Charlotte schools lead Florida’s green movement

COURTESY PHOTO Charlotte Schools earned a sustainability award from the Urban Land Institute. During his speech in Arcadia on Tuesday, President Barack Obama announced technologies that will help us save energy and money. The concept of reducing energy waste by 20 percent and the formal introduction of smart meters that will help us manage our own energy usage were sources of inspiration for many. Still, it’s worth pointing out that Florida has embraced its own “green” initiatives, some which earned awards for work accomplished before “green” became the new “black.”

For instance, the Urban Land Institute Southwest Florida District Council announced winners of the new Sustainability Awards.

The Sustainability Awards were created to recognize progress made by individuals, organizations or corporations toward changing communities and economy to utilize and restore the environment, so as not to compromise future generations. This platform will provide an opportunity for future sustainable practices to build off of the successes of others and to take note of lessons learned along the way.

People and organizations that demonstrate innovation, leadership and have a positive impact on the region were invited to submit nominations for the awards. Entries were reviewed and considered by a panel of jurors selected by the district council, whose majority vote determined the winners.

The Charlotte County School Board earned the impact award for its work in rebuilding “sustainably” following Hurricane Charley. The board demonstrated leadership and foresight in incorporating energy efficiency and environmental design criteria as it rebuilt six of the district’s 20 schools that were damaged during Hurricane Charley in 2004.

The school board is also striving for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Label at all existing schools. The board has embodied creating healthy and comfortable spaces for learning while conserving energy, water and natural resources.

Solar advances in Florida

On a broader scale, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act, H.R. 3585, recently passed in the House of Representatives. The act creates a path for advancing solar energy technologies through prioritized research, development and demonstration activities.

“Florida will be the front line for solar energy innovation,” said Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL).

“This legislation is an important step to developing a national plan to develop solar energy and reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources. The current solar power plant under construction in Indiantown and the planned sustainable community at Babcock Ranch are great examples of how solar power is being utilized in Florida. After all. Florida is the Sunshine State and we need to continue to find new and innovative ways to harness this resource.”

The Solar Technology Roadmap Act establishes a comprehensive process to create this roadmap for solar technology RD&D activities conducted by the federal government in partnership with the private sector, with a focus on the Department of Energy.

The secretary of energy is directed to award grants to carry out these programs on a meritreviewed basis, and specifically to provide awards to industry-led consortia for RD&D in solar manufacturing.

The bill requires the secretary of energy to appoint a Solar Technology Roadmap Committee, which includes industry representation. The secretary must also appoint a committee chairman, who is not a federal employee. The committee will create a Solar Technology Roadmap within 18 months of enactment of the act.

The roadmap will present the best current estimate of the nearterm (up to two years), mid-term (up to seven years), and long-term (up to 15 years) RD&D needs in solar technology. It must also provide direct guidance for solar technology RD&D activities supported by the federal government. The bill requires that 30 percent of DOE solar RD&D funding in 2012 is pursuant to the recommendations of the roadmap, ramping up to 75 percent in 2015. The committee must update the roadmap annually as needed, and comprehensively review and revise it every three years.

The bill also authorizes DOE to conduct at least 13 solar demonstration projects of various sizes, and it requires DOE to study the performance of existing photovoltaic installations and identify opportunities to improve the energy productivity of these systems. In addition, DOE must establish a program of RD&D related to the reuse, recycling and safe disposal of photovoltaic devices.

The bill has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, BP, IBM, Intel and National Semiconductor. 