Green Building : Innovation + Job News

Baltimore Medical System's (BMS) new Highlandtown Healthy Living Center officially received LEED-Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council last week.

The Highlandtown Healthy Living Center is the first Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the country to receive LEED-Platinum Certification. The award was presented by Peter Templeton, President of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

BMS had not initially planned to build a green building, says Jay Wolvovsky, president and CEO. Once the healthcare organization decided to build an entirely new building, The Knott Foundation, an early funder, challenged BMS to think about building an environmentally-friendly facility that met LEED standards.

"We didn't know anything about it at all and had to do a fair amount of investigation. As we learned more, we were able to draw our own conclusions about the linkage between environmental factors and our patients' health. What is the environment of an inner city neighborhood? What are the environmental factors associated with a neighborhood that doesn't have a lot of green in it? What's the impact on water and air quality, or of lead in paint on houses? What's the environmental impact of not having enough parkland in the area so people can get exercise, keep their weight down and deal with their diabetes, obesity and heart disease," he explains.

As BMS leaders continued to weigh these factors, they began setting the bar higher and higher until finally the decision was made to go for LEED-Platinum. "It became a mission and a passion that this building would stand for more than just being the best space for us to deliver our healthcare services in. It was going to be a standard bearer for the organization, making a statement about ourselves and what we believe in and what we think is the next frontier for healthcare � dealing with public health issues, including the environment, diversity, and healthcare disparities."

The building delivers comprehensive primary care to more than 22,000 patients from over 50 countries each year. Baltimore Medical System is the largest provider of primary health care to medically underserved communities in Maryland. BMS provides special services to help uninsured, non-English speaking and other high need patient groups access care. Over 48,000 people each year receive medical services and education at BMS's six health centers throughout Baltimore City and County and six City school-based locations.

Source: Jay Wolvovsky, Baltimore Medical System
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Moving forward on his goal to support 100,000 green jobs by 2015, Gov. Martin O'Malley recently held Maryland's first Green Economy Forum at Montgomery Park in Baltimore City. The governor outlined an aggressive plan to create and retain green jobs, support clean and renewable energy, protect Maryland's communities and preserve the State's natural resources.

The plan is based on the findings of the Green Jobs & Industry Task Force, a group of public and private sector leaders including green business owners, industry stakeholders, workforce development experts and cabinet secretaries the Governor assembled in March to develop recommendations to capitalize on the emerging green economy.

As part of the Forum, the Gov. O'Malley also led a roundtable with small business owners, environmental advocates, green industry experts and others to discuss ways to move Maryland forward on clean and renewable energy, environmental remediation and sustainable development.

"Green jobs are growing nationally at a rate two and a half times faster than overall jobs and are not only key to our economic recovery today, but are the jobs that will fuel the economy of tomorrow," says Gov. O'Malley. "Our highly educated workforce, wealth of natural resources and progressive policies makes Maryland uniquely positioned to grow our green economy and create the kinds of jobs that will ensure a more sustainable future for all Marylanders."

"The recommendations presented today clearly demonstrate that Maryland is on the forefront of the emerging green economy," says Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian S. Johansson, who chaired the Task Force. "We look forward to working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs and industry experts to implement relevant and meaningful strategies to help Maryland's green industries create jobs, employ more sustainable practices and preserve our communities."

"As an executive in the emerging green industry, I believe that these recommendations capture the input of many green employers in Maryland," said Kerinia Cusick, Green Jobs & Economy Task Force member and Director, Mid-Atlantic Government Affairs for Sun Edison. "The Task Force team members look forward to continuing our collaboration as these recommendations are implemented."

The Task Force report focused on six key recommendations:

1. Promote energy and resource efficiency efforts;
2. Develop and foster clean, local energy production and industrial capacity;
3. Capitalize upon economic opportunities to restore and protect Maryland's natural resource;
4. Promote sustainable development practices that create jobs, generate prosperity, and make Maryland more self-reliant;
5. Increase access to capital for green businesses and projects; and
6. Strengthen coordination and communication across State agencies, partners, and stakeholders to provide strategic vision for advancing a green economy.

