Keep Fighting

Many times over in the past few years I have commented on my lack of satisfaction with the USGBC and their LEED program.  When they have been confronted in the past, I have jumped on board, and even was mocked by some for doing so.  Well once again this week, a challenge to their dominance came out when a major developer decided they would build a major structure, make it green and NOT go through the USGBC for certification.  All I can say is AMEN. Why we always end up in these mostly monopolistic situations in our world is mind blowing.  We have 1000 places to buy glass from but only one to certify it being green, or one to certify it being in compliance with energy ratings.  It is insane.  Hopefully the developer sticks to their guns and a better system evolves, and the world benefits.

Elsewhere…

--  Want to know another issue with USGBC?  Their annual Greenbuild show has become a portrait of disgusting excess.  Major concerts to kick it off (“Train” this year) and tons of celebrities and politicos on hand for no real reason other than “star power.”  Basically the event has become a gluttonous ego fest.  Sad since the goal of “going green” or living sustainable is opposite of what the USGBC does every year at Greenbuild.  As for the show, there’s a lot of pressure on them as last year in Toronto was not good.  We’ll what happens this time around.

--  Speaking of shows… we’re a month away from a pretty cool show in the west at Fenestration West 2012.  Held October 23^rd it is a one-day powerhouse of education, networking and information.  This year it’s in Burnaby, BC- so if you are in the west, it’s a must attend event.  More info is here.

--  Did you happen to see the story this week on a possible water shortage in North America?  The drought and weather is really taking its toll and I can tell you I believe there is no doubt this is a very serious issue.  I also think I am not alone and that’s why so many companies are jumping on board with better performing machinery that uses re-circulated water and other more efficient measures.  (Many at GlassBuild were looking for stuff like this) Even if there’s not a shortage or this is just a short-term threat, I just think running a smarter plant makes more sense.

--  Congrats to my friends at Glassopolis for their incredible contest win last week.  They won a cool 100K in a contest sponsored by the Toronto Globe and Mail and Telus in a competition for small businesses.  Evidently we have some very smart cookies at Glassopolis as they beat out 1200 other companies for the award.  Awesome for them and our industry!

--  A bizarre new survey from McGraw Hill says we’ll have an Architect shortage by 2014.  I guess these guys have gone from having trouble predicting a correct economic forecast to somehow coming up with this doozy.  Not a chance will there be a shortage of architects.  Now if they are saying they’ll be a shortage of capable architects, they may be right, but there’s been a shortage there for years…

--  Last this week… Serious Energy sold its Colorado plant back to Alpen the company they bought it from a few years ago.  There was also evidently an auction at the famous Chicago sit in plant in the last few weeks, so I guess that plant is gone too (though I don’t know what happened to the employee co-op that was poised to take it over) Anyway, amazing the transformation Serious has undergone, two years ago, they were everywhere and everything, crowing about the Empire State Building and the “revolutionary” way they were doing business while being mentioned by the President.  Now they are pretty much a shell of themselves.  I guess their version of heat mirror wasn’t ready for a comeback after all. 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  Hail to the Victors! University of Michigan gives a full scholarship to a student who is the ripe old age of 102!

--  I don’t know how to intro this one, other than to say it is an interesting story about free speech, dieting, and governmental regulations.

--  Holy moses… an 8 year old got her tongue stuck in a bottle!  And needed surgery to get it out.  Unreal.

VIDEO of the WEEK

Great video prank of a guy posing with the new iPhone… love it.