Top Stories     APRIL 2012 ICC’s New Code Baseline Complements LEED The 2012 code will increase energy efficiency of structures while providing governments direction and oversight of green design and construction.  Full story   Tarlton Properties Completes Twelve-Office Building Energy Retrofit The 500,000-square-foot retrofit in Menlo Park, CA used a lighting control system from Enlighted. Other participants included Pacific Gas and Electric Company, EnerNOC, Global Energy Partners and Progressive Lighting & Energy Solutions.  Full story SCIenergy Completes Acquisition of Transcend Equity The acquisition of the energy efficiency finance firm will leave intact pre-existing capital commitments to Transcend Equity by Mitsui & Co. Full story JCI Energy Efficiency Initiative in Milwaukee Expected to Improve Property Values The Me2 Clean Energy Financing Program leverages funds received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide up to $60 million of enhanced private sector financing for building owners.  Full story Vigilent Closes $6.7 Million Investment Led by Accel Partners The company, a provider of energy management systems for data centers, telcom facilities and larger buildings, will use the investment to expand its portfolio of energy management products, move into new geographic regions and expand staffing.  Full story Changes Related to Data Centers Proposed to ASHRAE/IES Energy Standard Recognizing the limits to energy efficiency of building equipment alone, the changes recognize the role that system efficiencies can play in reducing energy consumption.  Full story L.A. Property Developer Extends Energy Services Contact with Veolia Energy The deal reinforces Veolia’s commitment to provide clean and more efficient energy sources to property owners in downtown Los Angeles and Century City.  Full story IKEA is Unveiling A New More Energy Efficient Store in Canada The Richmond, British Columbia store is the first of a new wave of stores designed to be 40% more efficient. It includes a geothermal installation, rainforest harvesting, and solar power. Full story NTS Begins ZigBee Building Automation Certification Testing Services for Commercial Market The certification testing may increase potential adoption of the wireless mesh network standard for commercial buildings.  Full story     MARCH 2012     AXA Roll Out Green Leases in Germany The commitment follows the French firm’s successful implementation of the innovative lease format in its home country. Full story   Jonathan Rose Companies, Citi Launch Green Cities Fund The $75 million fund will make investments in multifamily affordable housing in the Eastern U.S. Full story   Real I.S. Gruppe Launches Green Office Fund The real estate investment arm of Bayern LB, is looking to raise $400 million in equity capital to invest in European office buildings that are green-certified or suitable candidates for retroactive certification. Full story FirstFuel Software Raises $10 Million in Series A Financing The financing round, led by Rockport Capital, will support expansion of the commercial building energy analytics company, which claims to have the capability to benchmark energy consumption without the need for onsite audits. Full story Performance Contracts Drive Double-Digit Growth in Energy Management Services Market Drivers of the growth include the economic crash, the widespread implementation of regulations for energy efficiency, and an increase in financial incentives.  Full story Siemens Acquires Energy Services Provider Pace Global Acquisition of the U.S.-based company will substantially expand Siemens’s portfolio of sustainability and energy management services for companies and cities. Full story   Green Offices Become Standard as Absorption Triples in Germany Savills latest green office bulletin reports that both leasing and investment market demand for green office space has risen significantly in the last couple of years. Full story New Guidelines to Build Transparency in the Construction and Real Estate Sector The Global Reporting Initiative has included contaminated land and sub-contracted labor practices in its latest sector guidance. Full story Zipcar Unveils Metropolis Index to Measure and Rank Sustainable Cities The Index’s first foray in the market measured the 36 largest U.S. cities by population and ranked them according to sustainability, vibrancy, efficiency and livability. San Francisco topped the list for 2012. Full story   FEBRUARY 2012     Greenprint, ULI Join Forces to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Improve Building Performance The Greenprint Foundation’s activities and assets will be rolled into the newly formed ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance.  Full story Forum Eyes Advancing Data Center Resource Efficiency The Green Grid Forum will showcase emerging tools, metrics, best practices and case studies that enable stakeholders to improve efficiency without sacrificing performance.  Full story BASF Venture Capital Invests $5M in Solidia Technologies The investment in Solidia Technologies, a company focused on the next generation of sustainable buildings and construction materials, is part of a $27M financing round that included Kleiner Perkins, BP Ventures and Bright Capital.  Full story New Frontier: Zero-energy Buildings A new report on zero-energy buildings from sees solid growth for the small, yet potentially large market for buildings that produce as much energy as they consume.  Full story CA’s Santa Clara Valley Installs Solar Power Systems at its Three Bus Yards The Valley transportation authority (VTA), in partnership with SunPower Corp, Joint Venture Silicon Valley and Wells Fargo, installed solar canopy parking systems using a power purchase agreement that will save the authority $2.7M over 20 years. Full story New IFMA Guide Details How to Implement Sustainable Practices at Facilities The publication offers a comprehensive, practical approach to making sustainability improvements to public- and private-sector properties based on federal government guidelines.  Full story U.S. Venture Capital Investment in Cleantech Steady at $4.8B Despite Tough Economy The energy and electricity generation segment led investments with the solar sub-segment receiving the lion’s share of capital in Q4 with $285M or 91% of the segment’s total investment.  Full story XL’s Environmental Team Unveils Enhanced Real Estate Portfolio Protection The coverage, which addresses pollution, is aimed at property owners, managers, developers and REITs across all the major asset classes.  