Sustainability

Downtown Ann Arbor businesses finally go green with recycling services

By Newsroom

●

January 7, 2009

Ann Arbor is known for its ambitious recycling program but the dirty little secret is that that ambition didn't extend to downtown businesses.Things are about to change. The Ann Arbor City Council approved a program that will give downtown businesses recycling options by July. The goal is to divert up to 60 percent of the solid waste stream to recycling.The city and its downtown development authority have been pushing to make the downtown district as sustainable as possible. The reasons range from helping boosting the city's already green image to helping save downtown businesses and residents money.The new commercial recycling program includes providing containers and recycling the basics for downtown businesses, such as paper and plastic. The details of the plan are still being worked out.Source: City of Ann ArborWriter: Jon Zemke

Latest in Sustainability

Washtenaw Land Trust protects 25 more acres in Whitmore Lake

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

December 17, 2008

Ann Arbor's Greenbelt may get most of the headlines when it comes to rural land preservation, but the Washtenaw Land Trust is the real big dog.Case in point: the Trust just took 25 acres near Whitmore Lake under its protection. Significant, yes, but a drop in the bucket for a non-profit that controls the development rights to 3,711 acres across Washtenaw County. The trust has added 91 acres so far this year, but it expects to grow that number significantly in the coming weeks. "There will be much more by the end of the year," says Susan Lackey, executive director of the Washtenaw Land Trust. "We do as much in the last week and a half of a year as we do in the balance of the year."That meant about 1,000 acres in the waning days of 2007. Most of the donors were in a last minute rush to earn valuable tax credits - similar to the way people make charitable donations during the holidays to get tax breaks.And that's one of the big differences between the Trust and the greenbelt. While the greenbelt will spend millions of dollars to acquire development rights around Ann Arbor, the Trust protects rural acres through donations all around Washtenaw County."For us (paying for development rights) is more the exception than the rule where it's the opposite for the greenbelt," Lackey says.Both are similar in that they are located in Ann Arbor. The Trust is in the New Center building adjacent to the railroad tracks and Huron River in a space once occupied an old scrap yard on the city's north side. Jerry Norblom and Barbara Michniewicz made the most recent donation of development rights for 25 acres to the Trust. The property is composed of wetlands, a mature hard wood forest and old tree farms. The Washtenaw Land Trust now protects 334 acres in Webster Township. For information send an email to info@washtenawlandtrust.org or call (734) 302-LAND (5263).Source: Susan Lackey, executive director of the Washtenaw Land TrustWriter: Jon Zemke

Next up for EMU, renovation of Pray-Harrold

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

December 17, 2008

Eastern Michigan University is ready to start tackling the next major renovation project now that work is underway on the Mark Jefferson Building.The next project, planned toi begin about a year, is the Pray-Harrold Building. EMU wants to spend $42 million renovating the structure, replacing the electrical and mechanical systems, which are original to the 1969 structure."We want to improve the energy efficiency," says Scott Storrar, director of facilities, plants and construction for Eastern Michigan University.The university also wants to make the building more compliant with the American Disabilities Act. furthermore, it is planning to make the 237,000-square-foot structure more sustainable, pursuing LEED certification.University officials are still in the design phase. In fact the university hasn't even chose an architect for the renovation yet. However, many of these decisions are set to be made early next year.Source: Scott Storrar, director of facilities, plants and construction for Eastern Michigan UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke

U-M saves energy, cash with green computing

By Newsroom

●

Education

●

December 3, 2008

The University of Michigan is trying to make its computers as green as their motherboards with an environmental mission that is expected to save the university hundreds of thousands of dollars.Excerpt:Spurred into action by a phone call from Google cofounder Larry Page, the University of Michigan is on its way to becoming a leader in green computing, hoping to save money and the environment.The campus-wide volunteer effort, which officially kicked off in March, involves a number of initiatives designed to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy used to power the school's 80,000 desktop computers, half a dozen data centers and more than 100 server rooms.Teams of more than 90 U-M students, faculty and staff members are working to purchase more energy-efficient computers and other technological devices, reduce the number of server rooms on campus and get everyone to turn off computers and printers when they are not using them and print only necessary documents.One group set up a program that allows people to use computer equipment that others no longer want. Another is looking at switching to systems that allow one computer to do the job of multiple ones. And one plan involves certifying university departments that meet energy efficiency standards."There is such a groundswell of support," said Bill Wrobleski, the director of U-M's technical infrastructure operations who is leading the effort. "A lot of little things make a big thing."Read the rest of the story here and how U-M is highlighting its green efforts here.

Bgreen looks to make greenbacks selling green products in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Entrepreneurship

●

December 3, 2008

Tucked away in a small retail space next door to the Colonial Lanes bowling alley is the newest environmental feather in Ann Arbor's cap – Bgreen.Daniel Stephens, of Ethnic Creations fame, started putting the business together about six months ago before opening in November. Now his new store sells environmentally-friendly home building and cleaning products, such as Low-VOC paint.Stephens has been a retailer for about 20 years (his Ethnic Creations store is still open in Petoskey). The Ann Arbor resident has worked in the environmental movement for year and was looking for a new product mix. He put two and two together and came up with Bgreen."We try to be very comprehensive and we're growing everyday," Stephens says.Low-VOC paint is one of the firm's main products, but it also offers sustainable flooring such as bamboo wood and countertops made of recycled materials. He also sells 100 percent biodegradable products, such as plates, eating utensils and cleaning products."There are very few cleaning products that you can let go down the drain," Stephen says.The store employs five people right now, but Stephens expects that number to rise as the mainstream America works more and more sustainable options into its life.Source: Daniel Stephens, owner and CEO of BgreenWriter: Jon Zemke

