Cement from CO2: A Concrete Cure for Global Warming? - Scientific American
The turbines at Moss Landing power plant on the California coast burn
through natural gas to pump out more than 1,000 megawatts of electric
power. The 700-degree Fahrenheit (370-degree Celsius) fumes left over
contain at least 30,000 parts per million of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming—along with other pollutants.
Today, this flue gas wafts up and out of the power plant's enormous
smokestacks, but by simply bubbling it through the nearby seawater, a
new California-based company called Calera says it can use more than 90
percent of that CO2 to make something useful: cement.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Major Chinese City Plans Future around Low Carbon Development | World Resources Institute
Major Chinese City Plans Future around Low Carbon Development | World Resources Institute
By 2030, 221 Chinese cities will have at least one million residents.
These fast-growing urban areas present an unprecedented opportunity to
create global models for the sustainable, low carbon cities of tomorrow.
China’s 12th Five-Year Plan strongly promotes sustainable cities, and
the coastal city of Qingdao is leading the way in translating this
principle into action on the ground. WRI helped generate Qingdao’s
blueprint for sustainable development, and brought its pioneering
efforts to national attention.
By 2030, 221 Chinese cities will have at least one million residents.
These fast-growing urban areas present an unprecedented opportunity to
create global models for the sustainable, low carbon cities of tomorrow.
China’s 12th Five-Year Plan strongly promotes sustainable cities, and
the coastal city of Qingdao is leading the way in translating this
principle into action on the ground. WRI helped generate Qingdao’s
blueprint for sustainable development, and brought its pioneering
efforts to national attention.
Cement from CO2: A Concrete Cure for Global Warming? - Scientific American
Cement from CO2: A Concrete Cure for Global Warming? - Scientific American
The turbines at Moss Landing power plant on the California coast burn
through natural gas to pump out more than 1,000 megawatts of electric
power. The 700-degree Fahrenheit (370-degree Celsius) fumes left over
contain at least 30,000 parts per million of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming—along with other pollutants.
Today, this flue gas wafts up and out of the power plant's enormous
smokestacks, but by simply bubbling it through the nearby seawater, a
new California-based company called Calera says it can use more than 90
percent of that CO2 to make something useful: cement.
The turbines at Moss Landing power plant on the California coast burn
through natural gas to pump out more than 1,000 megawatts of electric
power. The 700-degree Fahrenheit (370-degree Celsius) fumes left over
contain at least 30,000 parts per million of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming—along with other pollutants.
Today, this flue gas wafts up and out of the power plant's enormous
smokestacks, but by simply bubbling it through the nearby seawater, a
new California-based company called Calera says it can use more than 90
percent of that CO2 to make something useful: cement.
Can 'Green Cement' Make Carbon Capture and Storage Obsolete? - NYTimes.com
Can 'Green Cement' Make Carbon Capture and Storage Obsolete? - NYTimes.com
There are a growing number of companies and investors that are betting
this conventional wisdom is wrong. They are supporting technologies that
will separate and then trap carbon emissions in a series of "beneficial
products" that can be shipped to markets and sold at a profit. That,
they assert, will avoid the need for much of the carbon capture and
storage (CCS) infrastructure now on energy planners' drawing boards.
The most outspoken salesman for this approach is Brent Constantz, who
has spent much of his career studying, patenting and marketing new ways
to make cement. He believes that what he calls "green cement," which
starts as a milky precipitate made from injecting carbon dioxide from
power plant emissions into seawater, can be made and sold at a profit.
In the Constantz scenario, his "green" cement and "green" aggregate that
is used to make concrete would begin to take market share from
conventional cement makers, which are the nation's third-largest source
of CO2 emissions behind the utility and transportation sectors.
There are a growing number of companies and investors that are betting
this conventional wisdom is wrong. They are supporting technologies that
will separate and then trap carbon emissions in a series of "beneficial
products" that can be shipped to markets and sold at a profit. That,
they assert, will avoid the need for much of the carbon capture and
storage (CCS) infrastructure now on energy planners' drawing boards.
The most outspoken salesman for this approach is Brent Constantz, who
has spent much of his career studying, patenting and marketing new ways
to make cement. He believes that what he calls "green cement," which
starts as a milky precipitate made from injecting carbon dioxide from
power plant emissions into seawater, can be made and sold at a profit.
In the Constantz scenario, his "green" cement and "green" aggregate that
is used to make concrete would begin to take market share from
conventional cement makers, which are the nation's third-largest source
of CO2 emissions behind the utility and transportation sectors.
Using Wood for Sustainable Design + Construction | Building Design + Construction
Using Wood for Sustainable Design + Construction | Building Design + Construction
Life-cycle
analysis: The environmental proof of wood
The results are in: According to the Athena Model, wood is a greener choice than
steel and concrete, based on its life cycle attributes. The Athena Model was
developed by Canada’s Athena Sustainable Materials Institute to assist
architects, engineers, and planners to evaluate the environmental
considerations of building materials. The institute’s research shows that wood
is a more environmentally benign material than steel or concrete in terms of
energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air and water pollution, production
of solid waste. and overall ecological resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel
Concrete
Total energy
use
Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse
gases
Lowest 45%
more 81% more
Air
pollution
Lowest 42% more
67% more
Water
pollution
Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid
waste
Lowest 36%
more 96% more
Ecological resource use
Lowest 16%
more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
Life-cycle
analysis: The environmental proof of wood
The results are in: According to the Athena Model, wood is a greener choice than
steel and concrete, based on its life cycle attributes. The Athena Model was
developed by Canada’s Athena Sustainable Materials Institute to assist
architects, engineers, and planners to evaluate the environmental
considerations of building materials. The institute’s research shows that wood
is a more environmentally benign material than steel or concrete in terms of
energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air and water pollution, production
of solid waste. and overall ecological resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel
Concrete
Total energy
use
Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse
gases
Lowest 45%
more 81% more
Air
pollution
Lowest 42% more
67% more
Water
pollution
Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid
waste
Lowest 36%
more 96% more
Ecological resource use
Lowest 16%
more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
research
shows that wood is a more environmentally benign material than steel or
concrete in terms of energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air
and water pollution, production of solid waste. and overall ecological
resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel Concrete
Total energy use Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse gases Lowest 45% more 81% more
Air pollution Lowest 42% more 67% more
Water pollution Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid waste Lowest 36% more 96% more
Ecological resource use Lowest 16% more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
The
model itself compares wood, steel, and concrete from resource
extraction, to manufacturing, to on-site construction, to building
occupancy, to building demolition, and ultimate to the building
material’s disposal, reuse, or recycling. Based on the findings, wood’s
high insulating properties, recycling and resource recovery rates, and
low pollution rates in harvesting and milling show wood to be a most
sustainable and environmentally friendly building material of the three
under review.
