The Veterinary Medicine Instruction Addition’s landscaping features native plants that do not need permanent irrigation.

The total of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified buildings on Virginia Tech’s campus has increased with the recent certification of the Veterinary Medicine Instruction Addition at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. The building has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification. Seven buildings on Tech’s campus now hold a LEED certification.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech.

BLACKSBURG, Va., May 21, 2013 – The Veterinary Medicine Instruction Addition at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

That brings the total of LEED-certified Virginia Tech facilities to seven, the third so designated this year. Read more »

Lavery Hall has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification for design, construction, operations, and management.

Another Virginia Tech building has been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification. Lavery Hall is the sixth building on Virginia Tech’s campus to earn a LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building is home to a dining center, classrooms and offices.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech.

BLACKSBURG, Va., May 2, 2013 – As innovative as it is inviting, Virginia Tech’s Lavery Hall has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Lavery Hall joins a growing list of university facilities that have been LEED certified.

LEED certification is a performance-oriented rating system designed to address specific environmental impacts inherent in the design, construction, operations, and management of a building. Read more »

The Office of Energy and Sustainability at Virginia Tech was given a 2013 Gold Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award during a ceremony at the 24th annual Environment Virginia Symposium hosted by the Virginia Military Institute. The Gold Governor’s award recognizes the office’s environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability and innovation.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech.

BLACKSBURG, Va., April 24, 2013 – Virginia Tech’s Office of Energy and Sustainability was recently honored with a 2013 Gold Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award at 24th annual Environment Virginia Symposium hosted by the Virginia Military Institute.

The award recognizes environmental and conservation leadership in two categories: sustainability and land conservation. Award recipients were selected on the basis of environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability, and innovation. Read more »

Exhibits inside the Virginia Tech Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification has been given to Virginia Tech’s Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center. The U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification recognizes construction and design that is profitable and has a decreased negative impact on the environment. Tech’s visitor center also earned three Innovation in Design credits.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech.

BLACKSBURG, Va., Jan. 18, 2013 – Virginia Tech’s Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center is more than a gorgeous display of architecture. It is also Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and serves as another example of the university’s commitment to sustainability.

The LEED green building rating system is the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability. Developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification promotes design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improving occupant health and well-being. Read more »

William Devenport, left, and Aurelien Borgoltz, right, stand inside the wind tunnel.

Virginia Tech engineers are teaming up with GE on a project that could make wind turbines more efficient at a lower cost. Virginia Tech’s William Devenport, professor of aerospace and ocean engineering, and Aurelien Borgoltz, research scientist are collaborating on the wind turbine project along with GE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This project’s goal is make turbine blades out of fabric stretched across a frame. Parts of these wind turbines could be manufactured in separate sections and assembled on site. The Advanced Research Project Agency has donated $3.7 million toward this project’s development.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech.

BLACKSBURG, Va., Dec. 18, 2012 – A new method of manufacturing wind turbine blades, used in the capturing of energy that produces power, is expected to enable the construction of much larger wind turbines with higher efficiency and lower costs. Read more »

A clean energy project analysis workshop will take place in Roanoke on Dec. 5. The Virginia Cooperative Extension is providing a workshop on the RETScreen project screening software that is used to evaluate the technical and financial viability of renewable energy and energy efficiency and cogeneration projects. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, visit http://bse-vt-edu-green.eventbrite.com.

Here is the press release from Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce an upcoming clean energy project analysis workshop series.  These workshops will provide an introduction to the RETScreen project screening tool.  This free software tool can be useful in evaluating Renewable-energy and Energy-efficient Technologies (RETs) (from energy efficiency retrofits, to biogas, to woody biomass, to solar, to wind, and more). RETScreen is a tool that helps users determine the technical and financial viability of potential renewable energy, energy efficiency and cogeneration projects.  It is provided completely free-of-charge by the Government of Canada and is used worldwide to assess energy projects.  More information on this tool is available at: http://www.retscreen.net

Six introductory workshops will be held throughout Virginia at these locations:

1.    Hampton – Thursday, Nov 29th
2.    Richmond – Friday, Nov 30th
3.    Alexandria – Monday, Dec. 3rd
4.    Weyers Cave – Tuesday, Dec 4th
5.    Roanoke – Wednesday, Dec. 5th
6.    Danville – Thursday, Dec. 6th

Workshops will focus on the RETScreen software and consist of a mix of presentations and hands-on training for this Excel-based software tool.  Additionally, live or recorded (depending on location) complementary presentations will also be offered featuring:

•    NASA’s near real-time solar and meteorological data for monitoring building energy systems using the RETScreen performance analysis module
•    Energy aspects of community planning and regulations
•    Lean manufacturing concepts
•    Exploring energy cost savings for an aquaculture facility
•    Aspects of energy usage and runoff reduction associated with green roofs
•    And more!

This workshop series is made possible by support from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. Space is limited and registration is required.

Workshop information is available online at: http://bse-vt-edu-green.eventbrite.com

Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Bioenergy Engineering Education Program (BEEP) is an educational outreach program of Virginia Tech’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact John Ignosh at (540-432-6029/TDD*) during business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is (800) 828-1120. Extension is a joint program of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and local governments.  Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Jewel E. Hairston, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.

Celanese Corp. said this morning it will spend $150 million to convert the boilers that power its Giles County factory from coal to natural gas.

Reporter Jeff Sturgeon has more details here.

Lowe’s will support Rebuilding Together – Roanoke in providing low-income homeowners with weatherization and energy efficient upgrades. New windows, doors, insulation, caulking, energy efficient furnaces and heaters will be offered as part of the home weatherization. RTR will receive $8,000 to help pay for upgrades in two Roanoke Valley homes: the home of a Roanoke City police officer who has a daughter with cerebral palsy; and a Roanoke homeowner who has cerebral palsy.

Here is the press release from Rebuilding Together – Roanoke.

[Rebuilding Together- Roanoke, VA]. – Lowes, a President’s Circle Sponsor of Rebuilding Together, is kicking-off home rehabilitation projects nationwide this fall to address critical home needs during cold weather months.  Since 2007, The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has been an active partner of Rebuilding Together and supports the organization’s work across the country. Read more »

Households with limited income are eligible for help with their utilities this winter. The Dollar Energy Fund is offering assistance grants for gas, electric and water bills during the 2012-2013 heating season. To donate or apply for assistance, visit www.dollarenergyfund.org.

Here’s the press release from Dollar Energy Fund.

[Charleston, WV]  Dollar Energy Fund will begin providing utility assistance grants for the 2012-2013 heating season on Monday, October 1. Limited income households throughout Virginia will be able to apply for utility assistance for gas, electric and water bills. Read more »

Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission’s Save-a-Ton campaign has been recognized with an award from the National Association of Development Organizations. The commission received a 2012 Innovation Award, recognizing the campaign’s efforts in energy conservation education and the effort to reduce duplication by local governments. Save-a-Ton uses a web site and social media to present information about local energy conservation programs and to connect people with energy-related businesses.

Here is the press release from the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission.

Roanoke, VA (September 25, 2012) –The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission has received a 2012 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for its Save-a-Ton campaign. The campaign was recognized for its regional approach to energy conservation education awareness program, and the effort to reduce duplication across local governments. Read more »