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<title>Sustainable Habitat</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/</link>
<description><![CDATA[SLCC news.]]></description>
<language>en-us</language>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:30:00 -0500</pubDate>
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<title>National Mission on Sustainable Habitat</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Government has approved "National Mission on Sustainable Habitat" that seeks to promote sustainability of habitats through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, urban planning, improved management of solid and liquid waste, modal shift towards public transport and conservation through appropriate changes in legal and regulatory framework. It also seeks to improve ability of habitats to adapt to climate change by improving resilience of infrastructure, community based disaster management and measures for improving advance warning systems for extreme weather events. The Mission is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change and addresses sustainability concerns related to habitats, primarily urban areas.]]></description>
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<title>Buildings have a high energy-recovery effect</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Christine Lins, Secretary-general, European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), its policy director Oliver Schafer and Greenpeace International's Sven Teske, director, Renewable Energy Campaign, were in the capital to release the Energy Revolution report -- 'A Sustainable India Energy Outlook'.]]></description>
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<title>Green building movement, or late, gaining momentum</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chennai: Even as the global economic slowdown is affecting construction industry, the green building movement is continuing to gain momentum. The impact of the slowdown has made various stakeholders think of different options to reduce operating costs. The movement has started to create interest in the minds of stakeholders of the housing sector in Chennai. “The green home concept is picking up in the city. The number of clients who want to opt for green homes is continuing to increase,” said Deepa Sathiaram, Executive Director, EN3 Sustainability Solutions.]]></description>
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<title>The greener side of Indian IT companies</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Computer services firms such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and Wipro Ltd are offering services in domains ranging from water treatment and waste management to online healthcare, moving from their traditional area of expertise. Wipro Ecoenergy, a unit of Bangalore-based Wipro, has begun offering water treatment solutions based on recycled wastewater and harvesting rainwater. The company is also exploring business opportunities in waste management, following its experiment of reducing liquefied petroleum gas consumption by using biomass gas generated from organic waste to cook food at its Electronic City campus in Bangalore.]]></description>
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<title>Green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Hunter Douglas, the world market leader in window coverings and major manufacturer of architectural products recently introduced a high-definition architectural material, under the brand 3form. 3form provides award-winning, eco-friendly solutions for the Architecture and Design industry. With a commitment to the environment, 3form allows for one to amalgamate innovativeness, design ingenuity and functionality while keeping in mind carbon footprints.]]></description>
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<title>Green building companies help country save energy</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Beijing: More than 90 percent of the plants used in the landscaping at the Beijing Olympic Village are drought-resistant and, throughout the community, water-efficient systems collect rainwater for irrigation. The 160-acre village also uses solar photovoltaic power and solar thermal energy to illuminate the community and heat its water. Environmental Market Solutions Inc (EMSI), a green building consulting company and a subsidiary of Carrier Company under the US industrial conglomerate United Technologies Corp (UTC), helped design the village.]]></description>
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<title>Fix regulations for funding eco-unfriendly projects</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: HSBC India country head Ms Naina Lal Kidwai has sought regulations for banks on funding projects that may not be environmentally sustainable. It is believed that the Indian Banks Association has already written to the Reserve Bank of India in this regard. Ms Kidwai has expressed the need for certain uniform standards or guidelines to be adopted by the banks for funding projects that are not environmentally friendly. "In India there is no strict standard on the kind of project on which we will lend or we won't lend," said Ms Kidwai, while releasing a report with The Energy and Resources Institute. ]]></description>
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<title>Eco projects: Green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Ever noticed that small building on the corner of Brigade Road with its bright yellow windows? The building may be yellow in colour, but it's actually the first-ever building in the city to be receiving the 'Gold' rating from the US Green Building Council. With its bright yellow and tainted windows, the small building on the corner of Brigade Road looked astoundingly new and fresh. Despite its vivid phosphorescence, the colour that best suits the building's description doesn't seem to be yellow, but green. Not even the keenest of observers would notice anything more than the shining doors and gleaming glasses as one is ushered into its cosy interiors, until the 'Green consultant' for the building turns up to explain: “These are mostly made of recycled products or those manufactured not very far from this city.” ]]></description>
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<title>Odyssey</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: When imagination is translated into reality, the element of jubilation at the success is inevitable, but if it happens to be “Ecomagination”-a green dream that has taken the shape of reality, nearer home then it deserves a larger round of applause. Recently, GE the multinational company which is housed in green environs in the outskirts of the city has added a model eco-friendly facility called Odyssey to John F Welch Technology Center (JFWTC), aimed at curbing all the ills of pollution and energy consumption which has become synonymous with progress these days.]]></description>
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<title>Push for tax breaks on </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sydney: The former NSW premier Nick Greiner has lent support to a growing push for tax breaks for "greening" older buildings, saying they are one of the best ways to slash carbon emissions. Mr Greiner, the deputy chairman of the property giant Stockland, said allowing accelerated depreciation for making older shopping centres and office blocks energy-efficient was the best tax reform measure the Government could take to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the present economic environment.]]></description>
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<title>Seeing the (LED) light</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: A global retailing firm has reduced lighting expenses for its office by as much as 68% over the last one year. A Fortune 500 information technology (IT) company has slashed its electricity bill to one-third. The power consumption at another IT firm has come down from 620,500KW a year to 124,100KW, resulting in net savings of 80% on electricity bills. Power consumption for streetlights on the campus of a retail firm is down to 6,132KW a year, from 26,060KW. ]]></description>
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<title>Green with glass</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Gurgaon: Modern workplaces run the risk of being energy-inefficient. The most common design for a contemporary office building is a sealed box with a glass-and-metal facade which traps heat, necessitates high air-conditioning loads and requires the use of blinds and artificial lighting. The corporate headquarters of Apollo Tyres in Gurgaon, designed by New Delhi-based architectural firm Morphogenesis, is one of the earliest examples of an iconic modern office where environment-friendly features have been integrated into the building's design and construction.]]></description>
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<title>An annual call for businesses to follow green practices</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Though Earth Day falls on April 22, there is a growing interest worldwide to make every day earth day. If translated into action, it offers the promise of helping the world cope with the two biggest challenges of our times-the economic slowdown and climate change. For businesses, it all begins with management of resources. Getting more from less is the mantra for survival today and prosperity tomorrow. In their search to get leaner and meaner, companies are embracing not only conventional wisdom on 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), but also pursuing innovation like never before.]]></description>
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<title>Taking a stand</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Kochi: Kochi-based architectural firm Inspiration, led by Jaigopal G. Rao and Latha Raman Jaigopal, specializes in developing greener strategies for homes, offices and resorts across urban and rural India using alternative technologies, techniques and materials. One material they advocate in particular is bamboo-its use in structural applications is backed by at least 20 years of research by K.R. Datye and Vilas Gore of Geo-Science Services, a geo-technical consultancy firm based in Mumbai. ]]></description>
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<title>City Plans to Make Older Buildings Refit to Save Energy</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New York: Elected leaders in New York City will propose a suite of laws and other initiatives on Wednesday aimed at reducing energy consumption and related emissions of greenhouse gases by requiring owners of thousands of older buildings to upgrade everything from boilers to light bulbs. Planners asserted that the package, drafted by the offices of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, would result in $2.9 billion in private investment in building improvements by 2022 and generate 2,000 new jobs in energy auditing and related fields as well as thousands of temporary construction jobs.]]></description>
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<title>U.S. Green Building Council develops new energy-efficient standards</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Washington: The U.S. Green Building Council has developed a new set of LEED regional credits as part of the latest version of the LEED Green Building Rating System. This new category sets out a regional standard by which companies can design, build or operate energy efficient buildings. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary program designed to encourage building owners to invest in energy efficient properties.]]></description>
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<title>Building Sector Must Change to Meet Global Energy Targets, New Study Finds</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Geneva: New modeling by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) shows how energy use in buildings can be cut by 60 percent by 2050 - essential to meeting global climate change targets - but this will require immediate action to transform the building sector. This is the central message of the report from the WBCSD's four-year, $15 million Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EEB) research project, the most rigorous study ever conducted on the subject.]]></description>
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<title>A green alternative for rural India</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Projecting the bamboo as a “green” alternative to concrete and steel for modern structures, a group of students from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, have designed a poultry shed using bamboo and the concept of “tensegrity”. “Tensegrity” refers to structures with an integrity based on a synergy between tension and compression components. Five under-graduate students of Civil Engineering at IIT-Delhi, under the guidance of faculty member Suresh Bhalla have been working on this project that deals with possible replacement of concrete and steel by the eco-friendly bamboo as a modern engineering construction material. ]]></description>
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<title>Green building footprint on the rise </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Coimbatore: S. Raghupathy, Senior Director and Head of the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, has been working in the area of green buildings for almost eight years. At the centre, he is involved in consultancy, rating preparations and implementation. He was in Coimbatore recently to participate in the CII's “Mission on Sustainable Growth” launch. ]]></description>
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<title>$3.4 billion for ecological projects: China</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Beijing: China has allocated 23 billion yuan ($3.37 billion) for energy saving, anti-pollution, ecological and environmental protection projects since the fourth quarter of last year, a senior official has told Xinhua. Secretary-General of the National Development and Reform Commission Han Yongwen said investment in these sectors accounted for 10 per cent of the 230-billion-yuan government spending to date on infrastructure, ecological and environmental sectors, quake relief and other areas. ]]></description>
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<title>Asia construction frenzy needs green injection</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Taipei: Powered by solar energy generated on its roof, Taipei 101, the world's tallest completed building, is not only a leader for its breathtaking height but also for its eco-friendly features. Finished in 2004, the skyscraper is a rare example of green design in Asia, a region with the world's busiest construction sector yet one of the poorest records for eco-friendly building. China alone is said to be building half of the world's new floor space, but the vast majority of these new projects will be energy guzzlers. Environmentalists worry that these buildings will produce high carbon emissions for decades to come.]]></description>
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<title>Sustainable urban habitat: industry has to take the lead</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The title says it all. An exploration of sustainability in the provision of basic urban services in Indian cities, is true to its name. Brought out by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) in partnership with Sustainable Urbanism International and Arghyam, and with support from Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, the report not only highlights the state of affairs in cities, but also makes recommendations for making cities sustainable. Focusing on sectors like buildings, water, solid waste management, transport and power, the report also makes a case for engaging the private sector either on its own or through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing sustainable cities. ]]></description>
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<title>Solar water heater a must for new houses</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Do you have a new home and want power connection? Have a good look at your roof before venturing to the nearest Bescom office. Because the electricity company now wants all new house owners, including those having two-storied buildings in 20X30 sites, to install solar water-heaters to get electricity connections. Bescom sources said solar water-heaters are a must for houses more than 600 sq ft. House owners will also have to dig too deep into their pockets for shelling out an extra sum of Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 for this. For those who have not done plumbing, this could be about Rs 80,000. ]]></description>
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<title>Green Buildings could save $500 billion by 2030, Cut global warming pollution 30% by 2050</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Philadelphia, PA: A comprehensive plan to make our nation's buildings more efficient could save enough energy by 2030 to power all of the nation's cars, homes and businesses for a year and a half, while saving Americans more than $500 billion, according to a new report by PennEnvironment.  These findings offer a preview of what Pennsylvania could achieve by adopting green building policies, such as the statewide green building code proposed by Governor Rendell in February, and the many policies being pushed by state and local officials who joined PennEnvironment in releasing the report. ]]></description>
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<title>'Green materials' to be mandatory for houses from 2010</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The construction and housing sector will get a tad greener by the end of the next year. The government has decided to make it mandatory for new buildings to undertake energy efficient measures, rainwater harvesting and use recycled construction material in parts under the sustainable habitat mission of the national action plan on climate change. The government will also finalise norms for integrating parking, taxation, congestion charges and other measures to promote public transport across different cities.]]></description>
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<title>British rules call for shift to energy efficient, 'zero- carbon' new housing</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[London: Aiming to drastically cut its emissions of planet-warming pollutants, Britain is telling its home builders to design a new generation of super-efficient houses that use only clean power and add no net carbon to the atmosphere. Its rules will mandate that all new homes be zero-carbon by 2016, one of the toughest requirements in the world. While officials and the industry are still working out what exactly that will mean, it is certain to bring big and potentially costly changes to a sector now suffering through a painful slowdown. 
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<title>Realty needs to link policy, research and practice for an integrated approach to sustainable development</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Floods, droughts, climate change and global warming are disturbing facts in today's world. The causes? Rapidly increasing urbanisation, carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. Let's face the reality. The earth's capacity to sustain its human population and current lifestyle is finite. Climate change is a reality and the property sector needs to prepare for the changes it will bring. And the only way forward is to pursue sustainable development. ]]></description>
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<title>Solar City: UT ready with draft master plan</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chandigarh: The draft master plan for making Chandigarh a solar city would be put up for approval by the administration next week before it is sent to the ministry of renewable resources for seeking funds. In its feasibility report submitted to the administration recently, TERI had laid out detailed plans on how to reduce Chandigarh's dependence on traditional fuel and power sources, thereby bringing down the emissions of greenhouse gases. Presently, the city emits 12,443,95 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year (primarily due to electricity, petrol and LPG consumption). This is expected to go up to an alarming 29,201,05 tonnes by 2018. ]]></description>
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<title>BHU Campus to be more eco-friendly</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Varanasi: During last one year, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has changed its image a lot when it has taken a number of steps and initiated several measures not only to make the varsity campus more eco-friendly but also send positive messages to the outside society that environment protection should be a part of all sustainable development in the coming years. When environment issues and pollution concerns have become the common talks in the entire world, the BHU is lucky that it has an eminent environmental scientist as its institution head. ]]></description>
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<title>Building green Delhi</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: No, we are not talking about the colour green.It's the design of some buildings in the city that are going 'green', a concept that focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use while reducing building impact on the environment. Ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2010, the tribe of such buildings is growing rapidly in the Capital.]]></description>
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<title>IGNOU campus to go greener </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: On World Environment Day celebrated across the globe on Friday, Indira Gandhi National Open University here has pledged to make its campus greener.

