http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-student-teams-new-location-solar-decathlon-2013

The UNLV team (Team Las Vegas) consists of a collaboration of students and faculty from Architecture, Engineering, Business, and Communications. The two-year effort will be integrated into various education program programs including the Solar and Renewable Energy Minor and Renewable Energy Graduate Certificates (both supported by NV Energy), the David G. Howryla Design-Build Laboratory (supported by the named donor), the Mendenhall Innovation Center (supported by the named donor), and the Engineering Senior Design courses (supported by Fred and Harriet Cox).

In addition, Team Las Vegas will be asking the community to support this effort as there are many people and companies that have expertise that will be invaluable to the success of the project. Additional information on the Solar Decathlon team can be found at (http://urban21.unlv.edu/decathlon)

“CES is committed to sustainability, and we are extremely proud that these donations will help the environment and the Las Vegas community through the efforts of Green Chips and Repurpose AMERICA,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. “CES is a tremendously successful event thanks to the great people and facilities of Las Vegas, and we’re pleased to make this investment in sustainability to demonstrate our commitment to this great city.”

Green Chips, a local charity supporting sustainable initiatives including solar panel installations, plans to use its $50,000 donation to help retrofit the Las Vegas Rescue Mission for solar panels. With more than 300 days of sunshine per year in Las Vegas, the Rescue Mission’s solar panels will significantly reduce its energy bills while using clean energy. Last year, with the assistance of a CEA donation, Green Chips helped with a solar panel installation at a local Salvation Army, leading to $7,000 in projected annual energy savings.

“CEA’s generosity in making this award to Green Chips will make a lasting impact on the Las Vegas community for years to come,” said Green Chips Chair Cindy Ortega. “The promotion of social, economic and environmental sustainability efforts in Southern Nevada is the primary mission of Green Chips, and it aligns with CEA’s commitment to sustainability. We are honored to again be the recipient of this award, and to help ensure that its positive benefits on the community are maximized.”

In an unprecedented effort to minimize waste from the 2011 International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology show, CEA, Global Experience Specialists (GES) and Repurpose AMERICA collaborated to capture and reuse about 18,000 pounds of magnetic signs, nearly 15,000 square feet of banner signs and more than 150 foam boards (three feet by eight feet).

This year at CES, CEA will issue second life badge holders made from repurposed signs from last year’s CES, plus signs from other shows. The badge holders used nearly 24,000 square feet of repurposed vinyl signs.

CEA will be working again with Repurpose AMERICA and GES this year to maximize the reuse of show materials. As part of that effort, CEA has granted Repurpose AMERICA $25,000 to take signs and other materials from CES to build shade structures at two local community centers.

“Repurposing signs from the biggest tradeshow in the Americas to help create much-needed shade structures at community institutions is a innovative sustainability solution that CEA and Repurpose AMERICA have pioneered,” said Zach Delbex, CEO of Repurpose AMERICA. “We are proud to continue working with CEA and are honored to accept this donation. It will make a difference in Las Vegas.”

Last year, Southern Nevada residents recycled over 15,000 trees, which created 130 tons of mulch for landscaping projects at local parks! Since 2001, residents have recycled approximately 100,000 Christmas trees or the equivalent of over 12,600 cubic yards of solid waste which was diverted from the landfill to a beneficial use.

Free Christmas tree mulch will be available to residents on a first-come, first-served basis at Pecos Legacy Park on January 14th from 9-1pm. You must bring a container to transport the mulch in.

Check out the attached document for more information, you can also visit www.cdsn.org or find Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling on Facebook!

Please help spread the word by forwarding this message to colleagues, friends and family. Thanks!

The solar PV installation is complete and the solar thermal installation will be completed the second week in October. We were able leverage the donation by securing rebates and incentives from the following organizations:

City of Las Vegas
NV Energy
Southwest Gas

These organizations, along with representatives from LVCVA, MGM and Caesars, have been participating on our project committee which has made this a truly collaborative, community project. The extra funds allowed us to increase the solar portion and include some lighting replacements, motion sensors  and other energy saving upgrades. The Salvation Army is very grateful for the assistance at a time when cost savings are imperative to their ability to serve the record number of homeless people in our community. During the Consumer Electronics Show convention in January we participate in a press event with CEA and invite participating organizations and our Board to attend in order to recognize the very generous donation from CEA and to celebrate this project.

Progress photos:

Nevada Renewable Energy Leadership Award Presented to Green Chips by Solar NV, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, (ASES).

Las Vegas – Solar NV, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), will present the 2011 Nevada Renewable Energy Leadership Award at their annual CRINIS – “Rays of Sunlight” banquet.

The Green Chips organization will be honored for their efforts and contributions to renewable energy and energy efficiency in Nevada on Saturday, August 27^th at 6:00 p.m. at the Panevino Restaurant, located at 246 Via Antonio Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89119.  The evening will begin with a reception, a silent auction, followed by the award presentation and dinner.

WHEN: 6:00 p.m. Saturday, August 27

WHERE: Panevino Restaurant at 246 Via Antonio Ave., Las Vegas, NV

WHAT: Nevada Renewable Energy Leadership Award presented to the Green Chips organization by the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, Solar NV “Crinis 2011″ banquet

For more information or to purchase tickets:   www.solarnv.org

HI-RES PHOTOS AT:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lakemeadnra/sets/72157626682841815/

SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. – The National Park Service and Forever Resorts, LLC are
dedicating the first floating building project in the world to be
registered for LEED® certification on Monday, June 6, at 1 p.m. at Lake
Mead National Recreation Area’s Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake
Mohave.  The building, which will serve as the marina’s operations office,
is expected to be certified at the LEED® Gold rating. The public is
invited.