Maryland is home to approximately 75,000 green-sector jobs, ranging from consulting and scientific services to construction and waste management. Since January, Maryland has created 38,000 jobs, a growth rate twice that of the rest of the nation. Maryland's unemployment rate remains 25 percent lower than the national average.

Source: State of Maryland
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Gov. Martin O'Malley awarded 21 grants tototaling $1.2 million to area non-profits in round two of the "EmPOWER Clean Energy Communities" grant program. The program helps local governments and nonprofits fund energy efficiency projects aimed at low to moderate income Marylanders. The grants, overseen by theMaryland Energy Administration (MEA), are providing a total of over $3 million this fiscal year, broken into two rounds, to local governments and nonprofits across our One Maryland. The first round of these funds were used to perform energy retrofits to save money for at an estimated 1,000 low and moderate income Maryland families. This second round of funding, is going primarily to Maryland counties who did not exhaust their available funding for projects in round one.

"Building on the success of round one, these grants are an example of exactly the type of efficiency projects we had intended for Maryland communities and families when we entered into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation's first multi-state collaborative carbon cap-and-trade program," says Gov. O'Malley. "These grants are another step forward in our goal to make Maryland's future cleaner, greener, and more sustainable for all our citizens."

The grants are being awarded to a wide variety of projects that will build on the momentum of energy savings and decrease monthly electricity bills accomplished in round one. The round two projects range from Home Performance with Energy Star programs through Habitat for Humanity in Caroline, Calvert and St. Mary's Counties, among other locations across the State, to projects focused on the weatherization of homes and apartments in Kent and Talbot Counties.

Each Maryland county and Baltimore City was provided an allocation based on the number of low-to-moderate income households residing in the respective area. A listing of grants awarded in round two is detailed below.

Funding for the program comes from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, which was created from public auctions of carbon credits through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins

As the drama of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to play out, the need for alternative sources of energy and energy conservation are gaining increasing attention. However, according to a recent Department of Energy study, a shortage of training is the major barrier to expanding home energy efficiency.

The Baltimore Center for Green Careers is a new training center intended to create an innovative green career workforce. Operated through Civic Works, Baltimore's urban service corps, the center opened its doors last week and should help solve the workforce shortage -- at least in Baltimore.

With a $532,319 grant from the Foundation for an OSI-Baltimore and a $524,023 grant from the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR), part of its Maryland RISE initiative (Reaching Independence and Stability through Employment), the program will promote sustainable employment in high demand "green collar" jobs for Baltimore's underserved populations.

This new program is particularly timely, given the increased interest in home energy efficiency, the recent Department of Energy report citing a shortage of training as the major barrier to expanding home energy efficiency and the launch of Governor O'Malley's Skills2Compete Maryland agenda.

The grant enables Civic Works to expand its B'more Green program, which will now train unemployed and underemployed Baltimore residents in providing energy retrofit services. This is in addition to B'more Green's existing training classes in brownfields remediation, hazard abatement, and environmental demolition. In addition, the funding has contributed to Civic Works being able to move its green jobs training operations to a dedicated building. Here it will be able to construct improved hands-on practice areas that better resemble the real work environments of abatement workers, environmental field technicians and energy retrofit workers.

The Baltimore Center for Green Careers is located in a 12,000 square foot facility in Moravia Business Park, 6260 Frankford Avenue. The center includes warehouse, classroom and hands-on training space, as well as meeting and office space. At the center installers will learn the principles of building science and how to use various diagnostic tools to identify sources of air infiltration.

"Getting Baltimoreans back to work in living wage high demand jobs is a win-win for everyone," says John Mello, Green Projects director, Civic Works. "Our programs have been transforming lives, but this grant will enable us to greatly expand our operation and provide much needed skills development in high demand jobs to Baltimore's unemployed and underemployed populations," he adds.

