Architect's Mud Island residence first in Memphis to receive LEED honor

From today's Commercial Appeal...

Architect's Mud Island residence first in Memphis to receive LEED honor
By Tom Bailey Jr.

A 2,500-square-foot house needs 68 tough points to attain Silver LEED status, and sacrifices a point if too much glass is placed on the hot western wall.

But architect Barry Alan Yoakum didn't have a choice if his sleek home on Mud Island was to have a view of the Mississippi River.

"It's why I bought the lot," the archimania principal said of the vista.

Despite the home's orientation, Yoakum's "Sky Cottage" this fall became the first custom-built home in Memphis to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

He just had to "work the design" harder to get it.

The extra effort included using a high-performance glass that excels in not letting the outside temperature affect the inside temperature.

The U.S. Green Building Council had certified 3,050 LEED homes across the country as of last month. Another 19,063 are registered, meaning they're in the pipeline for certification.

In January, Yoakum hired a "provider" -- a third-party business -- to inspect and verify for the U.S. Green Building Council that Sky Cottage met the requirements for a Silver LEED certification.

Yoakum said he studied the council's list of certified homes in Tennessee and found that no other architect in the state has a LEED home.

Five other archimania designers worked on his house. Yoakum said the LEED attainment shows the firm's commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly design.

"It's an extension of our work at archimania. You should try to live what you do . . .

"We can say we've done it and not just talked about it, or just did it for other people," he said.

Thirteen other Memphis residences were designated as LEED structures last summer, but they are in a different category than Yoakum's. They are apartment units in the new University Place Hope VI redevelopment.

Even though Yoakum's house has more than 2,500 square feet and glass comprises a high percentage of its walls, the utility bills have averaged less than $180 a month, he said.

"It's certified, meaning you've gone through the hurdles," Yoakum said.

The second Memphis home to achieve LEED status likely will be the "Terra House," 586 N. Main, that was designed by University of Memphis architecture students, said Becky Williamson, staff member of Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division's EcoBuild program.

"It takes forever to get the (LEED) paperwork done," she said.

Yoakum also enrolled his house in the EcoBuild program.

EcoBuild is simpler than LEED, in that it prescribes exactly what the home builder has to do to ensure the house will use energy efficiently.

EcoBuild focuses exclusively on measures that allow the house to save energy, while LEED encompasses other environmental issues such as recycled building materials, Williamson said.

Generally, power bills for homes built to EcoBuild standards are at least 30 percent less, she said.

-- Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388

EcoBuild, too

People building houses can participate in Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division's EcoBuild program and save big on power bills.

MLG&W prescribes specific, energy-saving ways to construct the house, and inspects the site twice during construction.

Since the program began five years ago, 523 homes have qualified. Compared to homes that just meet codes, one MLG&W study found that power bills for EcoBuild homes are 34 percent less for electricity and 56 percent less for natural gas, spokesman Becky Williamson said.

The program fee for a house under 2,500 square feet is less than $350.

Visit mlgw.com for more information, or email EcoBUILD@mlgw.org.

SmartPay changes name to Budget Billing

SmartPay changes name to Budget Billing

So why the name change? Clinton Richardson, MLGW Customer Relations Manager, explains, “Customers tell us they wish MLGW would start a program where they pay the same amount every month so that they can budget their expenses, but they are unaware that the company already has this. We feel that the Budget Billing name better explains what the program does.”

The program works this way: MLGW analyzes a participant’s total utility usage for the previous six months, adjusts for rate changes and weather conditions, and divides the total into 12 monthly installments, which the customer pays each month until the following March, when the Budget Billing installment for the next 12 months is determined.

The name was not the only change made to the program. MLGW also eliminated the creditworthiness criteria and shortened the length of service requirement. To qualify, all you have to do is have an active account at your current address for six months. You must be current on your account to remain in the program, and if you are disconnected for non-payment or change addresses, you will be removed from the program and will not be able to participate in Budget Billing for six months.

Customers can sign up for Budget Billing by calling 544-MLGW (6549) or visiting an MLGW Business Office Mon.-Fri. during business hours. Customers can also apply online at www.mlgw.com or e-mail their information to budgetbilling@mlgw.org.

Geek Factory Founder Comes to Memphis Dec. 1st

The Memphis Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will be hosting Peter Shankman, founder and CEO of the Geek Factory, on December 1, 2009 from 8-10am at the University of Memphis' Fogelman Business Center.