Full story Lighting Science Group Becomes N. America’s Largest Producer of LED Light Bulbs The firm produced 4.5 million light bulbs in 2011, an increase of 450% compared to 2010 numbers. Full story SL Green Advances Sustainability of Its Manhattan Portfolio Seven buildings in the investors NYC Portfolio received the EPA’s Energy Star Label bringing the firm’s total number of Energy Star buildings to fifteen.  Full story        JANUARY 2012 Commercial Building Retrofit Market Seen as Key to Green Growth The report from the World Economics Forum recommends government-mandated, energy consumption reporting and efficiency rating system for buildings. Full story Transcend Equity and New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation Close Transaction to Fund Energy Efficiency Retrofit The retrofit project uses an innovative structure for funding energy efficiency in which project costs are repaid only through energy cost savings generated by the retrofits. Full story Forest City, Jones Lang LaSalle Participate in Better Buildings Challenge Both companies have affirmed their commitments to reduce energy consumption across their portfolios. Full story Siemens Acquires Pace Global Energy Services The acquisition is seen as a strategic commitment by Siemens to enhance enterprise value for its global clients by optimizing energy and resource efficiency. Full story Redwood Systems Selected to Design Campus of the Future Prototype The EdCampus prototype is intended to set the standard for education institutions in the areas of energy efficiency and building performance. Full story Horne Engineering and Eris Technologies to Provide Energy Efficiency Services to NRF Healthcare Facilities The initial assignment requires completion of studies for four of a total of 80 independent and assisted living facilities. Full story Kimberly Clark Installs Major Rooftop Solar System at CA Distribution Center One of the largest single rooftop solar power installations in the country, the 4.9 megawatt installation covers 350,000 square feet of roof space. Full story People in the News Schaefer in Development Role at Clean Urban Energy, Smith to Bolster Environmental Practice at Crowell Moring, PaceNow Announces Initial Advisory Board, USGBC Names New Board. Full story       DECEMBER 2011 Global Market for Energy Efficient Buildings to Supass $100B by 2017 The ESCO market represents the largest segment of the enery efficiency buildings industry with revenues expect to more than double from $30.1B this year to $66B worldwide in 2017. Full story   Energy Analytics Segment Shoots to Top of Smart Building Technology Market The software in this segment provides sophisticated dashboards that meet the demand for data visualiziation to display the relevant and often dispate data for each stakeholder in the smart building management effort. Full story Obama and Clinton Recognize Real Estate Roundable Members’ Participation in Better Building Challenge RER hopes to continue work with both the Administration and Congress on policy changes needed to increase the number of energy retrofits. Full story Investments Target TOD and Environmental Sustainability Community Capital Management’s CRA Qualified Investment Fund has bought a portion of the city of Portland, Oregon Interstate Corridoor Urban Renewal and Redevelopment Bonds. Full story COPT Selects Mach Energy as Energy Efficiency Platform The office REIT will use Mach's management tool, which combines data collection and analytics, to drive and measure energy savings. Full story Forest City Will Lead TOD Project in Atlanta The CRE owner/developer is partnering with Cousins Properties Incorporated and The Integral Group to master plan a 119-acre site, which will become a new multi-modal transportation hub downtown. Full story People Black Named SL Green’s Director of Sustainability, Halter Joins SCIenergy Board and Building IQ Hires Builds New Executive Team. Full story JLL Launches First Global Cloud-based Portfolio Management Solution The platform leverages technology from Pacific Controls to enable real-time monitoring and control to deliver energy reduction solutions to CRE portfolios worldwide. Full story   NOVEMBER 2011 Strong Growth Seen in Property Investments Weighting ESG Criteria Environmental criteria were also predominant among alternatives such as private equity and venture funds, with $68.9 billion of total assets incorporating an environmental theme. Full story JLL Highlights Trends in Corporate Energy and Carbon Reporting The emergence of international guidelines on sustainability reporting for real estate companies is one of several key global trends in corporate and responsibility reporting.  Full story Shorenstein Sees $1.7 Million in Energy Savings Across Real Estate Portfolio The energy saving strategies achieved a payback period of just six months and reduced the 33-building portfolio’s energy bill by 5%. Full story Serious Energy Acquires Agilewaves The acquisition will expand Serious Energy’s customer base for users of building energy management technology. Full story Solaire Generation to Provide Solar Carport for GE/Innovateus Partnership Under the partnership, Inovateus Solar, a national solar power distributor and integrator, will be the original equipment manufacturer for integrated solar carport charging stations using GE EV chargers, solar balance of system components, and electrical distribution equipment. Full story Lighting Science Group Surpasses $100M in LED Lighting Orders The milestone represents more than a 100% increase from 2009. The company expects exponential growth over the next couple of years. Full story PaceNow Names Board of Advisors In a sign that the property assesses clean energy movement still has legs after suffering setbacks at the federal level, the non-proift has selected a board of advisors that includes Beau Engman VP Commercial Energy Solutions, Johnson Controls and Jigar Shah CEO of Richard Branson’s Carbon War room. Full story NASA Deploys Wireless Pneumatic Thermostat to Save Energy, Reduce Costs The device was installed in fourteen buildings in 3 months and is expected to pay back its $850,000 upfront cost in 18 months. A retrofit with traditional direct digital control technology would have taken more than a year and cost over $4 million.  Full story     OCTOBER 2011 GRI Issues New Guidelines to Build Transparency in the Real Estate Sector The Global Reporting Initiative willl help developers, investors and contractors by assisting the measuring, reporting and monitoring of construction activities.  