“Because the manufacturing of wood products is less
energy intensive than that for other materials, including steel
produced with some percentage of recycled material, the finished product
has lower embodied energy,” says Kenneth Bland, P.E., senior director
of Building Codes for the American Wood Council, supporting the
research. “Any full life cycle analysis comparing wood to steel in
residential structures shows wood to be environmentally superior.”
Similarly,
statistics published by APA–The Engineered Wood Association demonstrate
that the energy required to produce one ton of wood is much less than
that for other materials.
Compared to the energy required to produce a ton of wood, it takes:
· 5 times more energy to produce 1 ton of cement
· 14 times more energy to produce 1 ton of glass.
· 24 times more energy to produce 1 ton of steel.
· 126 times more energy to produce 1 ton of aluminum.
APA also
points out that wood products make up 47% of all industrial raw
materials manufactured in the U.S, yet consume only 4% of the total
energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. - See more
at:
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/using-wood-sustainable-design-construction-1#sthash.W2spxACr.dpuf
shows that wood is a more environmentally benign material than steel or
concrete in terms of energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air
and water pollution, production of solid waste. and overall ecological
resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel Concrete
Total energy use Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse gases Lowest 45% more 81% more
Air pollution Lowest 42% more 67% more
Water pollution Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid waste Lowest 36% more 96% more
Ecological resource use Lowest 16% more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
The
model itself compares wood, steel, and concrete from resource
extraction, to manufacturing, to on-site construction, to building
occupancy, to building demolition, and ultimate to the building
material’s disposal, reuse, or recycling. Based on the findings, wood’s
high insulating properties, recycling and resource recovery rates, and
low pollution rates in harvesting and milling show wood to be a most
sustainable and environmentally friendly building material of the three
under review.
“Because the manufacturing of wood products is less
energy intensive than that for other materials, including steel
produced with some percentage of recycled material, the finished product
has lower embodied energy,” says Kenneth Bland, P.E., senior director
of Building Codes for the American Wood Council, supporting the
research. “Any full life cycle analysis comparing wood to steel in
residential structures shows wood to be environmentally superior.”
Similarly,
statistics published by APA–The Engineered Wood Association demonstrate
that the energy required to produce one ton of wood is much less than
that for other materials.
Compared to the energy required to produce a ton of wood, it takes:
· 5 times more energy to produce 1 ton of cement
· 14 times more energy to produce 1 ton of glass.
· 24 times more energy to produce 1 ton of steel.
· 126 times more energy to produce 1 ton of aluminum.
APA also
points out that wood products make up 47% of all industrial raw
materials manufactured in the U.S, yet consume only 4% of the total
energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. - See more
at:
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/using-wood-sustainable-design-construction-1#sthash.W2spxACr.dpuf
Santa Barbara County Leads in Zero Energy Policy & Incentives - Getting to Zero Forum
Santa Barbara County Leads in Zero Energy Policy & Incentives - Getting to Zero Forum
Earlier this year, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution that states:
“All new Santa Barbara County owned facilities and major renovations beginning design after 2025 [will] be constructed as Zero Net Energy Facilities with an interim target for 50% of facilities beginning design after 2020 to be Zero Net Energy. Santa Barbara County departments shall also take measures toward achieving Zero Net Energy for 50% of existing Santa Barbara County owned facilities by 2025 and the remaining 50% by 2035.”
Earlier this year, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution that states:
“All new Santa Barbara County owned facilities and major renovations beginning design after 2025 [will] be constructed as Zero Net Energy Facilities with an interim target for 50% of facilities beginning design after 2020 to be Zero Net Energy. Santa Barbara County departments shall also take measures toward achieving Zero Net Energy for 50% of existing Santa Barbara County owned facilities by 2025 and the remaining 50% by 2035.”
Sunday, August 30, 2015
BuildingRating | Sharing Transparency for a More Efficient Future
BuildingRating | Sharing Transparency for a More Efficient Future
BuildingRating
Sharing Transparency for a More Efficient Future
Latest Updates
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Effective Planning Key to Achieving Zero Net Energy Buildings - Hillhouse Construction
Effective Planning Key to Achieving Zero Net Energy Buildings - Hillhouse Construction
There
are zero net energy buildings, and then there are signature, SageSpace
buildings. SageSpace and Hillhouse Construction Company are teaming up
once again to bring high-performance, zero net energy buildings to
market. We’d like to give you a glimpse into our planning process on 415
Mathilda, a project we started this past summer. We’re really excited
about it.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) set a goal to
bring 100% of all new commercial buildings to zero net energy (ZNE) by
2030 through energy efficiency retrofits and increased use of clean,
renewable energy generation. The construction industry is bustling in
Silicon Valley, but Hillhouse and SageSpace are leading the charge on
ZNE industry expansion and, when it’s done, 415 will be a showpiece for
the CEC zero net energy initiative.
Given Hillhouse’s portfolio of award-winning healthy buildings
and partnerships with industry leading teams at View Dynamic Glass and
Integral Group, the CEC awarded us a grant to build the 415 Mathilda
project and then share our building strategies and final results with
the rest of California.
Effective Planning Key to Achieving Zero Net Energy Buildings
Thereare zero net energy buildings, and then there are signature, SageSpace
buildings. SageSpace and Hillhouse Construction Company are teaming up
once again to bring high-performance, zero net energy buildings to
market. We’d like to give you a glimpse into our planning process on 415
Mathilda, a project we started this past summer. We’re really excited
about it.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) set a goal to
bring 100% of all new commercial buildings to zero net energy (ZNE) by
2030 through energy efficiency retrofits and increased use of clean,
renewable energy generation. The construction industry is bustling in
Silicon Valley, but Hillhouse and SageSpace are leading the charge on
ZNE industry expansion and, when it’s done, 415 will be a showpiece for
the CEC zero net energy initiative.
Given Hillhouse’s portfolio of award-winning healthy buildings
and partnerships with industry leading teams at View Dynamic Glass and
Integral Group, the CEC awarded us a grant to build the 415 Mathilda
project and then share our building strategies and final results with
the rest of California.