A123Systems scores another Center of Energy Excellence for Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

December 3, 2008

Ann Arbor has scored another designation as one of the state's first Centers of Energy Excellence now that A123Systems has been granted $10 million.The centers serve as alternative energy partnerships, which are designed to bring companies and universities together to support cutting-edge research and development on new alternative-energy technology.Boston-based A123Systems will use the $10 million for its Ann Arbor office. It will focus on rechargeable lithium batteries for automobiles. The University of Michigan will contribute research on manufacturing system design, performance and processes while Michigan State University chips in research on battery materials and electrode designs. The Michigan Strategic Fund can allocate up to $45 million to establish these centers around the state. Last year Sakti3 and U-M won $3 million to help it develop its next-generation lithium battery technologies and processes.Source: Michigan Strategic FundWriter: Jon Zemke

More roundabouts around the corner in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

December 3, 2008

Two more roundabouts are coming 'round the bend for Ann Arbor. This time the Michigan Department of Transportation is planning to build them at the Geddes Road exit for U.S. 23 on the city's east side.The two roundabouts will replace traffic lights at the on/off-ramps for the exit. MDOT and local planners are still in the planning stages for how they will be installed, but have settled on the roundabout, a.k.a. traffic circle, as the answer to congestion problems in the area."It's a practical alternative right now to ease congestion and it's a very economical alternative," says Kari Arend, spokeswoman for MDOT.She explains that the roundabouts are economical because they will allow the exit to handle more traffic without lengthening on- and off-ramps, widening the bridge or redesigning lanes. The exit currently handles about 20,000 vehicles per day on average."This is one of the busiest interchanges in the area," Arend says.MDOT is currently speaking to local officials and residents about the plans. It expects to put the project out to bid in September and start construction in the spring of 2010, wrapping up the project the following fall.Roundabouts have been popping up like dandelions around Ann Arbor in recent years. A pair of them were installed at the Maple Road exit for M-14 to accommodate increased traffic from nearby Skyline High School. Another is at the intersection of Nixon Road and Huron Parkway.Modern roundabouts include a central island to guide the vehicular traffic and splitter islands at each leg of an intersection. One-way traffic moves around the central island where entering traffic must yield to the traffic already in the roundabout.Traffic circles slow and calm traffic, resulting in fewer accidents. They also decrease delays and cut down on the number of idling vehicles, reducing air pollution.They are common throughout Europe and have been appearing more frequently in North America in recent years. More common on the coasts, roundabouts and traffic circles have been popping up in southeast Michigan's suburbs in recent yearsSource: Kari Arend, spokeswoman for MDOTWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Shepherd Advisors helps create more green jobs in Michigan

By Newsroom

●

Entrepreneurship

●

December 3, 2008

In 2000 Loch McCabe saw a need and started to fill it. Given the recent focus on sustainable industries, he was a bit ahead of the curve. McCabe's Ann Arbor-based Shepherd Advisors helps businesses and institutions either break into the clean-technology sector or helps them become greener."There was a huge gap between the potential for clean technology companies in Michigan and what was actually happening," McCabe says. "I started Shepherd Advisors to help the progress of clean technology companies in Michigan."Loch started as the company's sole employee at the beginning of the decade. Today the consulting firm employs nine people, including independent contractors and interns. Over the last year Shepherd Advisors added three people and it hopes to grow its revenue and employee base by 50 percent within the next year.The firm's projects include assisting the city of Wyandotte to green its energy production. Wyandotte is installing solar panels on its schools and looking to build wind turbines along its section of the Detroit River.The company also has clients across Michigan, from East Lansing to Midland to its own backyard in Ann Arbor. Even in this difficult economy, it's enough to make McCabe a glass-half-full guy about his company's future."There are lots of reasons to be optimistic and a couple of reasons to be cautious," McCabe says.Source: Loch McCabe, president of Shepherd AdvisorsWriter: Jon Zemke

Green building gains momentum in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Environment & Sustainability

●

November 19, 2008

The Ann Arbor building landscape is becoming more and more eco-savvy as green building takes root in Tree Town.Excerpt:Green building continues to gain momentum locally, as area professionals organize new initiatives to bring attention to the field and an established construction firm opens an Ann Arbor office focused on environmentally conscious project development and execution.Ryan Stoianowski of Willis Building Co. in Saline is co-chair of the Emerging Green Builders Committee of the Detroit regional chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. In May, Stoianowski was the only active member, but it has since grown to include chapters at the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit Mercy.He said the goal is networking and education."We want to reach out to teach sustainability to young professionals and college students," Stoianowski said. "We're trying to get mentorship opportunities off the ground."A local network of people interested in green building and development could help stop the "brain drain" of younger people to places like Chicago and San Francisco, Stoianowski said.Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor’s greenbelt grows, but falling land values may make acquisitions harder

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

November 19, 2008

Ann Arbor's greenbelt is moving ahead at full speed but there might be a bump or two in the road ahead. Excerpt: Ann Arbor's greenbelt farmland preservation program added more than 330 acres this month, increasing its size by more than one-third, but falling land values have cast some uncertainty on the initiative's future. Declining values combined with historically high crop prices have greenbelt officials concerned that their offer to purchase development rights from farmers may not be as attractive as it used to be. The gap between the value of farmland in itself and the development rights is what made the sale of those rights alluring in the first place, and that gap is narrowing, said Peg Kohring of The Conservation Fund, a contractor managing the greenbelt program for the City of Ann Arbor. "I think the traditional farmer is not going to be motivated at all to sell their development rights," she said. "When you had the development rights higher, it really helped with the farmers' income." Read the rest of the story here.