Full story Income Fund to Help Colleges Increase Energy Efficiency The green fund is designed to begin providing returns within 12 months, unlike other ventures of this kind that typically have longer investment periods, delayed returns and longer overall payback timeframes.  Full story Greener Capital Completes First Close of Venture Fund The firm invests in clean technology companies that touch the built environment.  Full story Caribbean Hotels to Become More Energy Efficient with IDB Grant The Inter-American Development Bank approved a $2 million grant to finance energy audits for hotels in participating counties that want to cut operation costs through greater energy efficiency.  Full story Deutsche Bank Partners with City of New York on Energy Efficiency Initiatives The bank made a commitment to the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, a multi-stakeholder partnership of real estate interests formed earlier this year to find ways to reduce carbon emissions through private-sector energy-efficiency investments.  Full story GE Leads $22M Investment in Project Frog The funding round will help the maker of energy-efficient building systems to expand its sales pipeline and execute on orders.  Full story First Automated DR Project Unveiled for Commercial, Industrial Facilities in Europe The pilot project of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) will utilize Honeywell technology in an effort to reduce or shift energy use when overall demand spikes.  Full story Johnson Controls Aims to Overcome Cost, Skill-Set Barriers to Building Efficiency A new approach to building efficiency called Panoptix makes it easier and more affordable for owners and operators of any size facility to achieve better building performance. Full story Poll Reveals Majority Supports Federal Investment in Green Schools Three out of four Americans support federal investment in school building improvements, focused on creating healthier learning environments, saving tax dollars or lowering carbon emissions.  Full story   Simon Property Is Sole Real Estate Firm on Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index The large retail developer and owner earned a score of 96 out of 100, giving it the tenth best score among the 500 reporting companies, which averaged a score of 69.  Full story   SEPTEMBER 2011 Clean Fund Completes First Private Commerical PACE Financing Codding Enterprises has received $1.6 million in funding from Clean Fund to pay for a solar electric system allowing the developer’s 200-acre LEED-Platinum community to cover 100% of its electric needs from onsite renewable power. Full story U.S. Real Estate Firms Show Strong Ranking on Environmental Performance Leading real estate companies reduced their annual energy consumption by nearly 3 percent in 2010 and are taking steps to integrate environmental management into their daily operations, according to a prominent foundation. Full story Saint-Gobain Gets New U.S. Chief, ARXX Adds Bench Strength To Sales Team, Pitcher Joins Serious Energy The three firms are positioning resources to capitalize on growing interest in sustainability in the built environment. Full story EBL&S Eyes Equity Financing for Mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development The 12-acre San Mateo, CA infill development, which is fully entitled and includes about 600 units of multifamily and 60,000 square feet of office, expects to line up financing by the end of the year. Full story   Jones Lang LaSalle to Advise Financial Services Firm KeyCorp The real estate advisor will develop and implement an enterprise-wide sustainability program, including property-focused strategies such as energy management, carbon footprint measurement and reduction, and sustainable workplace initiatives. Full story Canada’s Oxford Properties Joins GRESB Foundation Joining the foundation, which analyzes the environmental performance of 340 of the world’s largest real estate companies and funds, the real estate firm hopes to identify opportunities to improve and measure sustainability performance across its $16 billion global real estate portfolio. Full story   States Empowering New, Innovative Green Building Policy From energy efficiency finance and investments in high-performance schools, to incentives for green manufacturing facilities and minimum codes, states are taking action to transform the market, despite a struggling economy, according to a new report released by the USGBC. Full story Kema Selects Green Energy Corp for Smart Grid Interoperability Lab The advanced test facility will validate compliance of low-voltage automation devices, meters, and consumer products with evolving smart grid standards. Full story     JULY-AUGUST 2011 San Francisco Leads U.S. in Environmental Sustainability The Siemens commissioned study assessed and compares 27 major U.S. and Canadian cities on environmental performance and policies across nine categories, including land use and buildings. Full Story   Lend Lease Commits to Greening 65.3 Million Square Feet of Military Housing The company’s Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) portfolio consists of about 40,000 homes, 800 historic structures, 19 offices, and 19 community centers. Full Story Johnson Controls Completes Acquisition of EnergyConnect The acquisition enables Johnson Controls to help building owners and operators manage how much energy their buildings consume and when the energy is consumed, a critical feature of connecting smart buildings to the smart grid. Full Story Net-Zero Energy Student Housing Project Goes Vertical Mesa Lane Partners has begun construction of The Loop student housing development in Santa Barbara, CA after securing $11 million in senior financing from Bank of the West and an additional $1.5 million from Santa Barbara County’s Redevelopment Agency.  Full Story Study Reaffirms Green Building’s Positive Effects on Worker Productivity A workplace with good air quality, comfortable temperature, natural light and other features associated with green buildings is likely to result in a more productive workforce, according to a study conducted by Jones Lang LaSalle.  Full Story Postal Service’s Energy-Efficient Facilities, Green Roof Contribute to Savings The U.S. Postal Service has reported more than $400 million in energy cost avoidance since fiscal year 2007.  Full Story Firm Hopes to Optimize Energy Efficiency in Data Centers iTracs Corporation, Inc., a provider of enterprise class data center infrastructure management solutions has announced a best-practices strategy for reducing energy consumption and costs in data centers.  