistern rainwater capture
system used for landscape irrigation, according to USGBC. Holt was one of
12 finalists recognized in the council’s annual 2018 LEED Homes Awards,
which features “residential projects, developers and builders using LEED to
improve quality of life and create healthier and more resilient communities,
USGBC President and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam says.
Also identified as outstanding single-family homes were the Silverman
Residence in George Town, Cayman Islands, and the Owen Residence in Little
Rock, Ark.
Marshall Gobuty, president of Pearl Homes in Bradenton, Fla., First
Community Housing in San Jose, Calif., and Brightview Senior Living in Baltimore
was recognized as “Outstanding Developer.” COURTESY OF USGBC
Eighteen builders were recognized as “LEED Homes Power Builders,” devel-
opers and builders who have “exhibited an outstanding commitment to LEED Standout effort. An extensive rainwater capture system helped make the
and the residential green building movement,” Ramanujam notes. Power build- Holt Residence in Providence, R.I., one of the winners of USGBC’s 2018
ers had LEED certification on at least 75 percent of their projects or unit count LEED Homes Awards competition.
6 GREEN BUILDER July/August 2019 www.greenbuildermedia.com
6-9 GB 0719 News.indd 6 7/17/19 9:28 AM