The rocky terrains, slopes and barren patches on the vast IGNOU campus will soon metamorphose into green foliage creating vegetation cover.Termed as “Green IGNOU”, the project has been undertaken to mark World Environment Day. It will look into the other associated environmental plans of the University that are in the pipeline.
]]></description>
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<title>Bangalore homes may turn 'solar'</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: In an effort to tide over the power crisis, the government may make it mandatory for all new houses in Bangalore to have solar installations.  Energy minister K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday said the government is thinking of compulsory installation of solar energy units; a final decision on this will be taken soon]]></description>
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<title>Energy efficiency a top priority for India Inc</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: The Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey for corporate India , released on Tuesday, reveals that 47% of the respondents are paying more attention to energy efficiency, compared to last year and 94% of the respondents feel that energy management is extremely important. An increase in capital investments for energy efficiency is needed, say 62%, while 72% of the respondents feel their organisations can achieve more energy efficiency from operating budgets. More than 92% of the respondents say energy efficiency is a priority in new construction as well as in renovation projects.]]></description>
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<title>IIM-A campus to become more environment friendly</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Ahmedabad: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is set to become more environment-friendly by cutting down on water and power consumption and also recycling water and waste within the campus. "Last year we began a project for water conservation but were not able to complete it. This academic year we plan to complete it. Our focus will be on recycling of water and waste in the campus," IIM-A Director Sameer Baruah told mediapersons during an interactive session at the institute. 
]]></description>
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<title>'Solar city' to come up in Bangalore </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Bangalore will soon have a 'solar city' within itself. Karnataka is set to embark on a green power initiative called the 'solar city' project, said to be the first of its kind in the country, under which 10,000 houses in a chosen locality will have roof-top solar photovoltaic panels installed with support from the Centre.

]]></description>
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<title>Tallest U.S. building to get &quot;green&quot; retrofit</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chicago: The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere will undergo a $350 million "green" retrofit that its owners said on Wednesday will make the 110-story office tower a beacon for environmentally sound space.]]></description>
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<title>New LEED Standards More Serious About Energy Reporting </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Starting next week, all construction projects seeking certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, must use a new version of the green building standard.]]></description>
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<title>Scientific Conservation Brings a New Dimension to Energy Efficiency in Buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Oakland, California: Berkeley firm Scientific Conservation Inc. broadly goes to market today with its SCIwatch software-as-a-service solution -- a first in Automated Continuous Commissioning that its creators say enables building owners and operators to cut as much as 25 percent of annual energy spending by tackling a condition called energy drift.
]]></description>
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<title>Cisco Debuts the 'Mediator' to Connect and Control Smart Buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[San Francisco: Networking giant Cisco has rolled out its Building Mediator -- the firm's bid to connect and control smart buildings and their automation systems in order to better manage energy. 
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<title>CDL Unveils First CarbonNeutral Development in Singapore and Asia Pacific - 11 Tampines Concourse</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In support of the Government's strategy for sustainable development in Singapore, City Developments Limited (CDL) as a green developer, is taking an affirmative step, setting yet another milestone for Singapore in environmental sustainability.

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<title>Many Buildings Are Going For LEED And Griha Certifications </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Office interiors that get a lot of natural sunlight and fresh air and have soothing colours can de-stress employees and increase productivity. They can also cut miscellaneous costs by half in the long run. So, today, even smaller companies are looking at green building certifications like those of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Griha. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Buildings to be promoted for energy conservation </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Delhi Secretariat may be promoted as an energy efficient building and “white and cool roofs” may be encouraged across Delhi as per the proposals made by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency at a meeting with Delhi Government in the presence of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Gurgaon, Faridabad to be developed as green cities</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chandigarh: Against a backdrop of hectic global parleys to neutralise the effects of climate change, the Haryana government has decided to develop Gurgaon and Faridabad as solar/green cities. These will be the first cities in Haryana to be brought under the development of solar cities programme, launched by the new and renewable energy ministry.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Punjab to get its first energy-efficient building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chandigarh: To set an example of energy conservation, the Punjab Mini Secretariat here will be developed as the first energy-efficient building in the state.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>City lays a green foundation with new buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton's visit to the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon, one of the region's four buildings to be certified `green', drew the world's attention to what Clinton referred to as the "monument to the future''. Delhi may soon not be short of such monuments as several buildings have now switched over to green technology for energy conservation, including the Rashtrapati Bhavan that is saving about Rs 60 lakh annually by shifting to a more environment friendly technology. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Perfectly green?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[First, it was outsourcing. Now, it is greening. The world can look at India's 'green fingers' with renewed respect after US secretary of state
Hillary Clinton recently called the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon "a monument to the future." Clinton's comments came just weeks after a survey of 100 Indian companies found a marked increase in green consciousness. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt decides to follow Green code for buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Delhi government has finally adopted the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for the construction of all its government buildings in the Capital. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>More Green Building and Energy Efficiency Could Save U.S. Economy $1.2 Trillion</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Washington, D.C.: The typical building in the U.S. leaks energy like a sieve and its occupants usually make the situation worse. But businesses and individuals could stanch the flow by making simple changes that could yield a 23 percent drop in energy use by 2020, save the U.S. economy $1.2 trillion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 gigatons annually, according to a new study.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Building a green city</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Kochi: With the Centre introducing several benefits for eco-friendly buildings, the Indian Green Building Council, Kerala Chapter, is planning to popularise the concept of green buildings in the city.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>5.5 lakh homes a year...</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The walls are cream. But look again Arjun Vallury's home is greener than green. There's natural light even in the basement. The taps let out just 1 litre of water a minute - a fifth of what gushes forth from other taps in the neighbourhood. The 41-year-old technocrat makes 40 per cent of his electricity with his own solar power plant. All his water is solar-heated too.  ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How green is 'Green'</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[What is a 'Green B u i l d i n g ' ? What makes it different from a conventional building? Why are corporates going in for these green buildings? How important is it for us to live in a green building? How expensive are these green building technologies? The list of questions around this buzzword 'Green Buildings' is significantly huge and the answers are not only simple but also provoke us to take a pledge to 'Go Green'. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Call for energy-efficient IT buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The information technology industry has to invest in non-conventional energy sources and “temper the architecture of its buildings to Indian conditions,” according to Mr S. Kabilan, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Rashtrapati Bhavan goes green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Rashtrapati Bhavan has become eco-friendly. The sprawling President's estate is contributing in its own way to combat climate change by adopting a host of green initiatives. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sparkling in natural light, airport terminals go green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW DELHI: The new domestic terminal (1D) gets its sparkle not from bright electric bulbs but natural light. It's only when dusk descends, lights are switched on. 

The new integrated terminal (T3), when complete, would be even more energy efficient than 1D, with Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd (DIAL) having applied for the LEED certification from the Indian Green Building Council. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Tiny battery traps solar power to run a house for 24 hrs</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A small disc could be the solution for the efficient and cheap storage of the sun's energy. A Utah-based company has found a new way to store solar energy – in a small ceramic disk which can store more power for less. Researchers at Ceramatec have created the disk, which can hold up to 20-kilowatt hours, enough to power an entire house for a large portion of the day.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>White roofs: New solution for global warming</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A new roof, a shiny plasticised white covering is not only an energy saver, but also a way to help cool the planet. From Dubai to New Delhi to Osaka, Japan, reflective roofs have been embraced by local officials seeking to rein in energy costs]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Building cities for 21st-century India</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mahatma Gandhi had once famously said, “India lives in its villages”. With the urbanisation of China in the last 20 years, India is the last major country with a rural majority (65-70 per cent of the population still lives in villages).]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Homes of the future</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A home that produces zero or even negative CO2 emissions by maximising the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy, that's a zero-carbon home for you. In the UK, all new houses must be zero-carbon from 2016 onwards.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Incentives sought for green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: The construction industry has demanded that the State Government provide incentives to encourage “green” buildings. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Is Green in the Eye of the Beholder?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[BOSTON, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ - According to the results of the Synovate study, American homeowners are more concerned with energy efficiency and cost saving measures when building a 'green' home than with any other factor. FreeGreen, the world's leading house plan provider, commissioned the independent study focused on consumer perception of how to define 'green' building. 