Full Story Brea to Save $13 Million in Solar Play Chevron Energy Solutions and the City of Brea unveiled Orange County's largest municipal solar installation.  Full Story     JUNE 2011     BofA Launches New Energy Efficiency Finance Program for Older Buildings  The $55 million program will provide low-cost loans to community development financial institutions. Full story DOE Taps Appraisers in Bid to Boost Energy Performance in Buildings The agency will work with The Appraisal Foundation to help appraisers obtain the capability needed to evaluate energy performance when conducting commercial building appraisals. Full story Transcend Equity Development Forms JV with Mitsui to Fund Energy Efficiency Initial investments by the joint venture are expected to target several private energy efficiency retrofit projects across the U.S. Full story Top European Real Estate Asset Managers Eye Elusive Green Alpha Forty leading firms have teamed up with a noncommercial platform headed by the Euro Institute of Real Estate Management. Full story IBM Inveils Advanced Analytic Software Solution for Smarter Buildings The solution helps building owners make sense of their property assets’ energy data. Full story Building Owners Pursue Energy Efficiency to Combat Rising Energy Prices In a survey by Johnson Controls, IFMA and the Urban Land Institute, building owners say energy efficiency is a top priority but access to capital remains a barrier to improving consumption. Full story German Cities Among Europe’s Best in Environmental Protection The cities were noted for achievement in the areas of energy efficient buildings and water conservation. Full story Saint Gobain’s John Marrone Joins Board of Energy Consumer Trade Organization The appointment coincides with the admittance of the firm to IECA as its newest member. Full story     MAY 2011 Salt Lake City Firm Unveils Development of Eco City in China SunWorth Development Group, a joint venture between Bestsun Energy Group of China and Salt Lake City-based Southworth International, unveiled the master plan of a 30-square-kilometer, technologically advanced eco/green city located in Langfang, China. Full story Cost Savings, Government Incentives Driving Energy Efficiency in Europe Cost savings and government incentives are the top influencers driving an increased focus on energy efficiency in buildings, according to the results of the second annual Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey for Europe. Full story Jones Lang LaSalle Partners With Carbon Disclosure Project Cities Program The real estate services firm has been named a lead sponsor to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Cities program to improve environmental sustainability in the world's largest cities. Full story Shaheen-Portman Legislation Promotes Greater Energy Efficiency in Commercial and Residential Buildings The legislation contains a broad package of low-cost tools that would reduce barriers for businesses, real estate owners and consumers looking to adopt off-the-shelf energy efficiency. Full story Westly Group Raises $50M Toward $175M Fund The clean technology venture capitalist plans to continue investments in a range of technologies focused on clean energy and energy efficiency, with special focus on green building technology. Full story UC Davis West Village Rising as Zero Net Energy Community The largest planned zero net energy development in the U.S. is combining advanced energy efficient design features with a 4- megawatt (MW), high efficiency SunPower solar power system. Full story Greenprint, NRDC Form Strategic Alliance The alliance aims to work together towards their shared goal of promoting meaningful, immediate, measurable and scalable actions by the global real estate community to create value for real estate assets by increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Full story Morgan Solar Closes $16.5M in First Tranche of Series B Round Morgan Solar Inc. has closed USD $16.5 million in the first tranche of its Series B funding round to ramp up manufacturing and deployment of its Sun Simba concentrated photovoltaic module. Full story   APRIL 2011   Report Says SRPI Indices Could Accelerate Capital Flows Veteran researchers contend that financial indices would address informational deficiencies, reduce uncertainties, build legitimacy, fulfill fiduciary obligations and attract more capital to sustainable urban development. Full story Leading Global Real Estate Companies Launch Major Sustainability The Green Rating Alliance, with European real estate heavyweights such as AXA, Allianz and ING, is a not-for-profit association with a tool and benchmarking platform to assess and improve environmental performance of existing buildings. Full story Simon Property Launches Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations The retail property developer and owner completed an initial installation in Orlando, FL. A second property in Palo Alto, CA will be equipped later this month. Full story     Modular Wall Systems Manufacturer Completes $22 Million Funding Round Dirtt Environmental Solutions replaces drywall with a lower-cost modular wall system that can be quickly reconfigured and reused as corporate tenants and owners relocate, reorganize and expand operations. The equity infusion will be used to establish a new manufacturing facility in Phoenix, AZ. Full story ASHRAE Seeks Public Comment on Green Standard for Existing Buildings The standards-setting organization is revising its energy conservation standard to take a more comprehensive approach to the retrofit of existing buildings for increased energy efficiency. Full story CB Richard Ellis Certifies 100 Client Buildings Under LEED-EB The properties range in size from 100,000 to 1.8 million square feet and are located in major U.S. markets. Full story TVA, USACE, NASA Release Benchmarks for Building Energy, Sustainability Goals The government agencies hope to reduce energy consumption and expand renewable sources across their operations, including buildings. Full story UW-Milwaukee Forecasts $31 Million in Energy and Operational Savings Honeywell completed its first energy-efficiency building upgrades at the UW-Milwaukee, which will save the school an estimated $620,000 in annual energy costs. Full story Schneider Acquires Summit Energy The company, purchased for $268 million, is expected to complement Schneider’s demand-side capabilities in the fields of energy audits, energy monitoring and energy efficient solutions. Full story     MARCH 2011 Report Says Green U.S. Office buildings Offer Economic Benefits The report, a follow-up by the same research team that conducted a study before the