Better Buildings Challenge Saves $840 Million in Energy Costs, Adds New Water Savings Goal | Department of Energy
Better Buildings Challenge Saves $840 Million in Energy Costs, Adds New Water Savings Goal | Department of Energy
efficiency and combat the harmful effects of climate change, Better
Buildings Challenge partners have cut energy waste by 94 TBTUs since
President Obama first launched the challenge in 2011. The energy savings
announced today have saved partners a total of $840 million dollars in
energy costs and avoided 6 million tons of harmful carbon emissions,
equivalent to cutting the emissions of 1 million cars. To continue this
progress, the Energy Department is expanding the Better Buildings
Challenge to include water savings goals and Senior Advisor to the
President Brian Deese today called on existing partners to recruit one
new partner to join the program and set a goal of reducing energy use
across their respective building portfolios by at least 20 percent in
the next 10 years, effectively doubling down on Better Buildings.
Partners Continue to Lead in Efficiency, Reach New Levels of Energy Savings
WASHINGTON – As part of the Administration’s effort to advance energyefficiency and combat the harmful effects of climate change, Better
Buildings Challenge partners have cut energy waste by 94 TBTUs since
President Obama first launched the challenge in 2011. The energy savings
announced today have saved partners a total of $840 million dollars in
energy costs and avoided 6 million tons of harmful carbon emissions,
equivalent to cutting the emissions of 1 million cars. To continue this
progress, the Energy Department is expanding the Better Buildings
Challenge to include water savings goals and Senior Advisor to the
President Brian Deese today called on existing partners to recruit one
new partner to join the program and set a goal of reducing energy use
across their respective building portfolios by at least 20 percent in
the next 10 years, effectively doubling down on Better Buildings.
California’s Net Zero Energy Building Mandate To Reshape US Construction Industry | CleanTechnica
California’s Net Zero Energy Building Mandate To Reshape US Construction Industry | CleanTechnica
California’s recent revisions to Title 24 put in place ambitious
performance goals: all residential buildings must be Zero Net Energy
(ZNE) by 2020, and all commercial buildings must follow suit by 2030.
The code also applies to retrofit projects that pass certain thresholds.
(A ZNE building produces as much energy on-site as it consumes on an
annual basis.) These changes promise to reshape the construction
industry in significant ways — and not just in California. Here’s how.
California’s recent revisions to Title 24 put in place ambitious
performance goals: all residential buildings must be Zero Net Energy
(ZNE) by 2020, and all commercial buildings must follow suit by 2030.
The code also applies to retrofit projects that pass certain thresholds.
(A ZNE building produces as much energy on-site as it consumes on an
annual basis.) These changes promise to reshape the construction
industry in significant ways — and not just in California. Here’s how.
Electricity from biomass with carbon capture could make western U.S. carbon-negative | Berkeley News
Electricity from biomass with carbon capture could make western U.S. carbon-negative | Berkeley News
enerating electricity from biomass, such as urban waste and
sustainably-sourced forest and crop residues, is one strategy for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, because it is carbon-neutral: it
produces as much carbon as the plants suck out of the atmosphere.
A new UC Berkeley study shows that if biomass electricity production
is combined with carbon capture and sequestration in the western United
States, power generators could actually store more carbon than they emit
and make a critical contribution to an overall zero-carbon future by
the second half of the 21st century.
By capturing carbon from burning biomass – termed bioenergy with
carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) – power generators could become
carbon-negative even while retaining gas- or coal-burning plants with
carbon capture technology. The carbon reduction might even offset the
emissions from fossil fuel used in transportation, said study leader
Daniel Sanchez, a graduate student in UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources
Group.
“There are a lot of commercial uncertainties about carbon capture and
sequestration technologies,” Sanchez admitted. “Nevertheless, we’re
taking this technology and showing that in the Western United States 35
years from now, BECCS doesn’t merely let you reduce emissions by 80
percent – the current 2050 goal in California – but gets the power
system to negative carbon emissions: you store more carbon than you
create.”
BECCS may be one of the few cost-effective carbon-negative
opportunities available to mitigate the worst effects of anthropogenic
climate change, said energy expert Daniel Kammen, who directed the
research. This strategy will be particularly important should climate
change be worse than anticipated, or emissions reductions in other
portions of the economy prove particularly difficult to achieve.
enerating electricity from biomass, such as urban waste and
sustainably-sourced forest and crop residues, is one strategy for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, because it is carbon-neutral: it
produces as much carbon as the plants suck out of the atmosphere.
A carbon dioxide injection well in Australia. (Photo courtesy of CO2CRC)
is combined with carbon capture and sequestration in the western United
States, power generators could actually store more carbon than they emit
and make a critical contribution to an overall zero-carbon future by
the second half of the 21st century.
By capturing carbon from burning biomass – termed bioenergy with
carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) – power generators could become
carbon-negative even while retaining gas- or coal-burning plants with
carbon capture technology. The carbon reduction might even offset the
emissions from fossil fuel used in transportation, said study leader
Daniel Sanchez, a graduate student in UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources
Group.
“There are a lot of commercial uncertainties about carbon capture and
sequestration technologies,” Sanchez admitted. “Nevertheless, we’re
taking this technology and showing that in the Western United States 35
years from now, BECCS doesn’t merely let you reduce emissions by 80
percent – the current 2050 goal in California – but gets the power
system to negative carbon emissions: you store more carbon than you
create.”
BECCS may be one of the few cost-effective carbon-negative
opportunities available to mitigate the worst effects of anthropogenic
climate change, said energy expert Daniel Kammen, who directed the
research. This strategy will be particularly important should climate
change be worse than anticipated, or emissions reductions in other
portions of the economy prove particularly difficult to achieve.