Working closely with the DHR, Civic Works will target Baltimore's unemployed and underemployed residents who are 18 and older and have one or more significant barriers to employment. The program will serve 44 participants over the two-year grant period. Of the 44 participants served, 24 will be trained in the three-month long energy retrofit installer training program, and 20 will be trained as environmental field technicians and abatement workers in the seven-week B'more Green program.

Graduates will learn how to make a house more energy efficient by providing services such as air sealing, insulation, and Cool Roofing. In addition to training, graduates will also receive job readiness and placement services. Graduates will be placed into entry-level green careers with environmental employers that offer a living wage ($12 to $16 per hour) and opportunities for advancement. Employers who hire graduates will be offered a wage subsidy for up to six months.

Civic Works will work to transition each installer graduate into an entry-level position with a home performance contractor, weatherization company, or a home builder interested in an entry-level employee with demonstrated energy retrofit skills. Environmental field technician and abatement worker graduates will be eligible for entry-level positions with brownfields remediation, hazard abatement, and environmental demolition firms. Entry into this specialized construction field is dependent upon the possession of environmental health and safety certifications. The graduates will also be eligible for entry-level jobs in the general construction trades.

Source: Baltimore Center for Green Careers
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has updated its new incentive program for mid-sized solar energy systems. Made possible through funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the two-year program will provide a total of up to $1.45 million to lower the cost of rooftop solar energy systems for commercial buildings, allowing more Maryland businesses to receive the benefits of clean renewable energy from the sun.

"Maryland's mid-sized solar grant program is a true 'win' for local businesses and workers. By taking advantage of this new resource, not only will businesses see a reduction in energy usage and operational costs in the long term, but they will also become a part of a Maryland that is Smart, Green and Growing, by taking this step to reduce their carbon footprint, " says Governor Martin O'Malley. "I encourage local businesses to take advantage of this opportunity."

The incentive program covers two technologies, solar photovoltaic which converts light into electricity, and solar water heating, which converts light into heat energy to supplement natural gas or electric water heating. Both of these technologies have reached a level of technology maturity and reliability that makes them great long term investments for commercial buildings, according to the MEA.

Through the MEA's grant program, Marylanders now can qualify for a rebate of $500 per kilowatt of photovoltaic capacity installed for systems between 20 and 100 KW, up to $50,000 per grant, and 15 percent of the system cost for a solar hot water system up to $25,000 per grant at this time.

"The challenge for many businesses is that the costs for solar energy systems are all up-front, while the benefits accrue over many years of use," says Malcolm Woolf, MEA director . "The mid-sized incentive program, combined with the federal investment tax credit of 30 percent, is designed to help lower the upfront cost of these renewable energy systems so that businesses can continue to invest in clean renewable energy despite the difficult economy. We are thrilled to be able to serve the business community with this much-needed clean energy program."

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Maryland Energy Sector Partnership, led by the Governor's Workforce Investment Board (GWIB), has been awarded a $5.8 million grant by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to implement programs that will prepare more than 1,500 Marylanders for green jobs in manufacturing, construction, environmental technology and solar energy.

"In Maryland we have set a goal of creating at least 100,000 green jobs by 2015, and we are working across our State government - along with partners in organized labor, and in the private, academic, and non-profit sectors - to implement specific action items that are designed to create new jobs, advance eco-friendly technologies, and provide more Marylanders with the skills they need to participate and maximize the benefits of a green economy for their own families," says Gov. Martin O'Malley.

"This federal funding not only represents an important step forward towards this goal for Maryland's families, but it also demonstrates the progressive strategy the Obama Administration is taking towards creating jobs for the next generation economy."

The project will involve partnerships among businesses, community colleges, labor apprenticeship programs and the One-Stop Workforce System. It will implement training for both new and incumbent workers to ensure there is a pipeline of skilled workers for jobs in the emerging green economy. Emphasis will be placed on providing opportunities for veterans and reservists, low wage workers and ex-offenders to meet the demands of Maryland employers.