financial crisis, confirms that green office buildings can lead to higher rents and lower risk premiums. Full story ULC Acquires Property Using Country's First Transit-Oriented Development Fund The $15M fund, which bought a portion of the site from Shanghai Land Investment for $2.1M, will be used to develop mixed-use, multifamily workforce housing, and a commercial structure. Full story JCI Guarantees $4.7B in Savings for Public Sector Energy Efficiency Projects At the National Governors Association meeting, the company’s building efficiency president C. David Myers told state leaders that energy savings could be achieved with no upfront cost to government facilities. Full story Honeywell Awarded $213M Contract to Expand Energy Infrastructure at FDA The 20-year agreement will be funded from the downstream energy and operation savings the work produces. Full story Briefing Focuses on Secure and Sustainable U.S. Embassies The High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition established by ASHRAE highlighted how sustainable design and operating practices can effectively reduce the consumption of resources at diplomatic facilities while enhancing security. Full story Datapipe Powers U.S. Data Centers with 100% Renewable Energy The provider of managed services and infrastructure for IT and cloud computing has converted all of is U.S. based data centers to renewable power. Full story IFMA Unveils Sustainability Facility Professional Credential The designation will help facility mangers play a leadership role in creating, managing and operating sustainable facilities. Full story ABB Takes Stake in Novatec The 35 percent investment includes an option to acquire 100 percent of the innovative solar tech company and an agreement to cooperate on future solar power plant projects. Full story Sunnovations Closes Series A Round The financing round led by clean tech investment firm Two Seven Ventures will help the solar thermal tech start-up accelerate geographic expansion, invest in channel support and develop its product roadmap for small commercial applications. Full story        FEBRUARY 2011     Seven Firms Set to Dominate UK Sustainable Real Estate Advisory Market CBRE, Cushman and JLL are among those that poised to drive new revenue from sustainability services, according to a Verdantix study. Full story Obama Initiative Targets Commercial Building Energy Efficiency The President seeks to achieve a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 through cost-effective upgrades. Full story Green City Index Study Analyzes the Sustainability of Major Cities in Asia Singapore City stood out as having ambitious environmental targets and an efficient approach to achieving them. Full story   TD Bank Constructing First Net-Zero Energy Bank Location in the U.S. The bank branch will also target LEED Platinum. Full story Shorenstein to Extend Ongoing Sustainability Efforts to Tenants in 2011 The efforts includes a targeted energy conservation education program aimed at its thousands of tenants across the country. Full story USAA Real Estate Company Acquires LEED Gold Distribution Center The sellers were the Rockefeller Grop and MeadWestvaco Corporation. Full story Soladigm Closes $10M in Additional Series C Financing The financing will add to the glass developer’s ability to launch and build high-volume commercial operations. Full story Latest Energy Saving Figures Are Big Draw at ASHRAE Conference The data suggests that without plug loads the energy standard leads to energy savings of 32.6 percent and energy cost savings of 30.1 percent for commercial buildings. Full story       JANUARY 2011 Saint-Gobain Joins Consortiun to Advance Energy Efficiency in Buildings The consortium is organized under the U.S. Department of Energy’s U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Building Efficiency. Full story Sustainability Roundtable Inc. Closes $1.2M Series A Financing The investment round will enable the shared-cost research and consulting firm to respond to growing market demand for best practices research on operating sustainable facilities. Full story Growth Signs, New Investments for JCI Building Efficiency Business The company’s building efficiency business, which reported increased sales for Q1 2011, will step up investments in companies providing technology-enabled solutions around energy efficiency in buildings.  Full story Rubenstein Partners Completes Transactions, LEED Projects The firm completed four transactions—including two LEED projects—in the fourth quarter of 2010, its first new investments in nearly four years. Full story   Scientific Conservation Inc. Completes $15.65M Series B Financing The firm provides energy management software offering predictive diagnostics and analytics solutions for the $5 billion commercial building market. Full story Multfamily Green Development Site Closes Escrow The 208-unit multifamily LEED Silver project in Glendale, CA, is a joint venture of BlackRock and American Post Development. Full story Soladigm Secures $30M Series C Financing The fund will allow the developer of highly energy-efficient "dynamic" glass to build and launch high-volume commercial operations. DBL Investors and Nano Dimensions led the round. Full story Brandywine Realty Trust Exceeds 2010 Energy Star Goal The office REIT has qualified 30 buildings for the government-administered rating, double the amount of square footage from a year ago. Full story DOE Guarantee for Huge Solar Generation Plant The $1.45 billion loan guarantee is for the world’s largest parabolic trough concentrating solar plant. Full story     DECEMBER 2010 ABM Industries Acquires The Linc Group The listed facilities services company said the $300 million acquisition will bolster its competitive position for providing energy efficiency services in the government market. Full story Good Energies Completes Follow-on Investment in Sage Electronchromics The investment was made in tandem with an $80 million commitment from Saint-Gobain to build a new U.S. factory for electronically tintable windows. TIAA-CREF joined the investment round. Full story DOE Grants $21 Million to Improve Energy Use in Commercial Buildings  This initiative will connect commercial building owners and operators with multidisciplinary teams, including researchers at DOE's National Laboratories and private sector building experts. Full story REIT Buys LEED Office Building at Liberty Station The 105,061-square-foot San Diego building, which was developed by The Corky McMillin Companies and is 95% leased, received 17 offers. Full story Target, Home Depot and Euro Disney