EPA Settles With Tesla Over Clean Air Act Violations at Fremont, CA Facility

EPA San Francisco, CA

EPA announced a settlement with Tesla Motors Inc. EPA found Clean Air Act violations at their automobile manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif. This settlement aligns with EPA’s National Compliance Initiative, Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants.  Under the settlement, Tesla agreed to pay a $275,000 penalty.

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New High-Performance Building Standard

A proposed high-performance building standard and a stronger version of Standard 90.1, both being released next year, together will provide a total green resource for local and state governments looking to set building code requirements to reduce energy use. Proposed Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is being developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The standard is slated to be the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States when published early in 2010. It covers key topic areas typically included in green building rating systems: site sustainability, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources.

New Santa Fe Convention Center Being Built in Most Responsible Manner

The new Santa Fe convention center is being built in the most responsible manner best practices allow, while being designed to exceed the needs and expectations of national and local meeting planners, their clients, and groups. From the initial archeological survey of the site to the anticipated LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification of the final structure, Santa Fe has strived to limit both the environmental impact of the construction and future operation of the center, while maximizing the building’s functionality and flexibility.

New Eco-Friendly “Green” Paint

Major paint manufacturers are developing and marketing new interior paint products sporting the “green” label, appealing to customers interested in environmentally friendly paints or simply trying to reduce potential allergens in their homes. Low odor and the reduction or elimination of VOC’s or volatile organic compounds reduces vapors in the air than can impact indoor air quality.