PCM for Energy Efficient Buildings
PCM for Energy Efficient Buildings
Phase Change Composite Materials for Energy Efficient Building Envelopes
Introduction
In 2009, building operation was responsible for
about 30% of greenhouse gas emission and accounted for about 40% of
primary energy consumption globally [1]. Furthermore, greenhouse gas
emission from the building sector is expected to grow in the next
decades as a result of rapid economic growth [2]. Similar statistics
hold for the United States. In 2011, building operation accounted for
about 40% of total US primary energy consumption with 46% consumed by
commercial and 54% by residential buildings [3]. About 30 and 43% of
this energy was consumed for space heating and air conditioning in
commercial and residential buildings, respectively [3]. Therefore,
reducing the energy required for heating and cooling would
substantially improve building energy efficiency. To curb the energy
consumption of the building sector, the 2008 California long term
energy efficiency strategic plan established two major goals: (1) all
new residential buildings should be zero net energy (ZNE) by 2020 and
(2) all new commercial buildings by 2030 [4]. The European Union
established similar goals: (1) new buildings owned and occupied by
public authorities will be “nearly ZNE” by 2018 and (2) all new
buildings will be “nearly ZNE” by 2020 [5].
about 30% of greenhouse gas emission and accounted for about 40% of
primary energy consumption globally [1]. Furthermore, greenhouse gas
emission from the building sector is expected to grow in the next
decades as a result of rapid economic growth [2]. Similar statistics
hold for the United States. In 2011, building operation accounted for
about 40% of total US primary energy consumption with 46% consumed by
commercial and 54% by residential buildings [3]. About 30 and 43% of
this energy was consumed for space heating and air conditioning in
commercial and residential buildings, respectively [3]. Therefore,
reducing the energy required for heating and cooling would
substantially improve building energy efficiency. To curb the energy
consumption of the building sector, the 2008 California long term
energy efficiency strategic plan established two major goals: (1) all
new residential buildings should be zero net energy (ZNE) by 2020 and
(2) all new commercial buildings by 2030 [4]. The European Union
established similar goals: (1) new buildings owned and occupied by
public authorities will be “nearly ZNE” by 2018 and (2) all new
buildings will be “nearly ZNE” by 2020 [5].
Fusion with smaller scale
A team of researchers, building on work that began as a class project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has published a design for an “ARC” demonstration-scale fusion energy power plant that could actually live up to the ambitious adjectives behind the acronym: “affordable, robust, compact.”
Michael Green: Why we should build wooden skyscrapers | TED Talk | TED.com
Michael Green: Why we should build wooden skyscrapers | TED Talk | TED.com
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_why_we_should_build_wooden_skyscrapers?language=en
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_why_we_should_build_wooden_skyscrapers?language=en
35-Story Wood High Rise Proposed for Paris | Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network
35-Story Wood High Rise Proposed for Paris | Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network
The
winner of a design competition in Paris, France could push the limit of
wood design and construction much, much higher than it's gone before.
winner of a design competition in Paris, France could push the limit of
wood design and construction much, much higher than it's gone before.
"Michael
Green Architecture (MGA) just unveiled a proposal for a carbon neutral
wooden skyscraper in Paris that, if constructed, will be the world’s
tallest wood building," according to a post on Inhabitat.
"Created in collaboration with DVVD and real estate developer REI France, the wooden skyscraper—dubbed the Baobab—was designed as part of the city’s Réinventer Paris,
a competition seeking innovative and environmentally friendly urban
projects. The designers estimate the 35-story wood high-rise could
sequester 3,700 metric tons of carbon—an amount equivalent to keeping
2,207 cars off the road for a year."
Michael Green Architecture is also the design force behind the T3 project in Minneapolis, which would build a seven-story, 210,000-square-foot office building made entirely of wood.
Green Architecture (MGA) just unveiled a proposal for a carbon neutral
wooden skyscraper in Paris that, if constructed, will be the world’s
tallest wood building," according to a post on Inhabitat.
"Created in collaboration with DVVD and real estate developer REI France, the wooden skyscraper—dubbed the Baobab—was designed as part of the city’s Réinventer Paris,
a competition seeking innovative and environmentally friendly urban
projects. The designers estimate the 35-story wood high-rise could
sequester 3,700 metric tons of carbon—an amount equivalent to keeping
2,207 cars off the road for a year."
Michael Green Architecture is also the design force behind the T3 project in Minneapolis, which would build a seven-story, 210,000-square-foot office building made entirely of wood.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
China’s mega-cities are combining into mega-regions, and they’re doing it all wrong - Quartz
China’s mega-cities are combining into mega-regions, and they’re doing it all wrong - Quartz
following the advice of urban planners like Marcuson. Take Beijing, a
city of around 20 million residents with just one main center for
commerce and productivity. It is surrounded by concentric ring roads
that create heavy traffic, and even its very good subway system is
hugely overcrowded. Nevertheless, the Chinese government seems
determined to double-down on Beijing, combining it with the city of
Tianjin and parts of Hebei province into one huge megalopolis. But as Quartz has reported,
While Hebei isn’t likely to attract workers away from Beijing, the
other cities in the proposed “Jing-Jin-Ji” region are mostly suburbs,
with no real urban centers of their own—precisely the opposite to what
the specialists advise.
China isn’t alone in the development of mega-regions—greater
Tokyo and the Washington, DC-Boston corridor also have similarly huge
populations and geographies—but China’s ongoing urbanization and rapid
growth is making it something of a laboratory for urban planning on a
massive scale. The theoretical appeal of ever-larger municipal areas is
that they will create efficiencies in the delivery of services like
transport and sanitation, while knitting together a thriving urban
ecosystem.
Tokyo and the Washington, DC-Boston corridor also have similarly huge
populations and geographies—but China’s ongoing urbanization and rapid
growth is making it something of a laboratory for urban planning on a
massive scale. The theoretical appeal of ever-larger municipal areas is
that they will create efficiencies in the delivery of services like
transport and sanitation, while knitting together a thriving urban
ecosystem.
The trouble is that China’s mega-cities and
mega-regions aren’t being built with an eye toward maximizing the
advantages and minimizing the downsides of creating these massive
metropolises. Most importantly, the mega-regions are being built around a
small number of city centers, many of which are surrounded by
concentric circles of commuters and bedroom communities that makes
traffic hellish and pollution even worse.
mega-regions aren’t being built with an eye toward maximizing the
advantages and minimizing the downsides of creating these massive
metropolises. Most importantly, the mega-regions are being built around a
small number of city centers, many of which are surrounded by
concentric circles of commuters and bedroom communities that makes
traffic hellish and pollution even worse.
“Among the 10 developed and emerging mega-regions
in China, only a limited number have exhibited a significant level of
polycentricity,” concluded a report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
(pdf), a US think tank. “Around half of the 10 mega-regions are either
dominated by a single major center, or by a limited number of major
centers which are located closely to one another.”
in China, only a limited number have exhibited a significant level of
polycentricity,” concluded a report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
(pdf), a US think tank. “Around half of the 10 mega-regions are either
dominated by a single major center, or by a limited number of major
centers which are located closely to one another.”