Ramp up Sustainability Initiatives The initiatives include a new retail prototype, substantial store upgrades, and a resort concept. Full story Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, Foundation Back $100M Affordable Housing Program Investors in the socially responsible housing program include JP Morgan Chase, Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Company, MetLife and United Bank. Full story     NOVEMBER 2010   TIAA-CREF Commits $30 Million to Green Development Fund The fund will invest in multifamily, office, and mixed-use development and acquisition, primarily in the Northwestern U.S. Full story Real Estate Investors Foundation Goes Live with Carbon Index The index establishes an industry-wide standard that measures, benchmarks and tracks operational energy usage and carbon emission trends. Full story U.K. Property Fund Fully Invested Climate Change Capital has fully invested its $110 million acquisition fund targeting the office sector. Full story Saint-Gobain Makes an $80 Million Investment in Sage Electrochromics The strategic funding will support construction of a new factory and accelerate the adoption of energy-saving window technology worldwide through higher volume production and lower price points. Full story U.S. Green Building Market Grows Over 50% in Two Years, Despite Recession From 2008 to 2010, the value of green building construction starts grew from $42 billion to $71 billion, and represents 25% of new construction activity in 2010. Full story Redwood Systems Secures $15 Million Series B Funding The company’s power, controls and communications platform for LEDs has potential to fundamentally alter the energy equation in lighting for commercial buildings. Full story Emerge Alliance Advances DC Power Platform The fast-growing alliance of electric-power product and service providers aims to convert commercial building electric infrastructure from AC power to energy-saving DC power. Full story GSA to Require LEED Gold for All New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations The agency, which as a portfolio of 9,600 federally owned and leased facilities, has upgraded its LEED requirement for government buildings to accelerate its greening strategy. Full story   OCTOBER 2010 TIAA-CREF to Invest $50M in Green Building Technology The pension fund will invest in companies and technologies alongside venture firm Good Energies. Full story Report Explores Finance Innovation in Energy Retrofits The ULI report examines how real estate investors are looking at energy efficiency in existing commercial buildings, considering depressed market conditions, tighter credit and new building regulations. Full story Marriott Leads Hospitality Sector in Sustainability Reporting The hotel giant is the first hotel chain to publish a sustainability report in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Global Reporting Initiative. Full story Building Efficiency Unit Lifts Johnson Controls’ 2011 Revenue Forecast The company expects its building efficiency business revenues to be 8-10% higher, and a moderate recovery for technical services in nonresidential buildings. Full story Empire State Building Completes Energy-Saving Window Retrofit The initiative will directly reduce the landmark’s energy costs by more than $400,000 a year. Full story Prologis and Southern California Edison Partner on Solar Project The warehouse developer and owner is in the second phase of its 100-MW solar project after signing new leases for roof space totaling 4.8 million square feet. Full story Digital Realty Trust Chooses Renewable Energy in Paris The wholesale data center provider has adopted EDF’s Certificats Equilibre scheme at its Paris data center. Full story IBM Selected for Smart Grid Initiative in Australia The company will assume the role of systems integrator for the $100 million Smart Grid, Smart City initiative led by the Energy Australia consortium. Full story       SEPTEMBER 2010 Goldman Sachs Commits $23M to Green Affordable Housing Private Equity Fund The fund will finance property acquisitions and green retrofits in New Jersey. Full story   Sustainable Opportunity Fund Targets Central, Eastern Europe The Luxembourg domiciled €100 million fund sees real estate opportunities in developing industrial zones. Full story   Green Building Growth Expected to Drive Use of BIM Tools, Says Study Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an emerging trend for achieving sustainability goals. Full story   Genesis to Enter Market for Energy Efficiency in Buildings The water technology company has a new senior management team and is positioning itself to acquire technology companies targeting energy efficiency in buildings. Full story Pepco Signs $35M Energy Efficiency Deal with Prince George’s County Schools The large contract will provide 103 schools with a new energy infrastructure. Full story   Siemens Commits $130M to Green Its Factories The effort includes greening a supply chain with nearly 1,000 suppliers. Full story   Congress Urged to Pass Legislation to Fix PACE The enabling legislation to allow building owners to finance energy retrofits through property tax assessments has been held up by the Federal Housing Financing Agency (FHFA). Full story   O’Brien Exits Sustainable Options to Join Grubb Ellis’ Clean Energy Practice The opportunity for new challenges led Greg O’Brien to leave the consulting practice he co-founded in 2005 with Tom Boeck. Full story   Hannum Awarded Rare BEMP Certification Only three professional in New York have the coveted designation. Full story JULY-AUGUST 2010   Deutsche Bank, Partners Launch Green Building Retrofit Data Project The initiative will track economic impacts, energy savings and carbon emissions reductions of anticipated investments in multifamily building energy-efficiency retrofits in New York City. Full story   DOE Allocates $76M for Advanced Energy-Efficient Building Tech and Training The Federal allocation will support energy-efficient building technology projects and the development of training programs for commercial building equipment technicians, building operators, and energy auditors. Full story   Building Commissioning Firm Receives $9M in Series A Financing The company’s soft-as-service platform purports to cut annual energy spending up to 25 percent by comparing predicted energy and system efficiencies against real-time operations.  