"This grant provides us with a tremendous opportunity to help reach our goal of increasing skills of Maryland workers 20 percent by 2012," Sec. Alexander M. Sanchez says. "It is a much deserved recognition of the O'Malley-Brown Administration's commitment to strengthening and growing the middle class, and shows that "Smart, Green and Growing" will offer real opportunities for Marylanders in the 21st century economy."

The funding will be divided into four consortium efforts:

• Baltimore Regional Green Tech Workers Program. This effort will improve manufacturing sustainability practices, waste stream management and "lean to green" practices in the manufacturing sector. This project will train 705 incumbent and new workers in two tracks - the Green Worker Training Program for new, entry-level manufacturing positions, and Purdue University's Green Workforce Training Certificate program for incumbent workers with intermediate skills. The program will offer three levels of certification provide through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and M-Tech programs at the University of Maryland, working with local community colleges.
• Green Training for Energy Efficient Advancement. This partnership of workforce boards, community colleges, building and trades organization and labor unions will train 850 workers to retrofit residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This project will meet the need for skilled green construction and trades workers expected to be needed in the Baltimore-Washington region to meet demands for work resulting from investments funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), building related to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program, and increased energy initiatives of major utilities to comply with the Empower Maryland legislation.
• Chesapeake Area Consortium for Higher Education (CACHE): Institute for Environmental Careers. This partnership of workforce investment boards, four community colleges and leaders from the private sector and governments in counties surrounding the Chesapeake Bay will train 210 students with community college credit courses leading to certificates in environmental technology. It is designed to help workers take advantage of the environmental technology careers that are projected to grow around the Bay.
• Go Solar! Regional Partnership. This business-driven consortium will utilize existing renewable energy curriculum, mostly from the Institute for Environmental Careers' existing courses. IBEW Local 26 and IEC-Chesapeake will act as entry-level service providers. They will collaborate with Goodwill Industries, Job Corps, correctional facilities and existing businesses to train 480 new and incumbent workers.

"We are projecting that at least 70 percent of the Marylanders trained through these programs will be placed into a related job within the three-year grant period," says Eric M. Seleznow, GWIB Executive Director. "These programs also address an immediate need to help dislocated workers, particularly those in jobs that will never come back, to obtain the new skills they need to re-enter the workforce and participate in the new green economy."

This latest grant follows a $4 million grant awarded by USDOL in November to the MidAtlantic Regional Collaboration (MARC) Green Consortium, headed by DLLR's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, to define the regional green economy and develop a workforce investment plan to support it. That consortium includes the Virginia Employment Commission, the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services, the District of Columbia's Workforce Investment Council, the Maryland Governor's Workforce Investment Board and the Virginia Workforce Council.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Sen. Ben Cardin have scored $4.6 million in stimulus funding for job training in renewable and energy efficient industries in Maryland through the Department of Labor (DOL).

The grant has been awarded H-CAP, Inc to provide enhanced skills training to job seekers and entry-level environmental service workers for new and emerging green jobs in the healthcare industry. The project will operate in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Prince George's County in Maryland, as well as counties in New York, California and the District of Columbia.

"This funding is exactly what the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act is all about - creating and sustaining jobs today and preparing for the jobs of tomorrow," says Sen. Mikulski. "This grant will give Marylanders the opportunity to get the training they need to find and keep a job, while also helping to make sure that health care in Maryland is environmentally friendly."

"This Partnership is funded with recovery dollars and it is an investment in our future � a future in which our state and nation will become more energy efficient and independent and one that will create new, green jobs that will help grow our economy," adds Sen. Cardin.

H-CAP, Inc. will partner with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Maryland as well as Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), a coalition that promotes environmentally-friendly healthcare practices, to train approximately 3,000 job seekers. The project will also develop new curricula that will cover the role of environmental service workers in green healthcare, the development of cross-industry green jobs and green career pathways for entry-level workers.

