GM Hybrid Goes To China

General Motors Corp will sell its first gas-electric hybrid cars in China in July, introducing a model created in part by GM's Shanghai design center. The Buick LaCrosse will be the second hybrid to enter the Chinese automobile market following Toyota Motor Corp's Prius in early 2006.

Hybrids improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions by generating extra power from the brakes as a vehicle tops. But they also cost more because they require both gasoline and electric motors.

GM says the LaCrosse will be the first hybrid made in China. The Prius is assembled from imported parts.

Noteworthy Recognition For Energy Efficiency

The Kentucky Office of Energy Policy has recognized five Louisville buildings that have attained the Energy Star label from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The federal program recognizes buildings that rate among the top 25 percent of facilities of similar use across the country for energy performance. The five Louisville buildings recognized are:

* E.On U.S. Center
* Cemex Kosmos Cement Co. Louisville plant
* Aegon Center
* Courtyard by Marriott Louisville Airport-Expo Hotel
* Isaac Shelby Elementary (Jefferson County Public Schools)

Rhode Island Town Switches To "Greener Computing"

North Kingstown, R.I. will start a wholesale conversion of its government computers to more energy efficient systems in an effort to save money and reduce its environmental impact. Over the next three years, the town will switch to products in Dell's Energy Smart line of energy-efficient machines, including models from the OptiPlex and PowerEdge series.

In addition to switching over to Dell's green computers, North Kingstown also announced it will be joining Dell's Plant a Forest For Me program, an initiative the company launched in September 2007 to offset carbon emissions among its clients by encouraging them to fund reforestation projects around the globe.

Con Edison's New Energy Efficiency Program

Con Edison has filed a plan with the New York State Public Service Commission asking that a package of new energy efficiency programs be approved for implementation this summer.

The 11 residential and commercial programs proposed in the filing are designed to achieve 378 MW of demand reduction and reduce energy use overall by 4.4 billion kilowatt hours (KWh). The resultant 2.3 million tons of CO2 reduction is the equivalent of taking 380,000 vehicles off the road, or growing 53,000 tree seedlings for 10 years.

Total estimated cost of the programs is $306 million through 2015, varying from approximately $10 million this year to $75 million in 2015. The funding would be drawn from funds already designated for energy efficiency programs in the most recent rate plan approved by commission effective April 1.

Stamford Takes Energy Efficiency Award

Stamford has been named Municipal Leader for Energy Efficiency by the nonprofit Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships.

The award cites Stamford's Local Action Plan, which documents actions taken since 1998, the plan's first year. In the plan, the city laid out a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.

Building improvements from 1999 to 2002, such as better lighting and efficient air-conditioning and hot-water pumps, produced annual energy savings of $306,920. Public school buildings also were improved, including a new environmental magnet school that has been designed to meet "green" standards.

Is There More Interest In Energy Efficiency?

According to the second annual Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator survey, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of organizations are paying more attention to energy efficiency than they were just a year ago. However, the percentage of companies expecting to make energy efficiency improvements, as well as their planned investment over the next year, has remained constant.

The research identified energy management decision-makers and asked how their organizations were responding to rising energy costs and environmental issues. Members of the International Facility Management Association and the American Society of Healthcare Engineering were included as survey respondents.