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Beijing's buildings get user-friendly</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[BEIJING - Beijing's Summer Olympics extravaganza a year ago may be a fading memory, but the Chinese capital's furious construction craze shows no sign of abating. 

In the history of urban development, few cities have evolved as quickly or as radically. With more large-scale projects in the pipeline, the state and private sectors look set to maintain the pace of change for the foreseeable future. With the overarching blueprint demanding sustained growth, many wonder what the next decade holds for this rambling metropolis and its burgeoning population. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>The green makeover</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Indian Green Building Council has enabled the construction industry to become environmentally sensitive and has been spearheading the Green Building Movement since 2001.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Self-service at home</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: `Go green' is the prevailing mantra in the construction sector, and quite unsurprisingly, city planners are set to frame environmental
guidelines for buildings. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Rainwater will not go waste in Mysore Palace </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mysore: Amba Vilas Palace, popularly known as Mysore Palace, may soon become one of the few palaces in the country to harvest rainwater by adopting proven methods to address its water needs, especially for maintaining its 28-acre garden.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Should Green Building Certification Be Guaranteed?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[State, local and federal government entities are "LEEDing" the way with green building programs - not only for their own facilities, but also with various green building mandates that affect the private sector.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How can we build a sustainable future?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A group of well-known architects from all over India met recently in Bangalore for a discussion on the challenges and prospects of building sustainably. Five of them share their thoughts, experiences and proposals for the future.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>EPA Introduces Energy Star Toolkit for Houses of Worship</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Washington, DC — Houses of worship in the United States now have an array of online tools for managing energy use and reducing their carbon footprint with help from the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>DU goes eco-friendly with bamboo</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Delhi University is going eco-friendly in a big way. The university is expanding its infrastructure owning to the increase in the intake of students this year due to the other backward class (OBC) quota.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Germany's first eco-city</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[At Hamburg's harbour, once busy with shipbuilding, a former comb factory is being transformed into an eco development. The Creative-Industrial complex (above) will consist of 10 structures when completed, combining new architecture with restored historic buildings.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Solar lights to illuminate tribal areas</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: There is finally light at the end of the road for tribal hamlets in Mumbai. The municipal corporation has started making use of solar-run streetlights to illuminate arterial roads and lanes of these hamlets.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Greening of roofs gaining popularity in US</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Washington: Greening of roofs by having plants on them is gaining popularity in the US, where their numbers have increased by 30% from 2006 to 2007. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt buildings to have energy-saving equipment</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The Delhi Government may save hundreds of megawatt power if energy efficiency equipment is installed in government and commercial buildings, said Delhi industries minister Haroon Yusuf.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green buildings standard seen as flawed</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Revelations that many buildings certified as green under a broadly accepted national standard for energy savings are not performing as well as predicted recently prompted changes to the program and are forcing San Francisco officials to consider amending city rules that are tied to the older guidelines.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Aspen helping shape global green building code</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A group developing international guidelines for green construction is using Aspen's building code as a guide, and they've tapped the city's chief building official to help.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green buildings demand up on cost cutting plans</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Hyderabad: India is witnessing a huge demand of green buildings due to the cost cutting measures being taken up by the corporate houses and builders across India.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt, TERI choose 100 buildings for save-energy project</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The Delhi Government is all set to tie up with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to make 100 existing buildings measuring over 10,000 square feet energy efficient. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green Building Council president pushes for healthier buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Syracuse - Pick up a box of crackers and the nutrition label on the side tells you how much fat, sodium and other ingredients you will find inside. Rick Fedrizzi, president of the U.S. Green Building Council, would like to see a similar label on the side of every building, disclosing the quality of the air, water and other environmental factors inside.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Thyagaraj Stadium to generate own power</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: It could well be the first Commonwealth Games project by the Delhi government to be unveiled on time: Thyagaraj stadium is expected to open at the end of December. The stadium, which has been touted as the first green stadium in the country, will also be the first government building to use a gas-based turbine for its power needs.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Now, 'wood-plastic' hybrid to reduce carbon footprint</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: Scientists in the city have got the go-ahead to develop a new class of material, an unlikely hybrid of the organic and synthetic, that could change forever the way we see furniture, packaging, automobile interiors and even aircraft.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>WorldGBC declares September 23rd as World Green Building Day</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The World Green Building Council is very pleased to announce that this coming September 23rd marks the inauguration of World Green Building Day -- an annual event established to unite the efforts of Green Building Councils from around the world as they strive for market transformation of the global property market and building industry.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green building initiative to save energy, resources</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The first World Green Buildings Day today aims to show how environmentally sound buildings can still be attractive valuations. Announced by the World Green Buildings Council, the day will be marked by country councils by launching initiatives to strengthen the foundations of a sustainable global property market. Green buildings save energy, water and natural resources and cut down on waste generation.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Intelligent Buildings to cut down Carbon Footprint of Cities</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The expansion of "megacities" (cities with million plus population) as well as development of second and third tier is largely fuelled by the wave of people migrating to urban areas in search of job prospects, higher income levels and the urban lifestyle.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Now, old buildings will get chance to turn green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Even as the stress to make buildings energy efficient has traditionally been on those either under construction or yet to be
constructed, in another six months, about 400 existing buildings across the country will stand a chance to have their energy demand reduced. Under the `existing building' programme to be launched by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), a list of 35 energy service companies (ESCOs) that will invest in these buildings has been finalised. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Wanted chief energy officers</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Energy management is becoming a key driver for India's climate change policy. The country is proposing to impose a mandatory fuel efficiency cap by 2011, enforce an energy-efficient building code for all public buildings by 2012, and push the share of renewables up to 20% by 2020 to mitigate climate change.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>New thrust for green city</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: `Clean city green city'. It won't be merely plans and planting saplings. Now, it's joining hands to go beyond on a Preserve Green -
Promote Green agenda and most importantly, maintaining it. For starters, the BBMP plans to form a core committee involving all stakeholders of the city. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Solar energy to light up Taj</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Already brimming with the light and energy of love, the Taj Mahal would soon be lighted up with the clean and eco-friendly solar energy.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title> It's worth harvesting rain</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a building on the city's outskirts, close to seven lakh litres of rainwater is obtained from the roof and 20 to 30 lakh litres from the site area.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>CII comes up with green homes rating</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in association with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), has come out with a “green homes rating system”, India's first green rating programme developed exclusively for the residential sector.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title> DSIIDC to construct first green building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) will now venture into construction of green buildings after its success in construction of low-cost houses, schools and other infrastructure projects in the Capital.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Rashtrapati Bhawan to use wetlands to treat sewage</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Rashtrapati Bhawan is using a technology that will be introduced in Delhi over the next 8 to 10 months. The President's Estate will be the first to treat sewage using “constructed wetlands” say researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, who are building the sewage treatment project. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Delhi to have 100 energy-efficient buildings in three years</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The national capital will have at least 100 'green buildings' in the next three years with Delhi Government today inking a pact with The Energy Research Institute (TERI) to implement the ambitious project.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How sustainable is your style?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sustainability is the buzzword. Every manner of building makes a claim to “greenness” today. While there are various ways of judging how green a building is, we often assume its look also offers a clue.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Everyone benefits with green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Green buildings add to the productivity of executives and also contribute to the cause of the environment. They reduce lifecycle costs and are more comfortable for those working in them. They have a positive effect on the health of people too.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Redwood City buildings going green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Joining the growing lists of Peninsula cities that require development projects to be more environmentally friendly, the Redwood City City Council unanimously passed the city's first green building ordinance this week.

From using sustainably harvested wood to planting water-efficient landscaping, builders will be able to choose which green techniques they use to comply with the city's new law.

"This has been two years in the making," Mayor Rosanne Foust said at the council meeting. "It was something the council wanted. This is good for the community."

]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Fund crunch puts brakes on solar power project</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW DELHI: NDPL's ambitious rooftop solar power project has hit a hurdle with the Delhi government expressing its inability to meet the immediate demand of Rs 700 crore required as subsidy. Chief secretary Rakesh Mehta said that while the project is highly important in view of the city's climate change plan, lack of funds has seen its progress slow down considerably. 
]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Delhi's Climate Pledge</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In 2002 when Delhi had earned the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluted cities in the world, the humbled city resorted to the use of CNG in public transport. Seven years on, as pollution rears its ugly head again, Delhi is ready with a green pledge.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Unlocking the Green Advantage</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[They say India lives in its villages. But theres another India, a new resurgent India. With breathtaking realty developments taking place in Noida, a lot of foreign and domestic firms in IT, IT-enabled Services and back-office sectors have recognized its potential as a hub for providing quality infrastucture and other facilities.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>A house made of straw and mud in Boise</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[On a small lot tucked between conventional homes on Boise Avenue, Mark Lung is hard at work stacking bales of straw and mixing mud. He is building a new home using local, recycled agricultural waste to form and insulate exterior walls. Plaster made from clay, sand, lime, straw and water will be used on both the interior and exterior instead of drywall, siding and paint.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Concrete Brings Home Sustainable Benefits to Net-Zero Habitat for Humanity Project</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[PHOENIX - The Portland Cement Association, in partnership with Salt River Materials Group and Habitat for Humanity, today held a press conference at the 2009 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo to educate attendees about Habitat for Humanity's first concrete home in Central Arizona. Selected from more than 200 entries, the home will appear on the U.S. Green Building Council's "Contemporary Desert Living" tour, which showcases sustainable homes that embrace the region's culture.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Nirman 2009: Experts call for more green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a bid to create awareness about environment-friendly buildings, experts attending the 24th construction confluence Nirman 2009 urged the developers to keep climate in mind while designing buildings based on western models. The experts said the developers should look at the buildings through the prism of energy efficiency and energy conservation, and not just copy designs from the West. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Energy Dept. walks the walk with smart building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[GOLDEN, Colo. - Homes and office buildings consume three-quarters of U.S. electricity, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory wants to lower that figure by erecting what it believes will be the largest "net-zero" energy building in the world — one that produces as much power onsite as it uses.

]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Green buildings gaining acceptance </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The green building concept, spearheaded by CII and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), seems to be gaining acceptance in Kerala following the efforts taken up by the Kochi Chapter of IGBC to create awareness among the people on the need for green buildings. The IGBC, under the guidance of CII, is awarding LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) ratings to newly constructed buildings based on environmental categories such as sustainable sites, water and energy efficiency, materials and resources, innovations and design process.

]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Sunshine beams on new villages</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bangalore: There is some light at the end of the tunnel for hundreds of flood victims in North Karnataka. Their longstanding dream of having 24x7 power and water supply may just come true in a years time. The state government is mulling over an ambitious plan to light up 230 villages, identified to be relocated following the devastating floods recently, with solar power. 
]]></description>
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<item>
<title>City helping LEED the way on environment</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[SIERRA VISTA — The City of Sierra Vista received its LEED certification plaque for the Vista Transit Center on Tuesday, marking the end of a very long process to get this green stamp of approval. The transit center became the first city building to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council when the city’s application was approved last month, said Sharon Flissar, senior civil engineer for public works. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>India Inc getting over green rating blues</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Green ratings were a no-no for most Indian companies till a few years earlier. But the ratings have now graduated from just being an initiative of non-government organisations to something both the government and industry would like to embrace fast. <br><br>
Last week, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Union ministry of power announced a green rating programme for companies based on their consumption of energy. That followed a similar initiative from the Confederation of Indian Industry, which announced earlier this month that it will rank companies on the basis of their environment friendliness. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Energy conservation in old buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[“Switch off all lights and fans when you leave the room” notices are a familiar sight in many offices. No doubt, obeying these notices is probably one of the most effective and least expensive of ways to cut down on the monthly electricity bills. Or you can install more electrical gadgets to turn off other electrical gadgets automatically when you leave a room.