Source: Senator Barbara Mikulski
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Gov. Martin O'Malley hopes to create a new tax credit he believes will boost smart and sustainable growth in Maryland's historic areas and existing communities well-served by transit and infrastructure. The Sustainable Communities Tax Credit program, $50 million, three-year program, will help create construction and rehabilitation jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and spur economic development with each project.

The new program will replace and improve upon the 14-year-old Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, which is set to expire in June.

"The program represents the best of public investment and private enterprise as we continue to seek ways to fuel economic growth and create jobs," says Gov. O'Malley. "The success of the program in recent years cannot be understated. These projects will help revitalize historic communities, strengthen a green economy throughout our State, and create new construction and rehabilitation jobs in every corner of Maryland."

The existing Heritage Tax Credit has invested more than $347 million in Maryland revitalization projects since 1996. Those projects have produced more than $1.5 billion in total direct rehabilitation expenditures by owners and developers. Coupled with wages, both construction and new jobs, and State and local revenues generated, this equates to more than $8.50 in economic output for every $1 invested by State government.

A report last year by the non-profit Abell Foundation concluded that commercial projects over the life of the program have employed roughly 15,120 people, earning $673.1 million in 2009 dollars. The state's tax credit investment in labor-intensive building renovation has generated 1,850 more jobs than would have been created had the same funds been used for new construction, the foundation reported.

The governor also revealed the latest recipients of some $5 million in Maryland Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credits for four projects in Central Maryland. Receiving awards. They include:

• Union Mill in Baltimore City: $2,920,000 tax credit for $20,000,000 project by Seawall Development Company to turn vacant manufacturing structure into residential and commercial space.

• Proctor House in Bel Air: $100,000 tax credit for $500,000 project by Kelly Financial Group, LLC to turn vacant/storage space into commercial offices.

• Two projects at the National Park Seminary development in Silver Spring: $800,000 tax credit for $4,000,000 project by the Alexander Company to turn vacant gymnasium into 12 residences. And $1,180,000 tax credit for $5,900,000 by the Alexander Company to turn vacant space and utility structures into 15 residential units.

"New legislation for 2010 seeks to strengthen the effectiveness of the tax credit program as an incentive for smart and sustainable growth," says Maryland Secretary of Planning Richard E. Hall, who chairs the Governor's Smart Growth Subcabinet. "By expanding program eligibility and coordinating it more closely with related state programs, the tax credit will benefit more communities across the state as a critical redevelopment and revitalization tool. One of Maryland's most effective Smart, Green & Growing tools should not be allowed to sunset this year."


Source: State of Maryland, Department of Planning
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The city recieved a $6.37 million dollar energy stimulus package from the U.S. Department of Energy. Mayor Sheila Dixon announced that $1 million of the funding would be allocated to a Community Energy Grant Program. The program will enable community organizations and non-profits to perform cost-saving energy improvements in neighborhood buildings and facilities. Applications for the program will become available in early Spring 2010.

"With the new stimulus funds we have received, the City will be able to advance further towards becoming a cleaner, greener and sustainable city," said Mayor Dixon.

The stimulus funds will be used to fund 18 program activities ranging from community projects and renewable energy to new energy financing structures. The majority of the funds, over 30 percent, will be put to use in the community, to create new initiatives and to fill funding gaps or shortfalls in existing energy programs. For instance some of the grant will be used to supplement the Baltimore Neighborhood Energy Challenge (BNEC), a program that helps households reduce energy use.
 
A new Baltimore Commercial Energy Challenge will be implemented for greener and more energy efficient buildings. A youth energy conservation component will be added to the existing summer YouthWorks program. Plans also include installation of City building retrofits for utility cost savings.

The DGS Energy Division estimates that once all programs are fully implemented, 500 jobs will have been created or retained by this stimulus package.

