
DENVER, Colo. -- Xcel Energy, Colorado's largest utility company, has mapped out an ambitious energy efficiency plan for 2009 that the firm says would save an amount of power equivalent to that generated by a new unit at a coal-fired plant.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Environmental and energy groups, including the association that represents almost 70 percent of the country's utilities, made their pitch to Congress before year's end as talks accelerated about the stimulus package being crafted by the incoming administration.

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball Memorial Hospital will plant a 30,000-square-foot green roof on its new $87 million extension called South Tower.

Green building buffs, take note: the US Green Building Council announced earlier this week that LEED 2009 has been approved and will go into effect next year.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program provides a system to evaluate green building design and offers recognition for particularly environmental friendly buildings.
The program awards points for rainwater collection, reuse systems, energy-efficient lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and more.
LEED's newest incarnation incorporates regional credits — extra points identified as priorities in a project's environmental zone. It also has undergone a re-weighting of credits to reflect energy efficiency and climate change as priorities.
And LEED-accredited buildings get more than just green bragging rights. According to a recent study, LEED-certified buildings outperform their peers in areas such as occupancy, sale price, and rental rates.
See GreenBiz.com
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