Full story ProLogis Report Gauges Energy Efficiency of European Warehouses The company’s research study notes that European legislative initiatives continue to drive change toward the use of sustainable properties with smaller carbon footprints. Full story Lafarge Bond Finances Green Cement Innovator The funding will accelerate Novacem’s development program to construct and operate a commercial plant to be co-located with an existing cement plant. Full story RREEF’s Leitner to Head Sustainability Real Estate Alliance Charles B. Leitner III, the global head of RREEF Alternative Investments, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of Greenprint, a worldwide alliance of real estate owners, investors and financial institutions committed to reducing carbon emissions across the global property industry. Full story Survey Indicates Healthcare Sector More Likely to Invest in Energy Efficiency Healthcare organizations are more likely to invest in energy efficiency for their facilities compared to others sectors across North America. Full story Craton Equity Partners Invests in GreenWave Realty                                         The $5 million commitment to the home energy management company is part of an $11 million equity round that includes several other strategic investors, including Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Full story Climate Change Capital Leads $9M funding of Nualight, Ltd The LED lighting company, based in Cork, Ireland, is active in the international retail sector, with a roster of European retail clients that includes Tesco, Migros and Rewe. Full story Huge Savings Seen in Calif. Commercial Building Energy Efficiency A study identifies commercial buildings as a stealth energy drain and huge untapped resource that could provide significant savings for California businesses and state government, and reduce the need to build new power plants. Full story   JUNE 2010 Pension Allocation to Shopping Center Trust Aided by Manager’s RPI Commitment Dutch pension fund and asset manager PGGM has invested around €75m in Standard Life Investments UK Shopping Centre Trust following an agreement in December 2009. Full Story   Fund Manager Completes Nevada's First LEED-Gold Office Building Retrofit The retrofit is the first portfolio project of the $100 million Thompson National Properties/Shangri-La Industries Green Building Fund. Full Story Large Fuel Cell to Power LEED Platinum Multifamily Tower in Connecticut The 400 kW fuel cell will provide nearly 100% of the building’s electric needs as well as provide thermal energy for its heating and hot water requirements. Full Story   California Law Has Potential to Boost Sustainability of Urban Areas Senate Bill 375 requires metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to create and implement land use plans that use compact, coordinated, and efficient development patterns to reduce auto dependency. Full Story   Saint-Gobain to Build Second High-Efficiency PV Plant in Germany French building materials giant Saint- Gobain is building a new plant to produce photovoltaic (PV) modules to cover the roofs of residential, industrial and commercial buildings as well as solar plants. Full Story   Hospitals Can Make A Big Dent in Energy Use at Minimal Cost A new study shows how hospitals, which account for four percent of all energy consumed in the U.S., can achieve a 60 percent reduction in energy utility use by redesigning the way they use energy. Full Story Energy-Efficient Lighting to Save San Diego County Taxpayers up to $10 Million Annually 145,000 streetlights in the San Diego Gas and Electric service territory are eligible for upgrades with more energy-efficient technologies. Full Story   The Tower Companies Promotes David Borchardt to Chief Sustainability Officer Borchardt is responsible for making sure the firm’s sustainability goals are implemented in all future development and across an existing portfolio of 4.5 million square feet of commercial and residential space within the DC area. Full Story   MAY 2010 In Germany, IVG Raises $202 Million for Green Office Fund Europe’s third largest property fund manager has closed a real estate fund for sustainable buildings with four German and Austrian pension funds. Full story   Broad Investor Interest in Sustainability Limited by Scarce Data, Says DB Report Government regulation and tenant demand continue to exert strong pressure on the commercial real estate industry to become more sustainable, but barriers remain to wider adoption of green. Full story Opus West Bankruptcy Puts LEED Gold Property on the Market The company’s poor fortune includes defaulting on a trio of LEED-Gold certified Class-A office buildings the developer erected in San Diego. Full story Obama Administration Has $7B Poised for Green Buildings, Says Report In addition to funds available, loan guarantees and over 30 government programs, the report puts forth a dozen opportunities to green federal policy on multifamily and commercial buildings. Full story   Feds Grant $425 Million to 25 Communities for Green Retrofits The partnerships will support large-scale retrofits and make energy efficiency available to homeowners and businesses. Full story   Gottfried to Advise SCI on Green Building The co-founder of the U.S. Green Building Council is also heading up the U.S. Regenerative Network, a new group of established and venture-backed clean tech green-building product and service companies. Full story   Real Estate Directory Focused on Brownfield Development Taps Social Media The directory—launched by an affiliate of Environmental Data Resources—includes user-generated comments and ratings designed to tease out risk in supplier selection. Full story Enterprise Makes First Loan Through Transit-Oriented Development Fund The $15 million credit facility is focused on creating affordable housing with current and future access to high-frequency public transit. Full story<!