By Heidi Schwartz, on July 26, 2006, at 6:57 am The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced certification requirements an owner must satisfy to take advantage of “energy-efficient commercial building property” tax incentives. The requirements are included in IRS Notice 2006-52, an “interim guidance” document available from the Web site of the National Lighting Bureau.
According to National Lighting Bureau Communications Director John P. Bachner, “The new IRS guidance requires a qualified individual to attest to a given system’s energy efficiency. Qualified individuals are licensed engineers and contractors who believe they have the necessary competence to make the evaluations involved. We suspect that additional guidance will be forthcoming
Continue reading IRS offers additional guidance on energy efficiency tax incentives
By Heidi Schwartz, on July 26, 2006, at 6:54 am Last month, the commercial real estate industry honored 15 North American commercial properties with The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Award at the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International North American Commercial Real Estate Congress® and The Office Building Show held recently in Dallas, TX.
The TOBY winners were recognized for excellence in office building management and operations in specific categories of building size or type. To win the international award, the office buildings first won both local and regional competitions. Judging was based on community impact, tenant/employee relations programs, energy management systems, accessibility for disabled people,
Continue reading BOMA’s TOBY and Earth Award winners announced
By Anne Vazquez, on July 26, 2006, at 6:48 am Facility managers know that the cleanliness of their buildings has a big impact on visitors’ first impressions of the organization. With the volume of traffic that many airports cater to each and every day, putting the best foot forward in maintenance can literally be a neverending job. Daniel Yee of the Associated Press has reported on what is being done at several major airports around the country.
For TFM’s coverage of this and other airport management topics, read “Why Is Air Travel Like Facility Management?” by Tim Springer, Ph.D.
Yee writes: Atlanta — A half year after Christmas, a
Continue reading The Public Face Of Airports
By Anne Vazquez, on July 25, 2006, at 7:20 am In response to member and market demand, ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) is exploring a certification program that will focus on areas of the building environment such as commissioning, health care facility engineering, building operation, and sustainability.
The Society is pursuing partnerships with other HVAC&R related organizations.
“By offering certification, ASHRAE will make our members more valuable to the industry,” said Terry Townsend, P.E., ASHRAE president. “Certification from ASHRAE will add professional credibility to their work, as well providing educational resources to better enable them in designing and operating buildings that are more efficient.”
Continue reading ASHRAE To Consider Offering A Certification Program
By Heidi Schwartz, on July 25, 2006, at 7:16 am State and local governments have an excellent opportunity to help steer America toward clean, renewable energy by applying for purchasing assistance through the Responsible Purchasing Network. This initiative, launched by the non-profit Center for a New American Dream, has teamed up with Think Energy, Inc, to provide three jurisdictions with professional advice and assistance in making a large purchase of clean, renewable energy.
Shifting to clean power reduces dependence on fossil fuels, provides a solution to America’s energy crisis, and helps curb climate change. Committing to clean energy can also help jurisdictions reach greenhouse gas emission goals, and help
Continue reading Pro Bono Assistance Available to Support State & Local Governments with Clean Energy Purchasing
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