But between these two options there are some simple steps that people can take to cut down on their electricity bills. The State Government has launched a programme in line with the recommendations of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to conserve power in some of its biggest buildings, according to officials.

]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Green buildings catching up fast in India</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The green building concept is swiftly catching up in the country partly because of government sops and partly because of the marketing strategy of real estate developers to get customers -- and everyone is now busy linking it to climate change.  

According to figures available with  the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of  the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Godrej Green Building Council, in 2008 India had only 18 certified green buildings and 328 projects in the pipeline.
In 2009, the figure of certified green buildings rose to 52. The number of future projects also went up to 436. IGBC has representation from corporate, government,  architects, product manufacturers and other institutions.
 
]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Canada offers green technologies to India</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Canada will offer India a wide range of eco-friendly technologies to ensure sustainable development of its "dynamic" economic growth, besides protecting environment, Ontario Premier has said.  

"Ontario has world-class high-tech industry with 2,600 environmental firms, is ready to provide access to India its new environmental friendly technologies as desired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently to strengthen shaping a greener and more dynamic Indian economy," Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said.
 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Bangalore firm to light up UP with solar power</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Lucknow: The abysmal power situation in Uttar Pradesh may be causing heartburn among senior government officials, who are hard pressed to bridge the demand-supply gap, but for John Howard and Amit Shah, co-founders of Bangalore-based Duron Energy, it provides the biggest opportunity to promote solar energy. 

Launching the first multi-functional solar home power system Duron Pro in the country, John Howard said UP provides exciting challenges and tremendous potential. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Solar-powered night shelters</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Night shelters for homeless, which the government sets up each winter, are mostly dingy, filthy and cold. But this year, they could be different. If everything goes according to plan, at least some of these shelters will be aesthetically-designed bamboo houses that will not only insulate residents from the cold but will also have solar panels that will generate own power to light up rooms inside them. ]]></description>
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<title>Green code must for buildings in 8 states</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The green building code, termed energy conservation building code (ECBC), is likely to be mandatory for commercial buildings coming up in eight fast growing states in the next two years.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Green buildings enhance productivity, good health</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: Tenants in green buildings experience increased productivity and good health, according to a recent study by the University of San Diego and CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc (CBRE). The report, ‘Do Green Buildings Make Dollars and Sense?’ also shows green buildings have 3.5% lower vacancy rates and 13% higher rental rates than the market.]]></description>
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<title>Vocal on world stage, govt fails to champion green cause at home</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Melbourne: While India is all set to engage in talks with developed countries at the climate change summit in Copenhagen on reducing emission of green house gases, back home, the idea of converting government-owned buildings in Delhi into greener buildings is facing bureaucratic hurdles.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Is your building really green?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Is the LEED rating system good enough? Can GRIHA fill the gaps? While nations slug it out at the Copenhagen climate summit, back home there is dissent over green certification for architecture--which is a large component of our carbon footprint.]]></description>
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<title>Green Building Movement Taking Off In Singapore</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Green buildings are gaining in popularity as countries worldwide explore ways to reduce their carbon emissions. For Singapore, thanks to the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) green building masterplans, we have a significant policy tool to help our nation lower energy consumption, create green jobs and support environmental protection, all at the same time.

]]></description>
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<title>First integrated green construction code poised for 2010 debut</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Drafters of the International Code Council's International Green Construction Code are nearing completion of the first-ever integrated green code for traditional and high-performance commercial buildings.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Kurla gets country's greenest hospital</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: You might have heard of eco-friendly corporate offices, but the concept of a green hospital is still relatively new in India. On Sunday, the country got its greenest healthcare centre when Kohinoor Hospital, a 100-bed multi-specialty hospital, was inaugurated at LBS Marg in Kurla.]]></description>
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<title>Building green a trend in China</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The latest trend in building architecture in China is being driven more by the urgency of sustainability than by the desire for sublimity. When the Olympics began in 2008, the curtain opened on many new architectural wonders in Beijing. Now, architects continue to bring innovation to China's stage by designing environmentally sustainable buildings.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Top Ten Green Building Trends for 2010</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Green building is one of the keys to economic recovery. Not only is it a better way to do business, it drives innovation, improves efficiency standards, makes for happier and healthier people and creates new "green collar" jobs.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Planned cities have all the answers</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Why are some cities better managed than others, when the fact remains that the issues governing cities beats around the same old story - bijli, paani and makaan.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Maharashtra prods builders to go green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: The Maharashtra government proposes to amend the Development Control Rules for the introduction of green building regulations initially in Mumbai and later in Tier-two cities of the state.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt buildings to go green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: New government and Public Sector Unit (PSUs) buildings will have to mandatorily comply with new green rating norms to tackle climate change threats.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Now, Taiwan tower seeks green award</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Taipei: Outdone by Burj tower extending over 800 metre in Dubai, the world’s former tallest building, Taipei 101, wants to become the highest green structure by completing a checklist of clean energy standards, a spokesman said on Monday.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Govt buildings to be Green rated</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: The Minister for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Mr Farooq Abdullah, said that the Government has recently taken a decision that all new Central Government and PSU buildings will meet requirements of at least three star rating under GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment).]]></description>
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<item>
<title>How eco-friendly is your building?</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sustainable buildings with eco-friendly technologies are catching up fast, as is established by various scientific reports on climate change and global warming. Green technologies are gaining immense importance and research & development is being carried out to create energy-efficient devices.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>India, Japan to develop solar city</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: A Japanese delegation led by Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, Kazuhiro Haraguchi on Wednesday met the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah and decided to jointly develop a solar city in India.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Time to seek green label</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you are planning to buy a house or an apartment, just like the way you do before you buy your car, look for the “green” label. Because, in the near future, carbon liability labelling for buildings may become mandatory.]]></description>
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<title>Sahara's Aamby Valley to go green with Japanese assistance</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: Sahara Group's premier township in Maharashtra - Aamby Valleyhas been selected by Japanese Government as one of the two cities in the world to be developed as an eco-friendly city.]]></description>
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<title>Solar-powered rooftop batteries to electrify homes</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Thiruvananthapuram: Energy-starved India could soon use its abundance of sunlight to power one megawatt (1 MW)-capacity rooftop storage batteries to electrify homes and offices, an official said. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Let's go green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[By 2050, more than two-thirds of the world population would have moved to cities. And this is an alarming number with India being no exception. The country is already witnessing a process of rapid urbanisation which is likely to lead to tremendous energy demand in urban areas. Thus, keeping in mind our climactic conditions, a National Rating System, Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), has been developed that is suitable for all types of buildings in different climactic zones of the country. In fact, the Government has proposed that all its new buildings must be GRIHA compliant.  ]]></description>
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<title>NASA Space Tech to Make Green Buildings More Efficient</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NASA has announced a plan to develop next-gen intelligent, automated monitoring systems for both offices and research environments.Collaborating with Integrated Building Solutions (IBS), the system will enhance energy efficiency, reduce consumption and provide a more comfortable workspace. ]]></description>
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<title>DTU to get bigger, greener</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW DELHI: Delhi Technological University (DTU) will don a fresh green look soon. After being upragded to a university in the middle of last year, DTU revisited its master plan and came up with innovative ways to improve the institute. 

According to the plan, the 164-acre campus of DTU, formerly called Delhi College of Engineering, will be out of bounds to all vehicles, one-third of the energy it uses will be generated from alternative sources developed on campus and by 2014-15, its current strength of 3,500 students will reach 10,000. All this and more will cost Rs 200 crore. 

The plan envisages two new buildings, two hostel blocks and expansion of staff housing facilities as well.]]></description>
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<title>Maha Govt plans eco-villages for rural development </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[MUMBAI: Maharashtra government is planning an ambitious project for development of rural areas by introducing an eco-village concept, which would give incentives to the villages for preserving environment. 

"We are planning the eco-village concept which would serve both the purposes - development and preservation of environment of the villages," Rural development minister Jayant Patil said. 
]]></description>
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<title>Tapping wind, solar power: Odanthurai leads by example </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Much of the 40-km drive from Coimbatore to Sirumugai beyond Mettupalayam can be tedious as the road is not broad enough to take the traffic. Vehicle movement is particularly heavy because of the good number of industrial units on either side of Mettupalayam road.

But take a turn on Sirumugai road to head to Odanthurai Panchayat, every thing changes. Cutting through the lush green fields, the tar-road, though narrow, is smooth, free from pot-holes.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Housing goes Green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The issue of lowering carbon emissions may have rocked the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, but real estate developers in India are already waking up to the cause. Many of them are turning to low-carbon housing and projects in this segment have already been constructed. 
]]></description>
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<item>
<title>South meetro business briefs</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Dakotah Ice Center received a Minnesota Eagle Award from the Associated Builders and Contractors' Excellence in Construction Awards program on Jan. 14.

The arena, with an NHL-sized sheet of ice and seating capacity of 1,200, has been touted for its energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and state-of-the-art components. 
]]></description>
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<title>McHugh Completes Streeter Place Apartments</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[CHICAGO, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- James McHugh Construction Co. has completed Streeter Place, a new luxury apartment tower in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood, McHugh officials announced.

Streeter Place incorporates a number of green features, most notably the Azuria glass that sheaths its exterior. This energy-efficient glass maximizes interior sunlight and minimizes heat buildup. Other environmentally friendly features include an underground crushed stone reservoir for storm water runoff, with permeable pavers atop it, a green roof, and a densely landscaped urban park outside the entrance. ]]></description>
</item>
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<title>Bio-waste gasifier that works out cheaper than grid power </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The biomass-based gasifier unit processes about 20 kg of bio-waste to run an engine of 30 HP for an hour. So far about 50 gasifiers have been sold in the village. 

“It can be used to operate pump sets in remote fields, pump up water in homes, operate basic machines such as saw mills, flour mills and generate electricity by charging an alternator,” explains Mr. Dahiya.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>School children to spread awareness on RWH</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[With the deadline for mandatory implementation of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) structures in buildings fast approaching, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has hit upon a novel idea to get its message across. 

It has now decided to spread the message to parents through their children. BWSSB Chairman P B Ramamurthy has recently dispatched letters to the principals of 950 schools (private as well as government) in the City urging them to set up `Rainwater Clubs’ for children.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sulabh to construct low-cost toilets in Japan</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sulabh International, a leading sanitation NGO, has decided to start its operation soon in Japan by constructing low cost toilets popularly known as "Sulabh Sauchalaya".  