This is a problem because it ultimately means
everyone will want to work in close proximity to the city centers, which
causes sky-high property prices and transportation headaches. Size
doesn’t always have to be a negative, though.
everyone will want to work in close proximity to the city centers, which
causes sky-high property prices and transportation headaches. Size
doesn’t always have to be a negative, though.
“Mega-cities are a necessary step in the
development of urban areas,” Eric Marcuson, a Chongqing-based urban
planner at Aecom, told Quartz. “A city is just an urban area with one
center, but to increase growth and productivity cities eventually need
to encompass more, complimentary centers.”
Unfortunately it doesn’t appear that China is development of urban areas,” Eric Marcuson, a Chongqing-based urban
planner at Aecom, told Quartz. “A city is just an urban area with one
center, but to increase growth and productivity cities eventually need
to encompass more, complimentary centers.”
following the advice of urban planners like Marcuson. Take Beijing, a
city of around 20 million residents with just one main center for
commerce and productivity. It is surrounded by concentric ring roads
that create heavy traffic, and even its very good subway system is
hugely overcrowded. Nevertheless, the Chinese government seems
determined to double-down on Beijing, combining it with the city of
Tianjin and parts of Hebei province into one huge megalopolis. But as Quartz has reported,
While Hebei isn’t likely to attract workers away from Beijing, the
other cities in the proposed “Jing-Jin-Ji” region are mostly suburbs,
with no real urban centers of their own—precisely the opposite to what
the specialists advise.
A brief guide to Tianjin, past, present and future | CityMetric
A brief guide to Tianjin, past, present and future | CityMetric
Tianjin is part of China’s Bohai Bay area. Earmarked as a strategic component of the 11th Five-Year Plan, Bohai Bay is now a rising northern economic powerhouse that rivals both the Pearl and Yangtze River deltas.
Tianjin has a population of 14.7m people,
and is the third-largest urban area in China after Beijing and
Shanghai. It has traditionally acted as a port for Beijing, 120 km to
the north-west. A popular saying encompasses the relation between history and urban transformation:
represents an unparalleled microcosm of the world in the late-imperial
and republican eras, encompassing both the height and the decline of the
age of imperialism (1860–1945). In the second half of the 19th century,
it became the most important commercial city in northern China, having
been opened as a treaty port in 1860. This was a consequence of the Treaty of Beijing that the defeated Qing Government was forced to sign at the end of the Second Opium War (1856-60).
Tianjin is part of China’s Bohai Bay area. Earmarked as a strategic component of the 11th Five-Year Plan, Bohai Bay is now a rising northern economic powerhouse that rivals both the Pearl and Yangtze River deltas.
Tianjin has a population of 14.7m people,
and is the third-largest urban area in China after Beijing and
Shanghai. It has traditionally acted as a port for Beijing, 120 km to
the north-west. A popular saying encompasses the relation between history and urban transformation:
If you want to understand 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation look
at Xi’an, 1,000 years look at Beijing, modern China look at Tianjin.
The city of Tianjin occupies a unique position in Chinese history: it at Xi’an, 1,000 years look at Beijing, modern China look at Tianjin.
represents an unparalleled microcosm of the world in the late-imperial
and republican eras, encompassing both the height and the decline of the
age of imperialism (1860–1945). In the second half of the 19th century,
it became the most important commercial city in northern China, having
been opened as a treaty port in 1860. This was a consequence of the Treaty of Beijing that the defeated Qing Government was forced to sign at the end of the Second Opium War (1856-60).
A Context for Assessing the Potential Ecological Fall-Out from the Tianjin Chemical Explosions - MAHB
A Context for Assessing the Potential Ecological Fall-Out from the Tianjin Chemical Explosions - MAHB
In the U.S., Europe, across South America and Africa, urban
despoliation is forcing land managers and city planners to think in
terms of vertical agriculture and terra-forming the vast expanse of
city-rooftops. One city in desperate need of such albedo-heat-island
countering greening is Los Angeles. New visions of green space corridors
have already been engendered, or partially so, within Rio de Janeiro,
Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore and
Frankfurt-am-Main. Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, a strong trading
partner of China, is in the process of creating Africa’s most important
city park, the former Army Dump known as Malhazine. It will be nearly
three times the size of New York’s Central Park, which sees some 30
million visitors per year, and serve as an international template for a
‘peace park’, an in situ biodiversity sanctuary, an environmental
educational outreach center, a museum, herbarium and arts and crafts
emporium for local artists and artisanal aficionados.
In the U.S., Europe, across South America and Africa, urban
despoliation is forcing land managers and city planners to think in
terms of vertical agriculture and terra-forming the vast expanse of
city-rooftops. One city in desperate need of such albedo-heat-island
countering greening is Los Angeles. New visions of green space corridors
have already been engendered, or partially so, within Rio de Janeiro,
Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore and
Frankfurt-am-Main. Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, a strong trading
partner of China, is in the process of creating Africa’s most important
city park, the former Army Dump known as Malhazine. It will be nearly
three times the size of New York’s Central Park, which sees some 30
million visitors per year, and serve as an international template for a
‘peace park’, an in situ biodiversity sanctuary, an environmental
educational outreach center, a museum, herbarium and arts and crafts
emporium for local artists and artisanal aficionados.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
BBC - Future - China's eco-cities: Sustainable urban living in Tianjin
BBC - Future - China's eco-cities: Sustainable urban living in Tianjin
The world’s largest eco-city is rising from wastelands in China and our
environment columnist is there to get a first-hand look.
The world’s largest eco-city is rising from wastelands in China and our
environment columnist is there to get a first-hand look.
Can we afford eco-cities? - CNN.com
Can we afford eco-cities? - CNN.com
Forget about the arms race and the space race, the future belongs to those countries that win the green race.
Forget about the arms race and the space race, the future belongs to those countries that win the green race.
Resilient-Sustainable-Communities-Report.pdf
Resilient-Sustainable-Communities-Report.pdf
M.S. Sustainability Management, Columbia University
4
T
he report also provides a pair of tools for government officials who want to pursue the
integration of hazard mitigation and land use planning through sustainability.