A total of 18 projects will be funded under the $6.37 million award:
o Community Energy Conservation Grants,
o Baltimore Neighborhood Energy (BNEC) Challenge,
o Youth Energy Conservation and Efficiency Training,
o Home Energy Conservation,
o Residential Plan for Energy Efficiency,
o Baltimore Commercial Energy Challenge,
o Energy/Climate Action Plan,
o District Heating Expansion Feasibility Analysis,
o Sustainable Energy Utility,
o Conversion of Biomass to Biofuel,
o City's Trash Hauler Fleet Fuel Efficiency,
o City Building Retrofits,
o Energy Efficiency Model Office,
o Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) meter,
o Nitrogen Tire Filling,
o Diesel Particulate Filter(DPF) Regeneration,
o And studies of Geothermal Energy and Flextime.

Source: Baltimore City
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer has launched a green initiative that will help Annapolis property owners to easily make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings. The initiative builds on legislation passed by Annapolis in January 2009 enabling its property owners to attach energy improvement loans to their properties. Annapolis is the first City in Maryland to pass such legislation.
 
The City of Annapolis, in cooperation with Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC), Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), Edison|Wright and Direct Energy will launch the first phase of the program Annapolis EZ|Energy Zone (Annapolis EZ) in early 2010. The program is designed to help with financing and implementation of energy efficiency for Annapolis residential property owners. Annapolis EZ anticipates improving up to 50 properties in Annapolis during the first phase of the program. It is currently signing up interested participants.

"Many residential property owners would like to improve the energy efficiency of their home," says Mayor Moyer. "However, high upfront cost and other financial hurdles often deter them from getting involved. Annapolis EZ does exactly what the name says � it makes it easy to move forward with projects and see real savings on energy bills."

The program is financed by MCEC with funding made available from stimulus dollars through MEA.

Annapolis EZ makes it possible for Annapolis property owners to finance energy improvements without affecting their credit score, and if they sell their property before the loan is paid off, the next property owner will take over the payments along with the reduced energy bill. The Annapolis EZ program also provides property owners with a list of only pre-approved, certified auditors, installers and contractors. 

PACE programs have the potential to unleash over $250 billion of investment into clean energy improvements over the next 10 years, eliminating more than a gigaton of CO2 emissions, saving $1.75 billion in annual electricity costs and creating 400,000 jobs per year.
 
Source: City of Annapolis
Writer: Walaika Haskins

"Increased education and easy to use programs are the keys to fundamentally changing our energy usage in the State of Maryland and across the United States," says Eric Palm, Vice President of Direct Energy - Annapolis EZ|Energy Zone?s lead energy retrofit provider. "Conducting an energy assessment of their home is the first step for a homeowner to understand what improvements need to be undertaken to reduce their energy usage and positively impact the environment."
 
Annapolis EZ will use contractors who are participating with the Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. These contractors have been trained to take a �whole-house? approach that identifies comfort, safety and energy efficiency improvements.

The Maryland Energy Administration is now offering low-interest loans through the EmPOWER Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Loan Fund (EELF) to help Maryland business improve the energy performance of their facilities. The Energy Efficiency Loan Fund is financially supported through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the State of Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund . Proposed funding for the EELF is approximately $5.6 million through the end of fiscal year 2011.

"These loans will allow Maryland 's commercial and industrial businesses to implement energy efficiency solutions that not only save money and spur new job creation, but also help our State to achieve the EmPOWER Maryland goal of reducing energy consumption by 15 percent by the year 2015," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. "Today marks one more success for the families and workers of Maryland , as we strive to become a more Smart, Green and Growing State ."

Maryland businesses can now qualify for up to $500,000 for electric efficiency projects, and $750,000 for combined electric and gas/fuel oil efficiency projects with a minimum $35,000 for energy efficiency projects. Eligible types of energy efficiency projects may include, but are not limited to building weatherization, lighting technology upgrades, HVAC replacements or upgrades, and commercial refrigeration equipment upgrades.

"The Maryland Energy Administration has a wealth of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs available to all sectors in our State," commented MEA Director Malcolm Woolf. "The Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Loan Fund is yet another solid resource for Maryland businesses interested in increasing their energy savings and going green."