Pathak, who also visited some rural areas of Japan, said here on Sunday that there was a need for cheap toilets as the technology in use in that country was very expensive and felt that the two-pit toilet system could be a perfect solution given the climate of Japan. Sulabh is going to construct at least half a dozen low- cost toilets as part of its project to display the efficacy of its technology.
 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>&acirc;Power house&acirc; at CM&acirc;s residence</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chief Minister’s Home Office Krishna and government bungalows - Anugraha and Kaveri on Kumara Krupa road are going to be the first buildings in the State to have rooftop solar power system. The State government has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to install the system in these buildings to generate 10 kW of power.
 
Apart from the three government bungalows, the Narasimharaja hostel in Chamarajpet has also been chosen to set up a similar system of 3 kW capacity. The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) is taking up these projects on a pilot basis.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Power-saving drive may earn stars for realty</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[MUMBAI: In line with the developed world that has strict norms for energy-efficiency, India will soon implement star-rating schemes under Energy  
Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for all buildings that have high-energy consumption. 

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)— the nodal regulatory agency for energy conservation under the ministry of power — will issue specific ECBC star-rating norms for all existing, new residential and commercial buildings, including hotels, hospitals, malls, shopping complexes, educational institutions and IT parks with average electricity consumption of 500 kw or more. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Stadium goes green, gets its own gas turbine</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Around this time next week, officials of Delhi’s Public Works Department will be getting ready to receive a very special shipment — all the way from Switzerland. And once put to use, the content of the shipment will help make the Commonwealth Games a lot “greener” event and a few neighbourhoods in South Delhi a lot brighter at night. It’s a gas turbine meant for Thyagraj Stadium near the INA market.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Bardessono Hotel, Restaurant and Spa - California's First and Only LEED Platinum Hotel</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bardessono has just received the highest level of official recognition possible for its sustainable and environmentally friendly design.  The hotel has been awarded LEED Platinum certification, an achievement reached by only two other hotels in the world, on the first anniversary of its opening.  The state of California, a leader in environmental innovation, now has its standard bearer for the hospitality industry.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>For Games, Delhi is going green </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Delhi: Delhi will be going green this October. In an effort to reduce the carbon footprints of the Commonwealth Games 2010, the organizing committee (OC) is planning a number of initiatives to make the Games ecofriendly. 

Said TS Darbari, joint director general, OC, ‘‘We realize that the carbon footprint of the Commonwealth Games will be large, and have taken steps to ensure that the Games still remain green.’’ From sensitization to making the venues energy-efficient, a number of steps have been drawn up. And while some are novel — like using the construction debris as part of the construction at venues, others are original, to say the least.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>40 percent of global land in danger of desertification</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["Unsustainable land use may lead to the soil becoming degraded. If this happens in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions, such as Spain, this degradation is known as desertification, and the effects can be irreversible, because they lead to areas becoming totally unproductive," says Montserrat Núñez, who led the study at the Institute of Agro Food Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>State proposes to hike solar rebate to Rs. 100 a month</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[BANGALORE: There is some good news for consumers who have installed solar water heaters in their houses. The solar rebate, which is being given to them in the monthly electricity bills, may double from the present Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 with the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy suggesting such a measure to create awareness among consumers about the need for energy conservation. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Set green example in Games, says Ministry</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Air-conditioners, refrigerators, lights and all such electrical gadgets have a story to tell — and a mark to leave. The ministry of Power has written to the Commonwealth Games organising committee to set a precedent by choosing energy-efficient appliances and lighting in the Commonwealth Games Village and stadiums. 

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Maharashtra to reward green buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[From April 1, Maharashtra Government is planning to introduce an amendment in Development Control rules, which will help in adhering to the norms of eco-friendly housing projects in the State, said the Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Chavan, at an industry function on Tuesday. 

The government is also planning to offer free FSI to housing projects who will manage to get Zero Energy Certification, he said.

]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Delhi set for green Games;  ecological code unveiled</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The ensuing Commonwealth Games could cause at least 50 per cent less global warming than other such huge sporting events the past.

The organisers, partnering with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), have drawn up what is called the Delhi Ecological Code, a sort of guidebook to ensure that water and power requirements of the event are at a minimum, making the sporting event less of a burden on natural resources.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt steps up drive to make office buildings green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In two years, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, which comes under the Ministry of Environment and Forests and being constructed over a 9,000-sq mt plot at Aliganj in Delhi, will be showcased as the government’s drive to set up green buildings. 

It will have all the features of a green building: Enough sunlight, instead of artificial fluorescent lights; natural cooling, instead of air-conditioners; solar power, instead of artificial power generation, and much more. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Delhi schools awarded for green initiatives</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Two South Delhi schools — St George’s in Alaknanda and Deepalaya (for underprivileged children) in Kalkaji — were among the schools from across the country that received the ‘green schools award’ on Saturday. 

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had constituted the award in 2006 as part of its ‘green schools programme’. Based on an environmental audit of schools, CSE awards institutions that excel in managing natural resources. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Seminar stresses need to build &acirc;green&acirc; buildings  </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Haryana minister for environment, forests, finance, irrigation and planning, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, has stressed the need to promote the construction of “green” buildings. 

Addressing a national-level workshop-cum-conference on “Promotion of Green Buildings” organised by Search Foundation and department of environment on the HSIIDC campus here today, Yadav appealed to the builders, architects and other stakeholders to construct more and more eco-friendly buildings. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Now, Chennai homes go green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's not just the corporates that are going green with their environment-friendly buildingseven middle class homes are. At least five such houses and eight apartment complexes are coming up in the city. While one such independent house in Madipakkam is ready for occupation, green residential complexes are cropping up in Thiruvanmiyur, Sriperumbudur, Navalur and Irungattukottai. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Kerala budget full of grand green ideas</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A Green Fund with a corpus of Rs 1000 crore, decsion to use green technologies for all government buildings in the future, incentives for households that consume less power were the greenest highlights of the Budget 2010-11 presented by Finance Minister Thomas Isaac Friday.

The budget also has proposals to encourage the construction of green building complexes in apartments and other buildings. In future, all building complexes constructed by Government would use green building technologies.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>British University launches green campus </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The British University in Dubai (BUiD) officially opened its 40,000-square-foot campus recently under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and BUiD's chairman, last week. The campus is among the country's "green" campuses, which boast energy-efficient lighting, cooling, partitioning and flooring.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Walmart's New Energy Efficient Centre in Canada </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Wal-Mart Canada Corp. have introduced some new environmental initiatives throughout it's national operations, including plans for a refrigerated distribution center near Calgary, Alberta, designed to be 60 percent more energyefficient than their traditional centers. The $115 million scheme is expected to open this autumn, and will include high-efficiency LED lights; a white roof membrane designed to deflect 85 percent of sunlight heat; and pilot projects to test fuel-cell technology, solar thermal panels and a 225-kilowatt wind turbine to generate electricity for the center. 

Rooftop solar systems and wind turbines also are planned for two Ontario projects that the company says it will disclose this spring. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>University's future looks 'green'</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Green may not be the first color that comes to mind when thinking of downtown Pittsburgh, but Point Park University plans to change that. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has certified the university's Academic Village Initiative on different levels of sustainability, according to Elmer Burger, the university's architect/planner.

"All the current plans are at least LEED certified. We hope to achieve LEED certification for all future additions. It is my goal to create a Green Building policy," Burger said.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>LEED Gold certification for Assembly building </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[CHENNAI: The new Legislative Assembly building on Omanthoorar Estate on Tuesday received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

According to the certificate, the building has become India's largest governmental green building. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi visited the building on Tuesday and congratulated the officials on the achievement of the green rating.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Now energy-efficient lights in municipal buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will soon be replacing incandescent bulbs and lamps in all municipal buildings in the city with energy efficient CFL bulbs to conserve electricity.

According to the MCD Standing Committee chairman Ram Kishan Singhal, the decision has been taken in accordance with the Energy Conservation Act (2001).]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chandigarh goes in for green building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Chandigarh: With global warming posing a threat for the real, and rapid urbanization mounting pressure on land, making it scarcer and pricier, it’s time to go in for ‘green and intelligent buildings.’ 

Going by this concept, the Chandigarh Housing Board plans to construct its green and intelligent building, the first-of-its-kind in the region. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Villagers' pride, neighbours' envy</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Rampura village in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh is a non-descript village, some 350 km from the state capital Lucknow. It would not have made news at all. But the village has won accolades for its unique effort. The villagers are reaping the benefits now.

While most parts of the state rush to candles or rechargeable lights, villagers in Rampura use the solar lights. Uttar Pradesh, like many other states in the country, has been reeling under long spells of load shedding. Uttar Pradesh has a long history of villages without power for most part of the day and night.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>J&amp;K: solar energy to light up 191 remote villages </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a bid to save energy, Jammu and Kashmir government under its 'Green Campaign' will light up 191 remote and mountainous hamlets with solar energy.

In this direction, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has agreed to provide 41,000 additional solar home lighting systems to 191 villages at a cost of Rs.54 crores under a project drawn by J&K Science and Technology Department, they said.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green&acirc;s the colour of construction</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[According to a survey, energy efficiency is a priority in construction projects, which is why building solutions are going green. The recent Carlton Towers fire in Bangalore could have been largely contained had a new construction technology been deployed. New ideas in building technologies are changing construction dynamics. 

These encompass a wide spectrum of activities spanning from green initiatives to new guidelines in safety standards to conservation of power. As the environment we live in changes, so do building solutions. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green honour for Gurgaon</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The millennium city will soon leave the capital behind in terms of green architecture. The third building in the city the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD)'s headquarters in Sector 44 has bagged the prestigious Platinum Green rating from the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) programme. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>New architecture for a greener world </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As more and more countries try to foster a safer place for everyone, the Philippine construction industry is doing its share in helping create a “greener” world. In many ways, the Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition (Worldbex) has increased the country’s competence in providing tools, materials and expertise aimed at a sustainable and eco-friendly architecture.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>CM launches green drive</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As part of efforts to host the first-ever "Green Commonwealth Games", Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday launched a greening project in east Delhi and said efforts are being made to implement such steps at all construction sites in the capital.

Dikshit, launching the project by planting saplings on the occasion of World Forestry Day, said conservation of forest is a necessity that requires to be addressed on a priority basis.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Redoing green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Building green is not about building structures that use lots of materials and energy, and then fixing them so that they become a little more efficient. Building green is about building structures that optimise the local ecology, use local materials as far as possible and, most importantly, reduce power, water and raw-material requirements.

Take the glitzy new airport building that Delhi will soon get. The developers say it will come with a green tag, because the airport is investing in energy-efficient lighting, sewage disposal system and rainwater harvesting. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Hyderabad unveils eco-friendly norms </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has come out with environmental building guidelines that seek to address environmental concerns in urban development.

Based on the study and inputs from stakeholders, the HMDA has brought out a manual for the rapidly growing Hyderabad metropolitan area. The Environmental Building Regulation Guideline is focussed on creating awareness on environmental issues and outlines model parameters to minimise the negative impact of construction on the ecosystem.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>After biomass, state turns to solar energy</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[After tapping the biomass potential of the state,the Punjab Government is now turning to solar energy for meeting its ever-increasing power demands. 

