That Volkswagen Group of America builds fuel-efficient cars is well known in the industry. What may be less well known is that it built its new manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on the principle of environmental sustainability. Last year the plant achieved LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program. Platinum is the highest-possible LEED designation.

The first and only LEED Platinum automotive manufacturing plant in the world, the $1 billion, 2.7-million-square-foot facility was awarded 52 points, which included eight points in the critical categories of recycled content, regional materials, and construction waste management. Recycled content and regional materials each comprised more than 45 percent of total building materials, and the construction team salvaged or recycled nearly 78 percent (4,602 tons) of construction and demolition waste.

Read the full article at areadevelopment.com.

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The award recognizes environmental and conservation leadership in two categories: sustainability and land conservation. Award recipients were selected on the basis of environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability, and innovation. “Virginia Tech is a leader in campus sustainability and receiving our fourth Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in the past six years is a testimony to that commitment,” said Denny Cochrane, sustainability program manager in the Office of Energy and Sustainability. “Our students deserve so much credit for advancing sustainability at Virginia Tech,” said Cochrane.

Virginia Tech’s campus sustainability program seeks to improve the efficiency of campus facilities and operations; enhance academic programs related to sustainability; engage the campus and surrounding community; and change campus culture and behavior to conserve energy, water, and materials.

Read the full article on the Virginia Tech website.

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2012 Sustainability Report Highlights

– Verso’s 2012 energy initiatives kept us on track to achieve our U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings, Better Plants goal of reducing energy intensity by 25% by 2019.

– We completed and commercialized a $42 million renewable energy project at our Bucksport Mill in Maine that includes an upgraded biomass delivery system, upgraded combination boiler and new 25 megawatt turbine generator. The boiler, previously fed by a combination of fuels, now runs solely on renewable biomass save for a small amount of natural gas used to ignite the boiler at startup.

– 65 percent of total on-site energy generated by Verso in 2012 came from renewable, greenhouse gas-neutral biomass.

– 69 percent of the wood fiber Verso used was third-party certified to a credible forest management certification standard and all three Verso mills maintained compliance with the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (BV-PEFCCOC-US005202-1) and Forest Stewardship Council(TM) (FSC(R) License Code FSC(R)-C019085) chain-of-custody standards.

Read the full press release at marketwatch.com.

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In 2012, BASF developed a program that encourages employees to find improvements for issues relating to energy, safety and quality. More than 20,000 suggestions, many of which involved energy reduction, were implemented by BASF in Chattanooga. The company was nominated earlier this year by EPB Electric Power (EPB) for its pledge to outstanding leadership in sustainability through employee engagement.

Read the full article at the Chattanoogan.com.

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Since coming to the state two years ago, Boeing has earned seven awards for their environmentally conscious efforts and achievements. Boeing becomes the 41st facility to become a member of the SCEEP, a program dedicated to improving South Carolina’s environment by reducing waste streams through pollution prevention and by reducing consumption of energy and other resources.

Read the full article at scnow.com.

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CLERMONT, Ky., April 22, 2013 – When it comes to environmental sustainability, Jim Beam, home to the world’s No.1-selling bourbon, proudly reports that its efforts raise the bar. As the world recognizes Earth Day, thecompany is poised to receive full LEED “Gold” certification at its new visitors’ center, The Jim Beam American Stillhouse, located on the company’s flagship distillery grounds in Clermont, Ky. The voluntary LEED certification process, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

“As the world’s No. 1 Bourbon producer, Beam is committed to sustainable operating practices that minimize our carbon footprint and work in harmony with the environment,” said Steve Lutes, VP Technical Services. “We are proud of the strides we have made to protect our earth’s precious resources and make a difference.”

According to Lutes, Beam has a dedicated Environmental Management Committee that oversees improvement of its systems and processes worldwide.

Read the full article at hospitality-industry.com.

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The $200,000 per year for the Sustainable Investment Fund will fund projects approved by a panel of mostly students, though the makeup of the panel hasn’t been decided yet, said Aaron Traywick, the spokesman for the statewide Coalition of Alabama Students for the Environment.

CASE and the UA Environmental Council worked with the UA Student Government Association to make the fund a reality.

“The Sustainable Investment Fund will keep UA at the forefront of national and academic innovation well into the future,” UA SGA President Jimmy Taylor said in a news release.

Read the full article at al.com.

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Today, EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin welcomed Revolution Recovery Partner/Owner Avi Golen into the agency’s WasteWise program, and both formally signed the agreement. The ceremony took place at Revolution Recovery’s facility at 7333 Milnor St., in Northeast Philadelphia. As a WasteWise partner, Revolution Recovery, will demonstrate how they reduce waste, and will help educate other businesses and organizations about the benefits of recycling construction and demolition waste.

For more information about WasteWise, go to: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/smm/wastewise/about.htm.

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Also at the ceremony, Toyota was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with its ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Read the full article on the Financial website.

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The design submitted by the winning team from the University of Florida targets Reitz Lawn, an 11-acre open area and pedestrian corridor on campus. The plan aims to remove pollutants from stormwater before they reach nearby Lake Alice, which drains directly into the Floridian Aquifer. The design includes naturalistic rain gardens and bioswales, two architectural collection pools, a green wall, a green roof, and a campus garden.

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