The
first is
methodology
–
a step
-
by
-
step guide
–
for harmonizing these two different typ
es of plans. The
second is a
Sustainab
ility Strategies Resource Guide, which
offers innovative
strategies for
reducing the risk of riverine flooding. The guide includes the following
:
Mitigation strategies aimed at deflecting the
severity of a major flood
event;
Green infrastructure strategies to combat period
s
of heavy rainfall, riverine flooding,
storm wa
ter runoff, and sewage overflow;
Funding sources for implementing mitigatio
n and sustainability strategies;
Streamlining the development process of futur
e land use and development plans to
ensure the
use
of strategies in c
urrent or planned development
or
redevelopment.
The U.N.’s latest report on climate change is terrifying | Grist
The U.N.’s latest report on climate change is terrifying | Grist
The key word that the report uses to describe our plight: irreversible.
From The New York Times:
appointed by the United Nations to periodically review the latest
research on climate science — has been rolling out its fifth assessment
report in four installments, and this draft is the latest.
While it restates many things included in earlier reports, this time
it uses stronger words in hopes that you and I and everyone else will
actually freak out the way we should given the circumstances. Grueling
heat waves, droughts, floods,
The key word that the report uses to describe our plight: irreversible.
From The New York Times:
The world may already be nearing a temperature at whichThe IPCC — a team of scientists and other experts
the loss of the vast ice sheet covering Greenland would become
inevitable, the report said. The actual melting would then take
centuries, but it would be unstoppable and could result in a sea level
rise of 23 feet, with additional increases from other sources like
melting Antarctic ice, potentially flooding the world’s major cities.
appointed by the United Nations to periodically review the latest
research on climate science — has been rolling out its fifth assessment
report in four installments, and this draft is the latest.
While it restates many things included in earlier reports, this time
it uses stronger words in hopes that you and I and everyone else will
actually freak out the way we should given the circumstances. Grueling
heat waves, droughts, floods,
Sustainable: Resiliency is next stage for building design | Finance & Commerce
Sustainable: Resiliency is next stage for building design | Finance & Commerce
The result of his work is “RELi,” a new ratings system in a pilot
stage that incorporates other certification standards while adding in
resiliency measures. Two of the certification programs are based in
Washington, D.C. — the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design and the Institute for Sustainable
Infrastructure’s Envision program.
Some ideas were pulled from Minnesota’s own SB 2030 Energy Standard and the Living Green Challenge.
The RELi “Resiliency Action” list Pierce created has more than 200
actions, many from LEED and Envision. About 60 actions focus on
resiliency, in particular hazard preparedness and hazard mitigation.
RELi’s guidelines are available at c3livingdesign.org, the C3 Living Design Project,
which describes the program in great detail. Mike Italiano, CEO of
Capital Markets and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, said the
impact of global warming is already being taken into account by the
insurance industry and financial institutions. They want to support and
invest in more sustainable communities that can withstand increasingly
unpredictable and dangerous weather.
The idea behind RELi is to provide architects and builders with
guidelines to follow that are not imposed by the government yet allow
communities to better cope with potential disasters.
The result of his work is “RELi,” a new ratings system in a pilot
stage that incorporates other certification standards while adding in
resiliency measures. Two of the certification programs are based in
Washington, D.C. — the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design and the Institute for Sustainable
Infrastructure’s Envision program.
Some ideas were pulled from Minnesota’s own SB 2030 Energy Standard and the Living Green Challenge.
The RELi “Resiliency Action” list Pierce created has more than 200
actions, many from LEED and Envision. About 60 actions focus on
resiliency, in particular hazard preparedness and hazard mitigation.
RELi’s guidelines are available at c3livingdesign.org, the C3 Living Design Project,
which describes the program in great detail. Mike Italiano, CEO of
Capital Markets and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, said the
impact of global warming is already being taken into account by the
insurance industry and financial institutions. They want to support and
invest in more sustainable communities that can withstand increasingly
unpredictable and dangerous weather.
The idea behind RELi is to provide architects and builders with
guidelines to follow that are not imposed by the government yet allow
communities to better cope with potential disasters.
Tianjin Eco-city :: Introduction
Tianjin Eco-city :: Introduction
socially harmonious, environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient – a
model for sustainable development". This vision is underpinned by the concepts of "Three Harmonies" and "Three Abilities".
"Three Harmonies" refers to:
Vision
The Tianjin Eco-city's vision is to be "A thriving city which issocially harmonious, environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient – a
model for sustainable development". This vision is underpinned by the concepts of "Three Harmonies" and "Three Abilities".
"Three Harmonies" refers to:
- People living in harmony with other people, i.e. social harmony
- People living in harmony with economic activities, i.e. economic vibrancy
- People living in harmony with the environment, i.e. environmental sustainability
- Practicable - the technologies adopted in the Eco-city must be affordable and commercially viable
- Replicable - the principles and models of the Eco-city could be applied to other cities in China and even in other countries
- Scalable - the principles and models could be adapted for another project or development of a different scale
Presentation - HE/GANG 何钢
Presentation - HE/GANG 何钢
August 18, 2014. Panel speaker: "Is Your City Really Sustainable? A Tale of Jinan City Using Quantitative Low Carbon Eco-City Tools" in 2014 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Pacific Grove.
The 2014-15 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Auction Revenue Expenditure Plan
The 2014-15 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Auction Revenue Expenditure Plan
regulation that places a cap on aggregate GHG emissions from entities
responsible for roughly 85 percent of California’s total GHG emissions.
While these entities are not assigned an individual reduction target,
entities that emit at least 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO2e) per year are subject to the cap–and–trade
regulation and are therefore considered to be “covered entities.” When
the program is fully operational, approximately 600 of the state’s
largest emitters of GHGs will be subject to the regulation, including
oil producers, refiners, and electricity generators. In order to comply
with the regulation, a covered entity must obtain one allowance (or
equivalent thereof) for every metric ton of CO2e that it emits during a
given compliance period.
Under ARB’s cap–and–trade program, covered entities have an opportunity to obtain allowances in multiple ways. The ARB has designed its cap–and–trade
program to provide a portion of allowances for free, while another
portion are available for purchase at quarterly auctions. Covered
entities also have the opportunity to trade allowances in the open
market. Over time, the cap on aggregate annual emissions will gradually
decline from 409 million metric
tons of CO2e in 2012 to 341 million metric tons of CO2e in 2020. As the
cap declines, the number of allowances ARB makes available will decline
proportionately. Thus, a covered entity will need to determine if it is
more cost–effective to purchase allowances or to reduce its emissions (such as by making energy efficiency upgrades in its facility).