If the agreement signed with the US-based Sun Power Corporation and Enterprise Business Solutions is any indication, the state may have a chain of power generating units to add up 1,000 MW to its grid. It will take a couple of years for these solar power-generating units to become fully operational.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Games village gets North India's first green grid</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Commonwealth Games village today got a dedicated power sub-station, the first green grid in North India, to meet the electricity demands of the village and of the 2,00,000 people living in nearby areas. The Rs 40-crore 66/11 KV Commonwealth Grid sub-station was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who said the facility would distribute around 50 Mw electricity to the village as well as the adjoining localities.

She said the grid reflected the “green” spirit of the Games as environment-friendly fly ash bricks were used to construct it. It had facilities for water harvesting and 30 per cent of its area had green cover, Dikshit said.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>NYC Begins Hard, Long Slog to Energy Efficiency</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK -- Rising from the shopping and dining district just south of Columbus Circle, Hearst Tower is famous as one of this city's best known architectural anomalies.

Less famously, Hearst Tower has also earned the title of the city's first green building. The latticework framing required 20 percent less steel than a conventionally designed high-rise, and its use of energy efficiency innovations and recycled materials earned its developers a Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the first such rating awarded to any commercial property in the city.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Parliament going green, solar power to light up Houses</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW DELHI: The Parliament House complex is going green. With the emphasis on energy conservation and pollution-free environment gaining momentum, 
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has greenlighted the project to reduce the dependence on conventional sources of energy, and replacing them with renewable sources, including solar lighting, solar water heating system and biogas. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>A legacy of Katrina: Green homes</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW ORLEANSÂ -- In this city on the mend, hundreds of state-of-the-art sustainable, energy-efficient homes are being built in lower-income neighborhoods, a trend that's outpacing most of the rest of the country.

More than 500 homes are being built with features such as solar panels, rain-catching cisterns and eco-friendly materials in neighborhoods that received the brunt of the damage from the 2005 floods following Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of other homes are being given green upgrades.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>R'sthan to tap its solar potential </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Famous world over as a tourist destination, Jaisalmer is poised to be a hub of solar power generation in the country. 

According to a recent assessment of the Jaisalmer region, the area has the potential of generating up to 1 lakh MW of power. Rajasthan Energy Minister Jitendra Singh said, "The assessment shows that the sands of Jaisalmer spread in a radius of 100 km are capable of generating 1 lakh MW of power in future, which is sufficient to cater to the power needs of the entire country."]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Target Field deemed greenest ballpark in majors</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The grass at Target Field is emerald green, but it's what's underground that helps make the new home of the Minnesota Twins the greenest ballpark in America. The Minneapolis Warehouse District stadium uses underground cisterns to capture and recycle rainwater to wash down the seating area, avoiding the waste of drinkable water. 

It's one of a host of features built into Target Field that helped it nab a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-level award Thursday, making it the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient outdoor baseball stadium in the country. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt to recast eco-city project beyond temple towns</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Union ministry of environment and forests is planning to expand its Eco-city project to cities across the country, especially those which get a substantial tourist inflow, so as to address issues on deteriorating air and water quality and waste management.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is to conduct studies across the country to identify these and other key environmental concerns in different cities and identify the roadmap to their improvement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Avondale Verizon Wireless Store Earns LEED(R) Gold Certification for Green Design and Construction</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Verizon Wireless Communications Store in Avondale is the first in Arizona and among the first Verizon Wireless retail locations in the nation to secure LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

The Avondale store's design optimizes water and energy use, enhances indoor environmental quality and reduces waste through responsible procurement and construction practices. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Govt bungalows go eco-friendly, use solar power</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who initiated the first of its kind Climate Change Department in the nation in the state, and is keen to promote the use of alternate renewable energy in Gujarat, has first started the use of solar power in his own, his fellow ministers’ and in senior IAS/IPS officers’ bungalows. 

Vagmin Buch, director of GEDA (Gujarat Energy Development Agency) said: “As a part of the state government’s plan to make Gandhinagar a Solar City, we have installed the solar power generation systems in the bungalows of ministers in the minister’s residential complex and in the bungalows of senior officers.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Military engg college gets an eco-friendly building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Commandant of the College of Military Engineering (CME), Lt Gen USP Sinha, on Thursday inaugurated the green building at the college, which will not only conserve energy but is also fitted with an efficient rainwater harvesting system. 

The project has been conceptualised and planned by the student officers undergoing degree engineering course at the CME as an “eco-friendly building”.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Rooftop water harvesting in Rajasthan</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has made the construction of rooftop water harvesting structures mandatory in buildings erected on plots measuring 300 square metres or more in the urban areas of the State. The water connections to such buildings will be released only after the construction of these structures. State Principal Urban Development and Housing Secretary G. S. Sandhu issued orders in this regard here over the week-end and instructed the Divisional Commissioners, Collectors of all districts and officers of the urban local bodies to ensure their compliance.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Green initiatives proposed for Heritage City</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addressing a press conference in Bangalore after meeting the British Deputy High Commissioner Richard Hyde, Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar said the commission would help the State adopt green building concepts in government and traditional buildings in Mysore.

The green initiatives include saving energy through adoption of solar systems, adoption of rainwater harvesting, minimising use of air-conditioners in government and private buildings, Suresh Kumar, who is also the District In Charge Minister for Mysore, said.]]></description>
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<title>Making A Green Building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[From organic food to organic cotton to green houses and offices, the move to be more environment-friendly is catching on. One such initiative that is gaining traction worldwide is the concept of green buildings. Buildings — residential and commercial — are estimated to consume up to 40 per cent of energy used worldwide, and contribute 30-40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Making them more resource efficient, especially in terms of energy use, can be good for the environment, and easier on your pocket too in the long run.]]></description>
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<title>Banking on green buildings: TD eco-branch opens in boro</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[TD Bank unveiled its first-ever "green" prototype branch in Queens Village last week, in what company officials say will transform the way banks are built.

Built on the site of a former vacant warehouse on Jamaica Ave., the new branch is 50% more energy efficient than older TD Bank branches, said Frank Sherman, head of the banking chain's green initiative.]]></description>
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<title>ITC Sonar first hotel to earn carbon credits</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mumbai: ITC Hotels has set a precedence by possibly becoming the first hospitality chain in the world to have earned carbon credits.Its luxury property,ITC Sonar in Kolkata,which switched to energy efficient CFL bulbs as part of its energy saving drive,has been issued 1,996 carbon credits per annum for a period of 10 years.
The project has been registered as a clean development mechanism project (CDM) at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).]]></description>
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<title>Go in for a stylish RWH system </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Rainwater harvesting has become mandatory in Bangalore. The rule is relatively simple: create storage or recharge at the rate of 20 litres for every square metre of roof area. For the non-roof area of a site create storage or recharge at 10 litres per square metre of such area.

]]></description>
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<title>Green habitat rules in a month</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The government plans to introduce environment rating of habitats, a logical extension of its green rating for integrated habitat assessment (GRIHA) for new buildings.

Under the proposal, integrated townships, new urban complexes and special economic zones may have to get green rating certification. Large projects involving the development of industrial, commercial and housing clusters will come under government scrutiny.]]></description>
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<title>Energy saving plan for local bodies</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[CHENNAI: The Electrical Inspectorate Department plans to support energy conservation initiatives in the local bodies across the State. Some of the potential areas identified for energy conservation include water pumping stations, streetlights and buildings. As the first step towards encouraging energy savings in local bodies, the department has given Rs.17 lakh to the Alandur Municipality to improve efficiency at its sewage pumping station.]]></description>
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<title>Zero energy homes catch on in USA</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Homes are increasingly being built in the United States to use little or no energy, a trend that could help reduce U.S. dependence on oil and gas, according to a new book.

