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From the Director's Desk
Our job at CCSE is to support and promote everything related to sustainable energy. That’s why this year we have combined our successful Solar Energy Week and Street Smart San Diego events and broadened the conversation for Sustainable Energy Week to include energy efficiency, building performance, energy storage, wind energy, business energy planning, biofuels, marketing and more. Sustainable Energy Week, Sept. 12-18, is going to be exciting, educational and fun! Click here to continue reading.
Get Your Green On
Save the dates for Sustainable Energy Week, Sept. 12-18, during which CCSE will spotlight the many benefits homeowners and businesses enjoy when they take a holistic approach to their energy use – energy reduction, cost savings and a cleaner environment. Presentations, displays and demonstrations will highlight energy efficiency, solar power, electric cars, home energy retrofitting and a host of other green and sustainable lifestyle choices. It’s a week full of events, tours, a family fun day and a day-long conference. Click here to continue reading.
City Officials Praise Solar Project
Boost Your Bottom Line
when businesses consider strategies to increase energy efficiency, they look for the sweet spots where actions that shrink their company’s energy use also lead to boosting the bottom line. The key is to find upgrades and retrofits that will achieve a quick payback by lowering energy costs, qualifying for rebates and taking advantage of utility programs for free energy audits and innovative payment options. Click here to continue reading.
Living Inside the Box
The image of living in a steel cargo container usually conjures up scenes of poor, third-world communities, but Los Angeles architect Peter DeMaria sees their conversion into modern urban homes as an environmentally sustainable idea that will fit into most any neighborhood. While designer Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for his “destroy the box” philosophy, DeMaria simply says “live in the box.” Click here to continue reading.
Making Restaurants Efficient
As restaurateurs struggle to keep their business afloat with fewer customers, some are turning to greening as a way to stand out from competitors, from serving local foods to making deliveries in hybrid electric vehicles. When greening includes energy-saving strategies, the benefits can increase profits in addition to helping the environment. Click here to continue reading.
Legislative Update
After several days of Congressional wrangling by Democrat and Republican leaders, HOME STAR has been tucked into an energy bill introduced July 28. HOME STAR is a proposed energy efficiency program that seeks to create jobs. According to Grist magazine, the program has the potential to create 168,000 jobs and save $9 billion in electricity bills over 10 years. The $5 billion rebate program is slated to last two years. Click here to continue reading.
Community Energy Action Hero
When President Obama stated his commitment to developing the industries and skilled workforce to support a transition to a clean energy economy, Wendy Evers was hopeful her ideas for green industry training were going to take off. As senior director of new program development at SDSU’s College of Extended Studies, she had already set up several construction certificate programs, so it was a natural move to address preparing workers for green industries in San Diego. Click here to continue reading.
Policy and Planning
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Did you know CCSE offers free, ongoing workshops on energy efficiency, solar energy, green building, transportation and climate change? Register now! Click on the links below or call (866) SDENERGY. Calling All Homeowners: Learn how to Reduce your Energy Bill Exterior Lighting Training for Local Governments Interior Lighting Training for Local Government - Light Emitting Diode vs. Incumbents Solar Shade Workshop Solar Water Heating Basics for Homeowners What to Expect in a Home Energy Audit EPAct Beat the Heat with Motorized Window Shading Systems Solar for Homeowners Green Learning Adventure for the Family Ecologically Restorative Architecture and Design Solar Permitting & Interconnection Workshop Solar Shade Workshop
Join the San Diego Coastkeeper for “Signs of the Tide: Understanding San Diego’s Water,” a discussion of how an oil spill could happen here, how it would impact the region and steps that can be taken to prevent such a disaster. Speakers include Robin Lewis of the Department of Fish and Game, Steve Weisberg of the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project and Debbie Cook, former mayor of Huntington Beach. Thursday, August 26, 6-8 p.m. at CCSE. Free. Hear nationally renowned author and green building expert Jerry Yudelson talk about “Blue is the New Green: Water in the Build Environment” at the SDSU Third Annual Green Event 2010 from 8-10 a.m. on Friday, August 27 at the College of Extended Studies. His new book to be published in June, Dry Run, Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis, will be premiered and given out at the event. Breakfast and parking are included for $30 ($20 for students and USGBC members). To register online, click here.
Peter Hamilton As director of energy service, Peter Hamilton leads CCSE teams that provide administration and technical support for distributed energy and transportation incentive programs as well as energy advising and engineering services. He is also a member of CCSE’s leadership team, providing operational oversight and direction throughout the organization. Peter has worked for industrial, academic, nonprofit and government entities focusing on the development and commercialization of clean energy and water technology. Prior to joining CCSE, he was a business development manager for EnerNOC in Southern California. Before that, Peter was a consultant focusing on providing clean energy for developing countries and the interim general manager for the West African subsidiary of WaterHealth International. Peter has worked as an engineer, researcher, marketing strategist and consultant in a dozen countries. His clients and employers have included Solar Turbines, Lockheed Martin, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, the California Air Resources Board, clean-tech start-ups and several nonprofits. Peter has a B.S. degree in engineering from Swarthmore College, an M.S. degree in transportation technology and policy from UC Davis and an MBA from Cornell University.
Refrigerator Energy Savings It’s summertime and the refrigerator is likely to be in extra service with the kids at home and everyone looking for something to cool off with. These simple tips will help you keep refrigerator energy costs from rising with the summer temperatures. • Adjust the thermostat to the recommended setting. Overcooling wastes electricity. • Allow hot food to cool before putting it in the fridge. • Cover liquids and wrap foods. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder. • Do not overload the refrigerator. Too many items block air circulation and reduce cooling capabilities. • Do not leave refrigerator door open longer than necessary. • Make sure the door shuts tightly. Test by closing the door over a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out easily, the hinge may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing. • Place the refrigerator away from heat sources such as direct sunlight and the oven.
Current green job openings: • Program Assistant (California Solar Initiative) • Building Retrofit Program Manager
“Solar power is one of the most promising technologies but still produces only 0.01 percent of U.S. electricity. The U.S. allocates just $159 million for solar research per year – about what we spend in Iraq every nine hours.” - Nicholas D. Kristof, author and columnist for The New York Times, April 2008
Help us STAND FOR LESS. So that everyone can enjoy life more. Please take a few minutes today and join us at www.standforless.com.
Energy Connection is a monthly e-newsletter of the California Center for Sustainable Energy. We value your feedback. To submit comments, questions or suggestions, please click here. |
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