Industry News
>>Energy Department Invests $14 Million to Increase Energy Efficiency of Nation's Homes and Buildings
Source: energy.gov
As part of the Administration’s effort to cut energy waste in the nation’s buildings and double energy productivity by 2030, the Energy Department announced $14 million to dramatically increase the efficiency of our nation’s homes and buildings. These projects will cut energy costs for thousands of American families and businesses, while leading to greater demand for new building products and technologies, many of which can be produced in the U.S.
>>Housing Innovation Awards Applications due June 15
Source: energy.gov
The deadline for submitting Housing Innovation Award applications has been extended to June 15. Award winners will be recognized at the Housing Innovation Awards ceremony at the EEBA Conference and Expo in Dallas, TX, from September 27-29. For more information or to apply,
click here.
>>New WCRI Studies Compare Outcomes of Injured Workers Across 15 States
Source: wcrinet.org
New studies published by the the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) compare outcomes of injured workers across 15 states. The outcomes examined in these studies include recovery of physical health and functioning, return to work, earnings recovery, access to medical care, and satisfaction with medical care. "The goal of the studies is to provide information about injured workers’ experiences with the workers’ compensation system. By examining outcomes of injured workers, policymakers and stakeholders can better understand how different state systems compare in order to identify and prioritize opportunities to improve system performance," said Bogdan Savych, an economist at WCRI and one of the authors of the studies.
>>Global Chemicals Production Starts Second Quarter on a Soft Note, Falling Slightly in April
Source: americanchemistry.com
The American Chemistry Council’s Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI) shows that the second quarter started on a soft note, with the headline index falling 0.2 percent on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis in April. This follows a 0.1% decline in March, and a fairly strong 4th quarter. During April, chemical production increased in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, while activity was flat in North America. Activity fell in Latin America, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The Global CPRI was up 1.9 percent year-over-year (Y/Y) on a 3MMA basis and stood at 108.0 percent of its average 2012 levels in April.
>>New Study Charts Progress on SunShot Initiative Goals, Identifies Solar Opportunities
Source: energy.gov
The Energy Department released the On the Path to SunShot reports, a series of eight research papers examining the state of the U.S. solar energy industry and the progress made to date toward the SunShot Initiative’s goal to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by 2020. The solar industry is currently about 70 percent of the way towards achieving the Initiative’s 2020 goals, but as solar has become more affordable, helping the industry grow by an astonishing 23-fold since the beginning of the Obama Administration, new challenges and opportunities have emerged.
>>ASHRAE Revises Commissioning Certification to Meet DOE Guidelines
Source: achrnews.com
ASHRAE announced that revised requirements for its commissioning certification program will provide earners with recognition by United States government agencies for contracts requiring commissioning services. Due to take effect Sept. 15, 2016, ASHRAE’s commissioning certification program will validate competency against the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines scheme requirements for the Building Commissioning Professional set forth by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council (CWCC).