"Zero energy homes are becoming the new green," says David Johnston, one of the nation's leading experts on green building and co-author of Toward A Zero Energy Home: A Complete Guide to Energy Self-Sufficiency at Home (Taunton Press.)]]></description>
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<title>Avoiding the Global Warming Impact of Insulation </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Can insulation materials, which we use to save energy and help prevent climate change, cause greenhouse gas emissions? Yes, in two ways.
First, it takes energy to produce and ship these materialswhich we refer to as embodied energyand using fossil fuels for these energy needs releases carbon dioxide (our most significant greenhouse gas). So in a sense, all insulation materials have embodied global warming potential (GWP).]]></description>
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<title>A call for sustainable development</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sustainable buildings are defined as buildings that are designed, built and operated with low environmental, social and economic impact while enhancing the health, welfare and quality of life of the people that live and work in them. With growing international awareness about corporate responsibility, sustainability has become a crucial factor in the assessment of the impact of real estate. Organizations, especially MNCs, are taking an increasing interest in the environmental credentials of the real estate that they occupy. One of the major Indian rating systems is GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment), which is jointly developed by TERI and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India.]]></description>
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<title>Shades of green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[At first glance, it looks like any other construction site. But look more closely, and you notice that the usual heaps of bricks, gravel and stones are missing. Raheja Vistas, a tower coming up in Powai, one of suburban Mumbai's posher neighbourhoods, is being made of fly ash blocks and earth dug up from its foundation. 
"The building will absorb less heat," explains the man in charge of the site, who won't reveal his name because of company policy. The tower will be one of the city's few residential green buildings. Although Mumbai has the most green buildings in India, at 103, according to the Indian Green Building Council, only one fifth are residential. The rest are office towers.]]></description>
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<title>US EPA launches Energy Star label for data centres</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has launched an Energy Star label for the best performing data centres. Data centres currently account for 1.5% of total US electricity consumption, costing around $4.5 billion a year. This amount is expected to double over the next five years. But modest improvements in the energy efficiency of data centres of just 10% would reduce costs by more than $450 million a year and save enough energy to power 350,000 homes. The EPA hopes to encourage improvements by allowing data centres in the top 25% compared to their peers to qualify for an Energy Star label. Data centres will have to independently verify their energy performance based on the power usage effectiveness metric, which was recently rubber-stamped by an international consortium of regulatory organisations from US, Europe and Japan, to apply for a label.]]></description>
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<title>Boom in construction sector calls for energy efficiency laws</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Growth in the construction industry necessitates tough energy-efficient laws for buildings and incorporating energy-efficiency guidelines in building bylaws, said Mr A Ravindra, adviser to the chief minister of Karnataka on urban affairs. Speaking at a seminar on Building regulations for energy efficiency organized by TERI, he said that several buildings are coming up in Bangalore but there are no clear guidelines to monitor how energy efficient these are. In order to attain such efficiency, guidelines framed by TERI should be enforced. A project on development of environmental-building guidelines and regulations to achieve energy efficiency in Bangalore, with the support of REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership), started in August 2009. The objective of the project is to develop regulations and guidelines to achieve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy in both existing and new buildings in Bangalore. The project, carried out by TERI University, is in partnership with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and the Bangalore Development Authority. ]]></description>
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<title>Sustainable buildings for Bangalore </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In order to achieve energy efficiency and integrate renewable energy in buildings to attain energy security in Bangalore, REEEP (Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership) project is being taken up by TERI University, in partnership with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and the Bangalore Development Authority. The energy efficiency partnership is an international multi-stakeholder partnership that promotes the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Development of environmental building guidelines and regulations to achieve energy efficiency in Bangalore citythe project under the support of REEEP was started in August 2009 with the objective of developing regulations and guidelines to achieve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy in both existing and new buildings in Bangalore.]]></description>
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<title>UK Government departments put energy consumption on display</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Two UK Government departments today put their energy consumption in real time on show to the public, as part of the Coalition's pledge to cut its own emissions by 10% over the next year. The Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Home Office are leading the way, with other departments expected to follow in the coming months. The Home Office's on-line display will show the amount and cost of energy used at its headquarters on Whitehall Place at 5 second intervals and what this means in terms of carbon emissions. The Department of Energy and Climate Change homepage will show energy use, from electricity and gas consumption, over the last 24 hours, revealing the peaks and troughs in demand. The two departments will trial the different display technologies before it is adopted by other government departments.]]></description>
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<title>Green material list on the anvil</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A comprehensive database of available eco-friendly building materials and technologies for Pune is being compiled at the Science and Technology Park and will be released in August 2010. Lifecycle analysis of materials right from their manufacturing, operation and disposal will be featured in the list along with figures of the embodied energies of the products. The eco-friendly materials are being tested in government certified laboratories like the one at College of Engineering, Pune. Some of the products that will be included in the list are solar LEDs, solar air conditioners, solar and wing hybrid systems and building material like wood from certified forests, flyash bricks, siporex blocks and resinous curing agents.]]></description>
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<title>HUDA to enforce energy efficiency norms in new buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[HUDA (Haryana Urban Development Authority) will enforce the ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) in its new buildings to minimise the use of energy. the provisions of ECBC will also apply on other urban developers. The intent and purpose of the exercise is to minimise the energy wastage by making building designs energy-efficient. HUDA's decision follows the central government's decision to enforce provisions of the ECBC code at central and state government level, with suitable amendments warranted by local circumstances and requirements. The code is applicable to all buildings and complexes that have a connected load of 500 kw and more, or a contract demand of 600 kva and more. The HUDA has decided that it would henceforth ask parties submitting plans for buildings that fall within the scope of the code, to obtain certification from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency prior to submission of their drawings to HUDA for approval.]]></description>
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<title>South Africa: Government publishes green building regulations</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In South Africa, members of the public and interested parties have been invited to comment on new energy efficiency building regulations, published in the Government Gazette recently. The regulations are applicable to all new "residential and commercial buildings, places of learning and worship, certain medical clinics and other categories of buildings", the department of trade and industry of South Africa said in a statement. "The regulations will make it compulsory for all new buildings to be designed and constructed to a standard that will make it possible for the user to minimise the energy required to meet the functional requirements," it said. ]]></description>
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<title>Singapore: Hydrogen power for JTC building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The first building in the upcoming CleanTech Park in Jurong, Singapore will be the first in Singapore to run on hydrogen power generated in-house. To be completed late next year, the developer JTC Corporation's CleanTech One building will have a one-megawatt power plant that will generate hydrogen when it is fed wood chips, plant waste and other biological material. The fuel cell plant, expected to provide about 20 per cent of CleanTech One's power needs, is among the latest forays into hydrogen fuel technology . The fuel produces no polluting carbon dioxide when turned into energy and is hence regarded as 'clean'. Companies and institutions worldwide are trying to adopt hydrogen-fuel technology as a possible replacement for fossil fuels, which produce carbon dioxide when burned to generate electricity.]]></description>
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<title>US: Mayors endorse 'green' construction code </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The US Conference of Mayors is backing a mandatory 'green' construction code that would slash the negative effects of commercial buildings on the natural environment. The International Green Construction Code, which is being developed by the International Code Council with input from the American Institute of Architects, ASTM International and other stakeholders, includes energy, water, air-quality and safety benchmarks that states and cities may adopt as mandatory provisions for commercial buildings. The code incorporates the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Standard 189.1 as an optional path to compliance.]]></description>
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<title>China: REEEP teams up with Himin Solar to develop energy efficient and sustainable buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The World Bank estimates that by 2015, half of the world's new building construction will take place in China. The nation's eleventh five-year plan (2005-2010) aims for a 50% reduction in building energy consumption, and related new policy measures include energy efficiency standards and labelling for buildings. But there is still a strong need for capacity-building in energy efficiency-oriented design and technology and therefore, REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership) has teamed up with Himin Solar, China's largest solar water heating manufacturer and a major property developer in its own right, and the Bern University of Applied Sciences to deliver an energy efficiency training programme targeting Chinese design professionals.]]></description>
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<title>US DOE invests in green building technologies</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The US DOE (Department of Energy) has announced the 58 winners of $76 million in funding for green building technologies and training. The training will involve educating commercial building technicians, building operators, and energy auditors in proper repair, use and commissioning of green technology buildings. Residential and commercial buildings "account for approximately 40 per cent of US primary energy consumption, as well as 39 per cent of carbon dioxide, 18 per cent of nitrogen oxides, and 55 per cent of sulfur dioxide emissions". The investment in energy efficient building technologies and training is expected to reduce those numbers significantly.]]></description>
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<title>Indonesia: Group certifies buildings, releases rating</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[GBCI (Green Building Council Indonesia) launched Greenship, its environmental and energy-efficient standards rating system that would slap a 'green building' certificate on new buildings in Jakarta. GBCI rating and technology director Mr Rana Yusuf Nasir said Greenship certification would be prioritized for commercial buildings because energy saving there would a have a great impact. Currently, the criteria covers six areas: appropriate site development, energy efficiency and conservation, water conservation, material resources, indoor health and comfort, and building and environment management. The rating system considers the simplicity, applicability and availability of technology for assessment and integration with local regulations.]]></description>
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<title>Home green home</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As effects of climate change are felt across the world, both governments and individuals are beginning to take the task of building eco-friendly houses much more seriously. According to TERI, which has been working for 30 years in the field of sustainable building technologies, using energy efficient measures can reduce emissions by 40%.]]></description>
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<title>Commercial buildings must go green in three years' time</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The PM's council on climate change has cleared the Urban Habitat Mission under the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) which will make the energy-saving building codes mandatory in three years for new commercial buildings. The Urban Habitat Mission, one of the eight under the NAPCC, is the penultimate one to be cleared by the PM's council and is intended to set in several changes in the way cities are planned and mobility planned. While the energy-saving building codes are already in place, they have not been implemented as they remain voluntary in character. The mission will set up demonstration projects across the country and provide the funds to push states to alter building byelaws and other regulations in order to move towards greener habitats.]]></description>
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<title>Syracuse University wins grant to develop computer tools for designing green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Syracuse University will use a $560,296 grant from the US Department of Energy to develop computer tools architects and engineers can use to design green buildings. The project's goal is to develop a "virtual design studio" that will let designers see how their choices affect a building's performance. The simulations will analyze both energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality.]]></description>
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<title>Swiss development agency to help build green buildings </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Swiss development agency is negotiating with various Indian companies to construct green buildings. SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) has done two projects with Infosys and are talking with the other companies in India, said Ms Veena Joshi, senior adviser, SDC. SDC has joined hands with CREDAI, a real estate developers association, to plan 20 commercial energy efficient buildings in the country. The organization is also coming up with a project which includes workshops for builders to guide them on energy efficient buildings.]]></description>
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<title>China completes 4.08 billion square meters of `green buildings by end-2009</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[China had completed 4.08 billion square meters of energy-efficient buildings by the end of 2009, according to the Mainland-Hong Kong construction industry forum held in Fuzhou city of southeastern China's Fujian province. China has scored great achievements in making buildings green since it adopted a mandatory standards for energy conservation of new buildings in early 2006, according to the Building Energy Conservation and Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development at the forum, saying that the 4.08 billion square meters of green buildings are expected to save energy by about 36 million metric tonnes of standard coal and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 93.6 million tonnes annually.]]></description>
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<title>Rooftop low-carbon education centre opens in London</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A new centre on a London rooftop showcasing the latest in sustainable building design officially opens on 23 June 2010. The teaching, research and demonstration facility at the London South Bank University features a range of low-carbon technologies such as ground source heat pumps, photovoltaics and solar fibre optic lighting. As well as low-carbon technologies, the 3 million Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings will also collect data on all aspects of the building's performance, which will be displayed online.]]></description>
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<title>Jakarta to introduce green building certification</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Jakarta is expected to reveal a revised bylaw on building permits that will lay the foundation for a new certification scheme for environmentally friendly buildings. Head of the Jakarta Building Supervisory Agency (P2B) Mr Hari Sasongko said the bylaw would require future construction projects to meet energy-efficient standards set in the decree, including on water and electricity efficiency. However, there will be no enforcement of the law.]]></description>
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<title>Roofs could generate 40% of Europes electricity by 2020</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The roofs and facades of buildings across Europe could potentially generate 40% of the regions electricity by 2020, according to the EPIA (European Photovoltaic Industry Association). The study by the EPIA calculates that 40% of all building roofs and 15% of facades in Europe  totalling 22,000 km2  would be suitable for photovoltaics. Installations of either building-integrated photovoltaic or building-adapted systems  where solar panels are installed on top of existing building structures  could produce up to 1400 TWh of electricity a year.]]></description>