Shankman will discuss the importance of understanding how to utilize the many aspects of social media. He will elaborate on the benefits of using social networking and viral marketing correctly, as well as the dangers of using it improperly. Shankman's discussion also will include information on using social media to spearhead marketing and public relations initiatives, understanding which social media tools to use or not use and learning it's not about making something viral but about making something good.

To register, or get more information, click here.

Memphis Companies Tap Into Renewable Energy Sources

Memphis Companies Tap Into Renewable Energy Sources
ERIC SMITH | The Daily News

From solar power to wind power, from hybrid automotive technology to geothermal engineering, Memphis companies large and small are tapping into renewable energy.

The biggest news story surrounding local businesses going green involves shipping giant FedEx Corp., whose president and CEO Fred Smith earlier this year unveiled the company’s plans to become more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly through its EarthSmart initiative.

“That’s just good economics as far as the economy is concerned,” Smith told a green transportation conference at the University of Memphis. “Over the last decade, it’s obviously become a greater issue for FedEx – for humankind, for that matter – to have a more sustainable and environmentally efficient economy. The twin imperatives of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability have been at the heart of our EarthSmart initiative.”

FedEx has put its money where its founder’s mouth is by investing in numerous gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles for FedEx Express, the largest of the company’s subsidiaries. Also, FedEx made its Bronx, N.Y., station its first all-hybrid facility with about 100 trucks.

Solar growth

It’s not the only local corporation tapping into consumers’ demand for all things green.

Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America has been manufacturing solar panels since 2003 at its Hickory Hill plant, the company’s lone U.S. facility that produces the panels.

Sharp completed its one millionth solar panel this year, but it has steadily ramped up production and is now making 500,000 residential and commercial solar panels annually, serving domestic and international markets.

Sharp spokesman T.C. Jones Jr. said customers are looking at the environmental as well as the economic benefits of installing solar panels and switching part of their energy to the sun’s resource.

“The demand for renewable energy has skyrocketed within the last three years, especially with the new administration and all of the incentives being provided throughout the country,” Jones said. “State by state, the demand is escalating.”

The company is looking at increasing its output to meet the growing demand, although Jones said there are no specific, measurable plans, only that officials are seriously considering another bump in production.

“It is under study at this time,” Jones said. “As to how much of an increase, we’re trying to project what the future demand is going to call for.”

Trend growing

Green energy isn’t limited to the rooftops; it can be found underground as well.

Engineered Comfort Inc. engineers, designs and installs heating and cooling systems for residential properties. Company founder Walter Nelms said the demand for such eco-friendly systems has risen along with environmental consciousness and federal tax credits that reward green choices.

“In 2008 about 15 percent of our business was geothermal heat pumps, and this year it’s over 65 percent of our business,” Nelms said. “It’s primarily due to the federal tax credit from the stimulus package.

“It is a good thing for the environment,” he added, “and it is a good thing for the consumer’s pocketbook.”

Rob Hurston, technical services coordinator for the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, said green energy for residential properties got a huge jumpstart at last month’s Vesta Home Show, the first all-green home show.

Also, more local builders are becoming Certified Green Professionals through the National Association of Home Builders, meaning they will be ready to meet the needs of the public should demand rise.

Where that demand sits is anyone’s guess, Hurston said, because the sluggish economy has stunted the new home market. That is especially true with components like residential solar panels, which are still expensive for the average homebuyer and don’t offer quick returns on investment that some might like to see.

“I would love to be self-sufficient and not have to give (Memphis) Light, Gas and Water my money every month,” Hurston said. “But the upfront cost on a solar panel … buys a lot of months of electricity.”

Still, Hurston added, the writing is on the wall that interest in green building is increasing. More buyers are requesting locally made materials, more builders are recycling construction waste and more homeowners are buying Energy Star appliances.

That means the pieces are in place for a surge in green building as more customers ask for it and the financial climate improves.

“(Builders are) positioning themselves to be able to meet the demand,” Hurston said.

‘New wave in America’

Will hotel travelers demand green energy during their overnight stays? The developer of the La Quinta Inns and Suites under construction at 2839 New Brunswick Road near Wolfchase Galleria is banking on it.

CBH Hospitality LLC is combining two green energies – solar and wind – to create the first LEED-certified hotel in town. Company principal Bhavesh Patel said general contractor Boone & Sons Inc. is working on the third floor of the hotel, which should be completed by spring. (LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.)