California’s Cap–and–Trade Program
In conjunction with the AB 32 Scoping Plan, ARB adopted a cap–and–traderegulation that places a cap on aggregate GHG emissions from entities
responsible for roughly 85 percent of California’s total GHG emissions.
While these entities are not assigned an individual reduction target,
entities that emit at least 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO2e) per year are subject to the cap–and–trade
regulation and are therefore considered to be “covered entities.” When
the program is fully operational, approximately 600 of the state’s
largest emitters of GHGs will be subject to the regulation, including
oil producers, refiners, and electricity generators. In order to comply
with the regulation, a covered entity must obtain one allowance (or
equivalent thereof) for every metric ton of CO2e that it emits during a
given compliance period.
Under ARB’s cap–and–trade program, covered entities have an opportunity to obtain allowances in multiple ways. The ARB has designed its cap–and–trade
program to provide a portion of allowances for free, while another
portion are available for purchase at quarterly auctions. Covered
entities also have the opportunity to trade allowances in the open
market. Over time, the cap on aggregate annual emissions will gradually
decline from 409 million metric
tons of CO2e in 2012 to 341 million metric tons of CO2e in 2020. As the
cap declines, the number of allowances ARB makes available will decline
proportionately. Thus, a covered entity will need to determine if it is
more cost–effective to purchase allowances or to reduce its emissions (such as by making energy efficiency upgrades in its facility).
Best Practices and Co2 scenarios for the Globe
08.CEU Technical Report copy_0.pdf
The major increase in energy use and related CO2
emissions will come from the developing world due to rapid economic development, expanded access to
energy services and population growth. Global building floor area is projected to
increase by almost 127% by 2050 with most of this growth coming from
developing countries. How such an expansion will affect building energy use and
GHG emissions greatly depends on the energy performance of the buildings
constructed in the next 40 years, the energy used in these buildings, including
how energy will be utilized in these buildings. In developed countries the depth of
building renovation is most crucial, as the buildings that determine emissions
levels on a mass scale in 2050 already mostly exist
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Market Mechanisms: Understanding the Options | Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Market Mechanisms: Understanding the Options | Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Market Mechanisms: Understanding the Options
Climate change poses a significant risk for a
broad range of human and natural systems. Policies to reduce emissions
are critical if we are to avoid the most costly damages associated with a
rapidly changing climate. Compared to traditional command-and-control
regulations, market-based policies can more cost-effectively reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by creating financial incentives for GHG
emitters to emit less. Ten U.S. states and many jurisdictions outside
the United States have established market-based programs to reduce GHGs.
Market-based policies would be among the options available to states to
reduce GHGs from power plants under the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan. This brief describes the theory
behind market-based approaches; their success in cost-effectively
reducing GHGs and other emissions; and a range of market-based options,
including: a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade program, a baseline and credit
program, a clean or renewable electricity standard, and an energy
efficiency resource standard.
broad range of human and natural systems. Policies to reduce emissions
are critical if we are to avoid the most costly damages associated with a
rapidly changing climate. Compared to traditional command-and-control
regulations, market-based policies can more cost-effectively reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by creating financial incentives for GHG
emitters to emit less. Ten U.S. states and many jurisdictions outside
the United States have established market-based programs to reduce GHGs.
Market-based policies would be among the options available to states to
reduce GHGs from power plants under the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan. This brief describes the theory
behind market-based approaches; their success in cost-effectively
reducing GHGs and other emissions; and a range of market-based options,
including: a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade program, a baseline and credit
program, a clean or renewable electricity standard, and an energy
efficiency resource standard.
Land Use Tweaks Can Halve CO2 Emissions Gap | CleanTechnica
Land Use Tweaks Can Halve CO2 Emissions Gap
| CleanTechnica
A new report, “Halfway There? What the Land Sector Can Contribute to
Closing the Emissions Gap Post-2020,” contributes some very useful
measurement schemes that will benefit nations beginning to calculate
their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) prior to the
critical Paris UN climate change meeting (COP21) this December. These
metrics will aid in bridging the gap between reductions that countries
have so far pledged and additional useful pledges.
Land Use Tweaks Can Halve CO2 Emissions Gap
February 2nd, 2015 by Sandy DechertA new report, “Halfway There? What the Land Sector Can Contribute to
Closing the Emissions Gap Post-2020,” contributes some very useful
measurement schemes that will benefit nations beginning to calculate
their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) prior to the
critical Paris UN climate change meeting (COP21) this December. These
metrics will aid in bridging the gap between reductions that countries
have so far pledged and additional useful pledges.
Reduced carbon emission estimates from fossil fuel combustion and cement production in China : Nature : Nature Publishing Group
Reduced carbon emission estimates from fossil fuel combustion and cement production in China : Nature : Nature Publishing Group
Nearly three-quarters of the growth in global carbon emissions from the
burning of fossil fuels and cement production between 2010 and 2012
occurred in China1, 2.
Yet estimates of Chinese emissions remain subject to large uncertainty;
inventories of China’s total fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2008
differ by 0.3 gigatonnes of carbon, or 15 per cent1, 3, 4, 5.
The primary sources of this uncertainty are conflicting estimates of
energy consumption and emission factors, the latter being uncertain
because of very few actual measurements representative of the mix of
Chinese fuels. Here we re-evaluate China’s carbon emissions using
updated and harmonized energy consumption and clinker production data
and two new and comprehensive sets of measured emission factors for
Chinese coal. We find that total energy consumption in China was 10 per
cent higher in 2000–2012 than the value reported by China’s national
statistics6,
that emission factors for Chinese coal are on average 40 per cent lower
than the default values recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change7, and that emissions from China’s cement production are 45 per cent less than recent estimates1
Nearly three-quarters of the growth in global carbon emissions from the
burning of fossil fuels and cement production between 2010 and 2012
occurred in China1, 2.
Yet estimates of Chinese emissions remain subject to large uncertainty;
inventories of China’s total fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2008
differ by 0.3 gigatonnes of carbon, or 15 per cent1, 3, 4, 5.
