Day: September 6, 2012

Environmental health, Nanotechnology

Super-Strong, High-Tech Material Found to be Toxic to Aquatic Animals by Researchers at MU and USGS

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Read the full story from the University of Missouri.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are some of the strongest materials on Earth and are used to strengthen composite materials, such as those used in high-performance tennis rackets. CNTs have potential uses in everything from medicine to electronics to construction. However, CNTs are not without risks. A joint study by the University of Missouri and United States Geological Survey found that they can be toxic to aquatic animals. The researchers urge that care be taken to prevent the release of CNTs into the environment as the materials enter mass production.

Green business, Green lifestyle, Product stewardship

Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies Launches Ingredient Transparency Website for Baby and Beauty Products

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Read the full story from Johnson & Johnson.

The Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies today announced the launch of www.SafetyandCareCommitment.com an initiative to help consumers better understand all the measures we take to make our beauty and baby care products as safe as can be.

Wind

Column: More wind power needs better forecasting: Gerard Wynn

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Read the full story from Reuters.

One way to cut the cost of greater reliance on wind power is to improve day-ahead weather forecasting, to make it less expensive for grid operators to balance national demand and supply.

As countries seek to meet renewable energy targets, extra costs include subsidies, direct grid connection, backup reserves to cover intermittency and short-term grid balancing.

Short-term balancing adds costs both for grid operators, which have to pay power plants to turn off or to meet excess demand, and for generators switching on and off units designed for constant, baseload operation.

Green building, Green business

Green Building Sparks Battle for the Built Environment

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Read the full story in Forbes.

The explosive growth in green buildings over the past decade is flattening the built environment.

Until recently, building automation, lighting controls, fire safety and other base building systems were designed and deployed to support a single building service and operated independently on proprietary network and cables. Green building’s emphasis on integrated design and whole-building performance has accelerated the convergence of these silos into a single platform, transforming a fragmented, vertical value chain into an integrated, horizontal value chain.

Simply put, the building management business is becoming flat and doing so fast. This convergence of information and communications technology and physical infrastructure in the built environment is providing building owners and occupants with actionable information about a building or space that allows them manage that building or space more effectively.

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