--[endif]-->   APRIL 2010   California Shops Large Portfolio of Sustainable Class-A Office Properties The 11-property lease-back deal may be the largest portfolio of green office buildings every put for the sale in the U.S. Full story New Study Identifies Top 25 U.S. Markets for Green Office Buildings The Green Building Opportunity Index is the first office market assessment tool to provide weighted comparisons of top U.S. office markets for both real estate fundamentals and green development considerations. Full story Greenwich Group Starts Advisory for Green Commercial Properties The investment bank aims to provide financial solutions to property owners and developers of sustainable buildings to meet their real estate capital requirements where conventional funding sources might not be the most competitive. Full story Massachusetts Taps EnerNoc for $10 Million Statewide Energy Efficiency Project The consultant will provide a comprehensive enterprise energy management system to reduce energy costs at more than 470 state-owned facilities. Full story GSA Invests $4 Billion in Green Construction Projects To transform federal buildings into higher performing, greener buildings, the agency is awarding construction projects to more than 500 companies by investing $4 billion in Recovery Act funds. Full story Marquee Brokerage Kicks Off Solar Energy Services Group CB Richards Ellis is partnering with Smart Energy Capital to offer a broad range of solar energy services, including solar power-purchase agreements, roof leases and solar project investment opportunities. Full story SF Launches Nation's Largest Property Assessed Clean Energy Program The $150 million program allows private property owners to finance water conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements through a voluntary property assessment. Full story   MARCH 2010    Model Green Construction Code for US and Beyond Launched The new code, which will reach all 50 states and 22,000 jurisdictions in the U.S., is expected to accelerate the construction of high-performance green buildings internationally. Full story UK Investors launch $525M Green Office Fund Manager Threadneedle Investment Funds aims to raise $150 million over the next 12 months and refurbish 50 commercial properties to environmentally sustainable standards over five years. Full story Consultancy Launches Advisory for Green Real Estate Investments Sustainable Options, the Atlanta, GA green-building consultant, is spearheading the new advisory group to assist owners and investors in evaluating Class-A office property deals suitable for green retrofits. Full story Bridges Sustainable Property Fund Backs Developer Castleoak The fund established a new development partnership with Castleoak to develop assisted-living facilities with an equity commitment of $7.5 million. Full story   UTC Power’s Fuel Cell Certified to Stringent California Emission Standards The certification will likely open the door to opportunities for real estate owners to reduce their environmental footprint and operating costs in California. Full story   Green Building Materials Firm CalStar Closes $15 Million Equity Round Venture firm Nth Power led the round that included new investors Westly Group  and Clearpoint Ventures, and continuing investors Foundation Capital and EnerTech Capital. Full story   GSA Makes Moves to Drive Sustainability Across Federal Buildings The Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings has moved from the Public Buildings Service to GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy, and will hire a Chief Greening Officer. Full story Study Finds Data Center Expansion to Continue with Energy Efficiency a Priority The Digital Realty Trust study found that in the past three years, power metering at data centers has gone from being the exception to being utilized by a substantial majority of owners. Full story   FEBRUARY 2010   Canadian Mutual Fund Trust with Green Property Focus to Shop Institutional Market The debt and equity vehicle, which was approved by the British Columbia Securities Commission, hopes to raise $30M by the fall. Full story   Sarasin Green Fund Raises $58M since July 2009 Launch; Outperforms BMI The public equity green real estate fund focuses on sustainable REITs and other green-minded real estate operating companies. The fund recently added United Dominion, Inc., a U.S. multi-family REIT that scored high on the fund’s sustainability screens.  Full story U.S. Lags In New Global Environmental Real Estate Index Three European pension funds commissioned an environmental survey of 688 listed and private real estate companies. The resulting index provides insight into the current state of environmental practices across real estate companies from different regions. Full story Zero-Net-Energy Resort Project Seeks Debt Buyer A financial firm and a development partner are looking to swap the debt on a 557-acre waterfront property with full entitlements from a distressed regional lender. Full story California Enacts Nation’s First Statewide Green Building Code Property owners who comply will be able to promote their buildings as meeting sustainability standards without having to use costly third-party certification systems. Full story   Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Network to Aid Property Owners British Columbia will have North America’s first real estate connected network of charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles. Full story   New Whole Foods Store First in Calif. to Generate Bulk of Power with Fuel Cell The fuel cell system will generate 90 percent of the store's electricity needs and its byproduct thermal energy will be used for store heating, cooling and refrigeration for an overall efficiency of approximately 60 percent, nearly twice the efficiency of the U.S. electrical grid. Full story IAPMO Releases Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement The document is designed to make it easier for developers to recycle and reclaim gray water and rainwater in new construction projects. Full story   JANUARY 2010 Developer Closes $40M Round of Private Equity Green Fund The limited partners are Taft-Hartley pension funds, which largely cover workers in metro areas. Full story   Low-Carbon Investor to Develop World’s Greenest Parking Facility The firm has been acquiring resources in pursuit of a consulting and investment strategy, targeting real estate and other green businesses. Full story   U.S. Bank Leads Syndication of $90M Green Condo Loan The secured financing will enable a veteran Seattle developer to move forward on a hotel and condo development for up to two years. Full story Foundation Funds Responsible Property Investment Center The $200,000 grant will help the center develop an RPI Index. Full story Ceres Report Highlights Efficiency’s Importance for Real Estate Investing and Climate Change There are untapped reserves of efficiency gains buried in many real estate holdings, says the report. Full story California Agency Denies Permit to Top Eco Resort The commission ignored a Superior Court order to rehear the revised plan, seeking instead to set aside the 39-acre beachfront site as open space. Full story European Green City Index A research firm evaluated the 30 cities in eight categories: CO2 emissions; energy; buildings; transportation; water; air quality; waste and land use; and environmental governance. Full story       Want to learn more? 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