The primary sources of this uncertainty are conflicting estimates of
energy consumption and emission factors, the latter being uncertain
because of very few actual measurements representative of the mix of
Chinese fuels. Here we re-evaluate China’s carbon emissions using
updated and harmonized energy consumption and clinker production data
and two new and comprehensive sets of measured emission factors for
Chinese coal. We find that total energy consumption in China was 10 per
cent higher in 2000–2012 than the value reported by China’s national
statistics6,
that emission factors for Chinese coal are on average 40 per cent lower
than the default values recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change7, and that emissions from China’s cement production are 45 per cent less than recent estimates1
Monday, August 24, 2015
Resource Library | Path to Zero Energy Buildings
Resource Library | Path to Zero Energy Buildings
Great resource in cooperation with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Great resource in cooperation with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Matt Kahn Buildings don't pollute, people do
KKQ Commercial NK030514 - KKQ Commercial NK030514.pdf
Commercial buildings
play
Commercial buildings
play
a
major role in determining
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions,
major role in determining
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions,
yet surprisingly little
is known about the environmental
performance of different buildings at a point in time or how
the same buildings perform over time.
is known about the environmental
performance of different buildings at a point in time or how
the same buildings perform over time.
Zero Net Energy Early Adopters Leadership Network | Path to Zero Energy Buildings
Zero Net Energy Early Adopters Leadership Network | Path to Zero Energy Buildings
Background
The
California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan set ambitious goals for
achieving Zero Net Energy for all new commercial buildings by 2030.
Additionally, last year the Governor issued Executive Order B-18-12 requiring that all new state buildings must be ZNE by 2025. There are equally ambitious goals for renovated buildings.
Background
The
California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan set ambitious goals for
achieving Zero Net Energy for all new commercial buildings by 2030.
Additionally, last year the Governor issued Executive Order B-18-12 requiring that all new state buildings must be ZNE by 2025. There are equally ambitious goals for renovated buildings.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Tyranical Division of Labor The Good Jobs Strategy by Zeynep Ton
The Good Jobs Strategy by Zeynep Ton
END OF THE TYRANNICAL DIVISION OF LABOR
Almost one in four American working adults has a job that pays less
than a living wage. Conventional wisdom says that’s how the world has
to work. Bad jobs with low wages, minimal benefits, little training, and
chaotic schedules are the only way companies can keep costs down and
prices low. If companies were to offer better jobs, customers would
have to pay more or companies would have to make less.
But in The Good Jobs Strategy, Zeynep Ton, a professor at the
MIT Sloan School of Management, makes the compelling case that even in
low-cost settings, leaving employees behind—with bad jobs—is a choice,
not a necessity. Drawing on more than a decade of research, Ton shows
how operational excellence enables companies to offer the lowest prices
to customers while ensuring good jobs for their employees and superior
results for their investors.
Ton describes the elements of the good jobs strategy in a variety of
successful companies around the world, including Southwest Airlines,
UPS, Toyota, Zappos, and In-N-Out Burger. She focuses on four model
retailers—Costco, Mercadona, Trader Joe’s, and QuikTrip—to demonstrate
the good jobs strategy at work and reveals four choices that have
transformed these companies’ high investment in workers into lower
costs, higher profits, and greater customer satisfaction.
Full of surprising, counterintuitive insights, the book answers
questions such as: How can offering fewer products increase customer
satisfaction? Why would having more employees than you need reduce
costs and boost profits? How can companies simultaneously standardize
work and empower employees?
The Good Jobs Strategy outlines an invaluable blueprint for
any organization that wants to pursue a sustainable competitive
strategy in which everyone—employees, customers, and investors—wins.
END OF THE TYRANNICAL DIVISION OF LABOR
Almost one in four American working adults has a job that pays less
than a living wage. Conventional wisdom says that’s how the world has
to work. Bad jobs with low wages, minimal benefits, little training, and
chaotic schedules are the only way companies can keep costs down and
prices low. If companies were to offer better jobs, customers would
have to pay more or companies would have to make less.
But in The Good Jobs Strategy, Zeynep Ton, a professor at the
MIT Sloan School of Management, makes the compelling case that even in
low-cost settings, leaving employees behind—with bad jobs—is a choice,
not a necessity. Drawing on more than a decade of research, Ton shows
how operational excellence enables companies to offer the lowest prices
to customers while ensuring good jobs for their employees and superior
results for their investors.
Ton describes the elements of the good jobs strategy in a variety of
successful companies around the world, including Southwest Airlines,
UPS, Toyota, Zappos, and In-N-Out Burger. She focuses on four model
retailers—Costco, Mercadona, Trader Joe’s, and QuikTrip—to demonstrate
the good jobs strategy at work and reveals four choices that have
transformed these companies’ high investment in workers into lower
costs, higher profits, and greater customer satisfaction.
Full of surprising, counterintuitive insights, the book answers
questions such as: How can offering fewer products increase customer
satisfaction? Why would having more employees than you need reduce
costs and boost profits? How can companies simultaneously standardize
work and empower employees?
The Good Jobs Strategy outlines an invaluable blueprint for
any organization that wants to pursue a sustainable competitive
strategy in which everyone—employees, customers, and investors—wins.
From Russia to Iran, the consequences of the global oil bust - The Washington Post
From Russia to Iran, the consequences of the global oil bust - The Washington Post
While
we have been watching the Islamic State and discussing Iran, something
much bigger is happening in the world. We are witnessing a historic fall
in the price of oil, down more than 50 percent in less than a year. When a similar drop happened in the 1980s, the Soviet Union collapsed. What will it mean now?
Nick
Butler, former head of strategy for BP, told me, “We are in for a
longer and more sustained period of low oil prices than in the late
1980s.” Why? He points to a perfect storm. Supply is up substantially
because a decade of high oil prices encouraged producers throughout the
world to invest vast amounts of money in finding new sources. Those
investments are made and will keep supply flowing for years. Leonardo
Maugeri, former head of strategy for the Italian energy giant Eni, says,
“There is no way to stop this phenomenon.” He predicts that prices
could actually drop to $35 per barrel next year, down from more than
$105 last summer.
Opinion writer
we have been watching the Islamic State and discussing Iran, something
much bigger is happening in the world. We are witnessing a historic fall
in the price of oil, down more than 50 percent in less than a year. When a similar drop happened in the 1980s, the Soviet Union collapsed. What will it mean now?
Nick
Butler, former head of strategy for BP, told me, “We are in for a
longer and more sustained period of low oil prices than in the late
1980s.” Why? He points to a perfect storm. Supply is up substantially
because a decade of high oil prices encouraged producers throughout the
world to invest vast amounts of money in finding new sources. Those
investments are made and will keep supply flowing for years. Leonardo
Maugeri, former head of strategy for the Italian energy giant Eni, says,
“There is no way to stop this phenomenon.” He predicts that prices
could actually drop to $35 per barrel next year, down from more than
$105 last summer.
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