“It was a visionary team made up of private industry and government led by
our partner Forever Resorts that transformed this idea into action,” said
Superintendent Bill Dickinson. “We’re setting the standard for eco-friendly
floating buildings. There’s no better place than in a national park to do
that.”

The floating eco-friendly structure features sustainable modular
construction and state-of-the-art energy-efficient and environmentally
responsible materials and fixtures. Decking is made of a composite of rice
hulls and recycled plastic and the exterior stucco is made of recycled
tires. Use of low or no volatile organic compound materials, paints and
adhesives will rid the building of the typical new building smell,
improving the overall indoor air quality.

“Forever Resorts is dedicated to conservation and environmentally
sustainable practices, and we couldn’t be more excited to make history by
developing a building that embraces the eco-friendly principles we
support,” said John Schoppmann, executive vice president, Forever Resorts.
“We will use this building not only to welcome our customers, but also to
educate them about sustainable building practices.”

Carlson Studio Architecture, based in Sarasota, Fla., was selected to
resolve the unique challenge of designing a floating green building based
upon their diverse sustainable design leadership.  “Every building type has
the potential to perform at a higher level with integrated environmental
considerations,” explained Project Architect Michael R. Carlson. “We jumped
at the chance to work with this team to design a first-of-its-kind,
first-class marine facility.”

To commemorate the building’s dedication, the National Park Service and
Forever Resorts are conducting an art contest. Submissions should be
inspired by the environment, wildlife, landscape and history of the Lake
Mead National Recreation Area and will be accepted through August 15, 2011.
The winner in each category will receive Black Canyon River Adventure
rafting excursions for a family of four and will have their artwork
displayed in the new marina building. Additionally, one grand prize winner
will receive a houseboat vacation departing from any Forever Resorts marina
in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Full details and rules are
available on Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/CottonwoodCove.

The project’s key earth-minded elements and commitments include the Forever
Resorts Forever Earth Environmental Management System and a mix of new and
existing programs:

•    Green Cleaning Program throughout the resort (currently in place)
•    Green Purchasing Program (currently in place)
•    Energy and Environmental Education Programs for boaters and
community members (currently in place)
•    Extensive energy saving materials and systems, including
high-performance insulated glass
•    High-efficient HVAC equipment and delivery systems
•    Extensive use of recycled and regionally extracted and/or
manufactured materials, such as concrete, steel, drywall, metal studs,
carpet, etc.
•    Finish materials, paints, adhesives, caulks and sealants that
contain low or no volatile organic compounds to ensure healthy indoor air
quality
•    Extensive natural daylight and views to the outdoors throughout,
maximizing east/west orientation
•    Recycled and recyclable building and landscape materials
•    Prevention of night sky pollution

The Indie Music Fest – http://www.theindiemusicfest.com/home.html

Henderson Shines – http://www.cityofhenderson.com/neighborhood_services/Henderson_Shines.php

(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 04, 2011 ) Las Vegas, NV – Green Chips, a unique public/private non-profit organization that encourages investment into energy efficiency, received a $75,000 grant from The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® to support sustainable energy in Southern Nevada.

CEA presented a check today to Oscar Goodman, chairman of Green Chips and mayor of Las Vegas, in a ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the official site of this year’s CES from Jan. 6-9.

“This contribution will enable Green Chips to conduct more audits and prepare more buildings for clean solar energy,” Goodman said. “We applaud CEA’s contribution and welcome another year of the CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow.”

The donation was made to Green Chips’ Non-Profit Energy Audit and Retrofit program, which typically helps provide financing for the cost of a building’s energy efficiency audit and construction retrofit needs. The Shade Tree Shelter used this energy efficiency audit and retrofit program to reduce energy use and improve the living environment for their housing and programs for homeless and abused women with children in crisis.

Green Chips has already been working to identify worthy non-profit organizations in Southern Nevada who could most benefit from this type energy efficiency projects. The CEA initiative will be completed by the end of this year.

“This donation illustrates CEA’s commitment to sustainability in the Las Vegas area as we launch what is sure to be another successful International CES,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. “Green Chips is creating clean energy and showing the power of green innovation and ingenuity in southern Nevada, which mirrors CES’ dedication to being a green tradeshow and to implementing sustainable practices.”

For more information on the efforts by Green Chips to increase sustainability in Southern Nevada, please visit www.greenchips.org.

About Green Chips:
Green Chips is a unique public/private partnership to encourage sustainability initiatives in Southern Nevada. In response to the needs of the global environment, Green Chips is helping local residents and businesses take real steps to reduce environmental impacts in our own community. For additional information, please visit www.greenchips.org.

About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $170 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.

Contact Information:
RB Communications
Reggie Burton
Tel: 702-558-9202
Email us

Ride the new Westcliff Airport Express for free December 17 – 24, 2010. Free rides only for Westcliff Airport Express valid with Local ID.

Designed with commuters in mind, the Westcliff Airport Express provides limited stop transit service. The Express service departs from the new Westcliff Transit Center and Park & Ride, located at Durango Drive and Westcliff Drive, near Summerlin Parkway. The Westcliff Transit Center features more than 140 parking spaces, ticket vending machines and a climate-controlled transit center for passengers to wait for vehicles. Three residential transit routes also serve the Westcliff Transit Center. Routes 207 (Alta/Stewart), 208 (Washington), and 209 (Vegas Drive/Owens) stop at the Westcliff Transit Center. The transit center is conveniently located near Summerlin Parkway, making it an ideal spot for carpool partners to meet.

December 12, 2010 Route & Schedule: Westcliff Airport Express Route & Schedule