Businesses interested in the program are encouraged to download a project loan application at: www.energy.Maryland.gov/incentives/business, and to contact Jesse Fulton, the energy efficiency manager for this program at [email protected] or by phone at 410-260-7184 with any questions. Applications will be reviewed and awarded on a first come-first served basis. Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of other financial incentives offered to commercial and industrial businesses through their utility's EmPOWER energy efficiency programs.

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Gov Martin O'Malley unveiled a new publication designed to provide insight and instruction on best practices to foster Smart, Green & Growing planning and revitalization activities in Maryland's cities and towns.

Developed jointly by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), "Going Green Downtown: A Sustainability Guide for Maryland's Main Streets" (the "Green Guide") is intended to give communities throughout the state an important set of principles, guidelines, and examples of how to pursue and implement sustainable practices that focus on environmental conservation and economic growth.

"Over the past 30 years, the increase in Maryland's population has led to rapid consumption of land, pulling vital resources and people away from traditional business districts," said Governor O'Malley. "Increasingly, these trends of sprawl and chronic overdevelopment threaten not only the economic survival of our cities and towns, but also our environment and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. With the Smart, Green & Growing initiative and tools like this new guide, we will promote sustainable growth, protecting our natural resources and strengthening the character and economic vitality of our communities for future generations."

The advice and insight found in the Green Guide is based in large part on expertise of DHCD and DNR, as well as the best practices of the 23 designated communities under the Main Street Maryland program, but it has been written to be applicable to any Maryland community that seeks to "Go Green." The guide provides cities and towns with advice to address challenges like increasing population, rising energy costs, limited resources, water and air pollution, and climate change, and it provides information on available State programs and resources.

"Main Street Maryland has been an extremely effective program for comprehensive downtown revitalization," said DHCD Secretary Raymond A. Skinner. "By promoting these successful practices, we hope to provide a comprehensive set of examples to encourage green approaches and environmental protections that will also foster neighborhood revitalization and economic growth."

Sustainable and green communities seek to conserve resources; provide open spaces and parks for recreation and cultivation; offer multiple options for transportation; and use natural and cultural resources wisely to conserve for future generations. Specific areas addressed by the Green Guide include:

• Green building
• Historic preservation
• The "3 R's" � Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Energy conservation
• Planting trees and creating green space
• Water conservation and stormwater management
• Sustainable transportation options and alternatives
• Engaging citizens in green events and practices

"Each of us has a role to play in helping to create a smarter, greener future for our State," said DNR Secretary John Griffin. "Our Going Green Downtown Guide � which was federally funded through our Coastal Zone Management Program � will help our communities take their sustainability efforts to the next level, and hopefully inspire individual citizens to do the same."

The Green Guide has already been lauded by National Trust Main Street Center Director Doug Loescher who called it, "one of the nation's most comprehensive guides yet produced on this topic that could serve as a great model for other states to emulate." To provide additional support and promotion of the concepts outlined in the Green Guide, DHCD and DNR have offered several training sessions over the past year including: Creating Green Spaces in Your Main Street; Historic Preservation & Green; Greening Main Street Merchants; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; and Green Building Certification: How to Get It and Use It. A second round of trainings kicked off in September with an educational session on stormwater management.

For more information or to download a copy of the Green Guide. News updates also are available by following DHCD on Twitter and Facebook.

Click here to download Going Green Downtown: A Sustainability Guide for Maryland's Main Streets

Source: Gov. Martin O'Malley
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Burdette, Koehler, Murphy & Associates, Inc. (BKM), a Baltimore-based mechanical, electrical, and planning engineering company, launched a new firm dedicated to meeting the increasing demands for mission critical facilities.

Based in Baltimore, the new firm, BKM Mission Critical Facilities (BKM-MCF), is being led by managing principal and noted industry expert, Rajan Battish. Housed in a new 12,000 sq. ft. office space, BKM-MCF is dedicated to the advancement of critical systems for data centers, network operation centers, and readiness centers, providing energy conscious designs for these facilities with a need for high reliability 24/7, 365 days a year.

The firm is currently hiring project engineers and designers.

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Burdette, Koehler, Murphy & Associates.