Thanks to solar panels and a windmill on the roof, the hotel will produce much of its own energy and even send power back to the grid. But the solar panels and windmill are only parts of the hotel’s green efforts. Patel said at least half of the building’s lights will be the highly efficient LED (light-emitting diode), reducing the building’s carbon footprint even further.

Though Patel said only a small percentage of Memphis is going green, he hopes the La Quinta can be a catalyst for environmentally friendly building.

“That’s the way we should be going. That’s the new wave in America. Everybody should be going eco-friendly,” Patel said. “Even if you don’t believe in global warming you can still be environmentally friendly and save energy – and save money.”

Homemade Windmill

After dropping out of school as a teenager because of poverty and drought, William Kamkwamba built a windmill out of discarded materials in his village. Kamkwamba tells Public Radio International anchor Marco Werman how the windmill brought electricity to his tiny village in Malawi. Read more...

Nike Warehouse in Frayser

From today's Commercial Appeal...

Nike's $135 million distribution center saves energy as it ships shoes
By Wayne Risher

Nike's $135 million investment in a new distribution center in Frayser-Raleigh drew rave reviews from Memphis warehouse and distribution industry insiders.

"Fascinating," said Kara Peyton, president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Memphis unit.

"Way above average," said Robert Milner, a sales consultant with ADC Integrated Systems, a warehouse technology company.

It's huge, at 1.1 million square feet, the equivalent of more than 20 football fields.

It's Earth-friendly, from skylights and energy-efficient conveyor motors to a major commitment to recycling to shredded blue jeans used to insulate office and cafeteria walls.

It's all about the Nike Swoosh, holding 6.7 million pairs of athletic shoes in 69,000 distinct variations of size, color and style.

Nike built the footwear distribution center at 3100 New Frayser Boulevard to consolidate operations from 8400 Winchester in Hickory Hill and Wilsonville, Ore. The Winchester site became a national return center, and a Shelby Drive facility distributes Nike apparel and athletic equipment.

The supply chain council organized an early morning tour at Nike Tuesday as an alternative to the group's typical after-working-hours events. Peyton was happy with the outcome, because about 40 members got to see the inner workings of the warehouse live and up close.

They saw a cavernous building filled with conveyor belts, chutes, sorting equipment and storage shelves stacked high with boxes, cases and pallets of shoes. Workers combined bar-code scanners, radio frequency identification tag technology and voice-based warehouse management systems to scan, sort, store and ship boxes of shoes.

"This is very high technology," said Milner.

Nike employs about 450 full-time at the center and uses another 100 to 300 temporaries based on the daily workload.

The building is the largest in the country to achieve a silver level certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Among its green features: stormwater capture for irrigation, motion detector that turns out lights when a space isn't in use and internal reuse of corrugated paper. In the cafeteria, disposable cutlery is made out of potato peels.

Employees have 24-7 access to a well-equipped fitness center, and in the courtyard outside the cafeteria are two basketball courts and a sand volleyball court.

"What you are going to see today represents a $135 million investment not only in the community, but in the Nike supply chain network," general manager Stephen Smith told council members.

Director of operations Marcus Buford said volume has grown from about 100,000 a day to as high as 240,000 a day since the center processed its first shipments last fall.

"This ramp-up here has been nothing short of amazing," Buford said. "There's not a contingency plan. We are Nike footwear for the United States."

Cash for Caulkers

From the New York Times...

A Stimulus That Could Save Money
By DAVID LEONHARDT

The one highly visible success of the stimulus program has been the cash-for-clunkers program. It induced a boom in vehicle sales this summer that clearly would not have happened otherwise.

The rest of the stimulus has created a lot of jobs — 700,000 to 1.5 million, according to economists’ estimates. But it has done so in thousands of little ways: scattered construction projects, plugged-up school budgets and the like. Politically, these measures are not popular enough to create a groundswell for more of them.

And the economy still needs help. So White House officials are looking at creating a new version of cash for clunkers — this time for home weatherization.

John Doerr, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist, and former President Bill Clinton have separately suggested versions of the idea to the White House. Mr. Doerr calls his proposal, which would give households money to pay for weatherization projects, “cash for caulkers.” Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s chief of staff, told me, “It’s one of the top things he’s looking at.”

The idea has a lot to recommend it. The housing bust has idled contractors and construction workers, who could be put to work insulating homes and caulking air leaks. Many households, meanwhile, would save substantial money — not to mention help the climate — by weatherizing their homes, research by McKinsey & Company has shown. All in all, a cash-for-caulkers program seems like a promising part of the jobs program for 2010 that Mr. Obama has suggested he is planning.