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<title>Energy-efficient measures can reduce domestic</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board plans to write to associations of architects, builders and civil engineers requesting them to give priority for energy conservation while designing infrastructure. Such measures are expected to reduce the power demand by nearly 10%. Nearly 23% of the energy generated in the state is used by one crore-odd domestic consumers. The per capita consumption of power in Tamil Nadu is 1080 units as against the national average of 650 units.]]></description>
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<title>Seminar sheds light on green buildings concept</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Qatar Green Building Council has conducted the first of a series of free introductory seminars on the principles of green buildings. The session was held under the theme "An introduction to green buildings and why we need them in Qatar." The discussion tackled issues like the importance of reducing CO2 emission, conserving water resources, and how all these could be achieved. The presentation ended with some case studies of current green building projects in the Gulf region and the problems of delivering sustainability.]]></description>
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<title>Manitoba Hydro building wins green award</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Manitoba Hydro building is now part of an elite group of structures that have been awarded the 2010 National Green Buildings Award by Sustainable Architecture & Building Homes (SAB Homes). Eight sustainable and energy efficient buildings were chosen throughout Canada for buildings that enhance their respective environments.
The awards are in their third year, and the buildings were chosen based on the criteria of sustainable design, architectural excellence and technical innovation. The 65,000-square-metre Manitoba Hydro building was chosen for its solar chimney, its use of geothermal heating, and extra window glazing that amounts to 60 per cent in energy savings.]]></description>
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<title>Cisco and Teliti Collaborate on Green Data Center Model in Malaysia</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Cisco has announced its collaboration toward a green data center with Teliti Datacenters, a locally owned systems integrator, at the inaugural Cisco Summit Malaysia 2010. Under this collaboration, Cisco will share data center best practices and work with Teliti as it develops a business model for data center management and a governance structure that enables Teliti to achieve world-class standards for data centre infrastructure technology in Malaysia. The state-of-the-art data center facility that Teliti intends to build with the help of Cisco will enable Teliti to host and provide a comprehensive portfolio of information technology solutions and services with lower energy consumption and less impact on the environment.]]></description>
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<title>US: Green building market to hit $173.5 billion by 2015</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[From 2010 to 2015, the total US green building market value is projected to increase from $71.1 billion to $173.5 billion, according to the latest issue of EL Insights. This represents a CAGR of 19.5% during this time period. The goals of building green include the efficient use of energy, water, and other resources, the protection of occupant health and improvement of employee productivity, and the reduction of waste, pollution, and environmental erosion. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 40% of total energy consumption, 12% of water consumption, 68% of total electricity consumption, and 38% of carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, commercial green building is projected to grow by 18.1% annually, according to new research revealed in EL Insights, from $35.6 billion to $81.8 billion.]]></description>
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<title>1st team of Tianjin Eco-city executives complete green building development training</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The first team of 37 executives from the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city project completed their training programme on green building development in Singapore. The training programme was jointly developed by the Building and Construction Authority and the Tianjin Institute of Urban Construction. The programme is an eight-day executive development programme specially developed for officials and professionals involved in the eco-city project. It included a four-day study on technical and legislative requirements of green building development in Tianjin and four days of briefings and on-site learning in Singapore.]]></description>
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<title>New building in Malaysia boasts latest green technologies</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A new building called G Tower is challenging the way buildings are built in Malaysia. The tower recently received the Green Mark Gold Award given out by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. Located at the crossroads of two major thoroughfares in downtown Kuala Lumpur, G Tower uses 25 per cent less energy compared to other buildings of similar size and location because of its efficient aircon and lighting systems. The extensive landscaping with sky gardens and green walls help to cool the building and improve air quality. The building uses double glazed glass panel with a layer of Vacuum trapped in between that cuts down on heat transmission. Another green initiative - a system to harvest rainwater which is then used to irrigate plants and vertical greens found throughout the entire building. Hot water is generated through waste heat from the aircon system.]]></description>
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<title>Stepping up the 'green' footprint</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ India will overtake the US in becoming the nation with the largest registered green building footprint in the world by 2015, according to the IGBC (Indian Green Building Council).  Apart from the sense of pride one feels over India's achievement, the country's prospective property buyers can also look out for individual benefits in buying a 'green home' as more and more banks are looking at subsidizing home loan rates for green units.  According to IGBC, a certifying agency for green buildings in India and a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industries, the total area under green construction in the country would increase from 406 million sq.ft now to 5-6 billion sq.ft in five years. The contribution of residential and commercial segments in this area would be in the ratio of 4:1, IGBC's Chairman, Mr Prem C Jain, pointed out. This is in sharp contrast with the present situation in which commercial buildings constitute the bulk (about 80 per cent) of India's total green construction. TERI Griha, a government rating agency, also certifies green buildings in the country...]]></description>
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<title>TERI meet to promote green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[With an annual increase in the built-up area of residential and commercial buildings by 10 per cent, the projected annual increase in the energy demand is 5.4 billion kWh. The need of the hour is to design and construct 'high performance buildings' so that the use of electricity can be controlled. Aiming at this target, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, Government of India and TERI will host a training programme and industry meet on 'High performance commercial buildings in India' on 9 July 2010. The workshop is a result of the partnership of the two organisations under the Asia Pacific Partnership of Clean Development and Climate. ]]></description>
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<title>Landmark advisory release results of first green building survey</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Landmark Advisory, one of the leading real estate consultancy companies in the Middle East, released the results of its first green building survey and report. The survey assessed the attitudes of investors and stakeholders in the real estate industry on the feasibility of developing and selling green buildings in the UAE. Conducted in conjunction with Cityscape Intelligence, the survey sampled primarily responses from institutional stakeholders in the real estate industry including developers, investors, property managers, and analysts. Respondents included UAE residents as well as investors and other stakeholders currently living abroad.]]></description>
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<title>For a premier lab, a zero-energy showcase</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The US federal government has just finished construction on a zero-energy office building, the nation's largest, and is hoping that commercial developers will follow its lead. The 222,000-square-foot Research Support Facility is on the Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus in Golden, Colo. Thanks to various "passive" design techniques and technologies, the facility will consume 50 percent less energy than buildings constructed to current commercial codes, he predicts. The remaining power needs will be generated onsite from solar panels, allowing the building to operate at an annual net-zero energy basis.]]></description>
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<title>'Green buildings' soon in UAE </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The United Arab Emirates has become the first region in the Middle East to begin work on environment-friendly government offices, dubbed 'green buildings'. The project will contribute towards energy conservation, water conservation, promoting public health, reducing harmful emissions, especially carbon dioxide, as well as contributing to the region's environment in the long run, an official statement said. The new buildings will be able to withstand environmental challenges and contribute to providing a sustainable environment-friendly workplace.]]></description>
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<title>Professor uses bacteria to make eco-friendly bricks</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[An architecture professor at a university in the Middle East is developing an energy-saving way to make bricks using bacteria known for its ability to solidify sand. Dr Ginger Krieg Dosier, assistant professor of architecture at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, has developed a method that involves filling a form with alternating layers of sand and a solution containing urea, calcium chloride and the non-pathogenic Sporosarcina pasteurii (or Bacillus pasteurii). Within a few days, a chain of chemical reactions yields a mineral growth that seeps between the grains of sand and "biocements" them together into a brick. The process eliminates the need to burn coal or other fuel to heat a kiln to 2000 F, as is commonly required in clay-brick production. Not burning fuel cuts down immensely on the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere during brick production.]]></description>
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<title>Taiwan to push for NT$2.66 billion 'green construction' plan</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Taiwan aims to push for an "intelligent green building" plan by investing NT$2.66 billion (US$82.8 million) over six years in an effort to cut carbon emissions and protect the environment, the Executive Yuan said. The plan, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, will focus on the construction of "green" residential, commercial and school campus buildings, integrating information communication technology. It will also focus on the certification of manufacturing plants.]]></description>
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<title>Air-conditioning: Keeping cool and green</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Innovations in air-conditioning systems mean cooling down buildings is going to require less energy. Huge effort has gone into warming up buildings as efficiently as possible; less into cooling them down. Most air-conditioning units, like refrigerators, use tubes containing chemical refrigerants which vaporise as they draw heat out of the air passing over them. This chilled air is then circulated with a fan to cool a building, a train or a car. Regulations are outlawing certain refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, which contain ozone-depleting chemicals. New developments would make cooling systems greener still because they would use less power.]]></description>
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<title>Ireland: Launch of awards scheme for energy efficient buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A 10,000 prize is on offer for the Irish winner of the Isover Energy Efficiency Awards. The scheme will recognize new and renovated buildings that have been built with a very low energy demand. To qualify for the competition, projects must be fully completed by December 2010 and be not more than five years old. A 10,000 prize will be presented to the winner of the Irish finals who will go forward to represent Ireland at a European Awards ceremony in Madrid in May 2011.]]></description>
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<title>Give incentives for constructing green buildings</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[India needs to design and construct green buildings to control the use of electricity as it accounts for nearly 90% of the carbon footprint of a single structure, said panelists at the Economictimes.com Green Business Summit 2010 in Delhi. With an estimated 10% increase in the built-up area of residential and commercial buildings every year, energy demand is also expected to increase multifold, posing challenges in power generation for the country.]]></description>
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<title>Growing awareness supports growth in the South African green buildings market finds Frost &amp; Sullivan</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In response to the effects of the built environment on the environment, builders are increasingly seeking to design and implement green practices. Additionally, companies seeking to enhance their corporate social responsibility and market differentiation find that green buildings provide a unique avenue to meet the expectations of their socially-aware stakeholders. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (buildingtechnologies.frost.com), South African Market for Green Buildings, presents current trends in the green building industry and the ways in which manufacturers of green building technologies can take advantage of opportunities that are expected to arise within the market. In this study, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors: energy, water and building materials.]]></description>
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<title>Delhi Govt buildings to go 'green'</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In tune with its climate change initiative, Delhi Government has begun the process of converting 15 existing government buildings into 'green buildings' by making them energy efficient. The government will soon issue request for proposal for the project, aimed at cutting down energy consumption in these buildings. The Delhi Secretariat, which houses offices of Chief Minister and other Ministers, will also be converted into a green building under the project. ]]></description>
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<title>UK public-private partnership launches energy efficiency housing project </title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Energy Technologies Institute announced the launch of a 3 million project to improve the energy efficiency of the UKs 26 million existing homes. The Government-backed public-private partnership will undertake a two-year effort aimed at identifying ways to accelerate the refurbishment and retrofitting of homes by industrialising the design, supply and implementation processes.]]></description>
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<title>DCL sets up new lab for green building materials</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The environment-friendly green building concept in Dubai will receive a major boost with the establishment of a specialised laboratory. Materials and products being used in green buildings in Dubai will now come under strict quality analysis and lab tests at the specialised laboratory set up by the Dubai Central Laboratory. Dubai Municipality said the Engineering Materials Laboratory Section of Dubai Central Laboratory established the new lab to facilitate the application of the requirements and specifications of green buildings expected to be issued soon. The laboratory had prepared a guide including an inventory of all green building materials and products, and the names and addresses of suppliers and manufacturers of these materials.  ]]></description>
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<title>American Chemical Society launches &quot;Green&quot; roof project for headquarters building</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The American Chemical Society recently took another major step in transforming its headquarters into one of the most energy-efficient and sustainable structures possible with existing technology by starting construction of a meadow on the green roof for its headquarters building. Only 1 in 10 office buildings in the Washington, DC, area have these innovative surfaces, according to Joanna Brosnan, director of American Chemical Society 's Facilities Department, who initiated the project. Green roofs use green plants growing on a specially engineered surface to absorb carbon dioxide from the air, save energy on heating and cooling, promote cleaner air, and reduce storm-water runoff that can overburden city sewers.]]></description>
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<title>Making green buildings even greener</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As commercial construction continues to rebound, green building trends should gain momentum. A study released by Good Energies Inc., a venture capital company, indicates that green buildings are expected to account for nearly half of non-residential construction by 2015. That is an increase from the current 15 per cent, reports The Wall Street Journal. According to Greg Katz, managing director at Good Energies, the cost for non-residential green buildings is about 2 per cent more than traditionally constructed buildings. Public misperception is that these green buildings cost 17 percent more than conventional buildings based on a survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.]]></description>
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<title>Vecor recycles waste from coal plants into building materials</title>
<link>http://203.200.70.51:8080/sustainable-habitat/index.php?option=com_news</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Vecor Building Systems is using waste from coal power plants to make sustainable building materials. Coal power plants produce about a billion tons of waste each year, called fly ash. More than half of it goes to landfills and ash ponds. Fly ash is an environmental liability because it makes land uninhabitable and the particle-size dust pollutes the air. Vecor, a finalist in this year's Asian Innovation Awards, hopes to help eliminate fly-ash liability by recycling the waste into valuable raw materials and high-quality bricks, blocks, tiles and pavers. Vecor was founded in 2007 in China. In 2008 the company acquired its global license and now has offices in Australia, Hong Kong, China and Italy. ]]></description>
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