Buildings are responsible for a third of harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from U.S. electricity use, with that percentage rising dramatically in urban centers. Chicago is no exception: Buildings account for approximately 70 percent of the city’s GHG emissions. Moreover, many buildings use more energy than they need to, which is unnecessarily expensive and damaging to the environment. Although… Keep reading →
Last month, in a strong display of bipartisanship in an otherwise tense post-election political climate, Congress passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act.
For years, design-build strategies have served as an alternative to traditional water utility project delivery methods, tempting utilities as an end-to-end solution for delivering new, expanded and modified facilities and other key projects. But this year, design-build has become a nearly mainstream method of choice for project owners. According to Black & Veatch’s 2015 Strategic… Keep reading →
Slow growth in new customer base coupled with water conservation efforts due to drought conditions are combining to create yet another challenging financial year for U.S. water service providers. This situation presents a quandary for water utilities – which are actively encouraging water conservation while at the same time struggling to service high fixed costs.… Keep reading →
In an age where technology enables consumers to track their meal from field to table, and beverages from orchard to refrigerator, sustainability has become an increasingly powerful market force. Customer demand for information is leading to improved labeling and sourcing information that is impacting supplier behavior across a broad range of consumer and business goods.… Keep reading →
A new World Economic Forum report on the Water-Energy Nexus explores the link between water quantity and electricity production and specifically looks into strategic considerations for energy policy-makers on how best to plan energy and water infrastructures for the future. In short, sensible planning is a prerequisite for responsible management. As demand for electricity grows… Keep reading →