But I would also mention one point of caution: the details of any caulkers plan will matter enormously. Weatherizing a home, as I recently discovered, turns out to be a lot more complicated than buying a car.

This year, my wife and I had an energy audit done on our home. We were interested in finding out if we could save money and, given the attention that weatherizing was starting to get, I figured it could also make for good column fodder. For $400, an auditor spent hours scouring our house, with the help of a big fan he set up in our front door and an infrared camera. He produced a full-color, 13-page detailed report, informing us of the leaks in our house, and he was also willing to tell us which changes were usually a waste of money (new windows).

Even so, we are still trying to figure out which weatherization projects we should do. The whole package would probably cost $4,500 and save us something like $400 a year. We may not stay in the house nearly long enough to justify the investment.

Such concerns are typical. How do you find an auditor? How do you know whether you should seal a few ducts or pay $2,000 for new insulation? Which of the existing subsidies — state and federal — might you qualify for?

Mr. Doerr and Mr. Clinton are well aware of these problems. Mr. Clinton has sent the White House a memorandum written by his foundation staff that lays out the reasons people don’t weatherize their homes. Mr. Doerr, who sits on a board of outside economic advisers to Mr. Obama that is working on a formal cash-for-caulkers proposal, told me that his goal was to “keep it really simple so we can do it really fast.”

The Doerr plan would cost $23 billion over two years. Most of the money would go for incentive payments, generally $2,000 to $4,000, for weatherization projects. The homeowner would always have to pay at least 50 percent of the project’s total cost. About $3 billion would be set aside for retailers and contractors in the hope that they would promote the program, much as car dealerships promoted cash for clunkers. (Mr. Doerr says he owns no stake in any weatherization companies.)

The Clinton plan depends on the reallocation of clean energy money from the stimulus bill that has not yet been spent. It covers not just houses and apartments but also commercial and industrial buildings.

Perhaps most intriguing is its proposal to help homeowners and building owners who are nervous they will end up selling their property before a weatherization project has paid for itself. Under the Clinton plan, they could add the project’s cost to their long-term property tax bill, effectively splitting the cost with the next owner. The New York State Legislature approved such a program on Monday.

All these efforts would lead to more weatherization. But I would be surprised if they were enough to create a program as successful as cash for clunkers. Remember: Many homeowners could already save money by weatherizing their homes. And they are not doing so.

That’s in large part because the projects can seem so daunting. To date, energy experts, in the government and the private sector, have not done a good job of distributing useful information. What does exist tends to be either too complicated or too general. I recently asked various experts what percentage of homes should get new insulation, for example, and several replied that it varied by region — which is both true and unhelpful.

Imagine, though, if the Energy Department put together a weatherization-for-dummies fact sheet and Mr. Obama began promoting it.

It could start by noting that almost all homes should have a programmable thermostat (about $100) to turn down the heat or the air-conditioning when nobody is home. Other simple steps can include wrapping a water heater with an insulation blanket and replacing heating and cooling filters. Next on the list would be sealing easily accessible holes in air ducts, which can cost just a few hundred dollars and pay for itself in a few years. In California, the average duct system loses 30 percent of its heating or cooling to leaks.

Finally would come the more complicated categories, including insulation and heating equipment. Yet some basic information could still help enormously here. What share, say, of Midwestern homes built before 1950 could use more attic insulation? How quickly would the insulation pay for itself on average? Every home is different, obviously. But without any reference point, many people won’t be confident enough to plunge into a project.

The shining example that Mr. Clinton cites is a Houston program in which the local government pays about $1,000 to weatherize any home in a given neighborhood. It works in part because the houses need similar improvements, which makes the program easy for residents to understand.

“Unlike traditional programs that provide an audit and a customized package of solutions for each home,” the Clinton memorandum notes, Houston “offers a fixed set of interventions that include climate-appropriate ‘low hanging fruit.’ ”

The bottom line is that cash for caulkers would be trickier than cash for clunkers — yet would have the potential to do far more good. McKinsey, the consulting firm, estimates that households could reduce their energy use by 28 percent over the next decade. In terms of greenhouse gases, that would be the equivalent of taking half of all vehicles in this country off the road.

And unlike many other climate-friendly policies, it would not cost money over the long term. Done right, cash for caulkers would be precisely the kind of stimulus that makes the most sense: spending money now to save money later.