The competition challenges university teams from around the globe to build solar-powered, highly energy-efficient homes that combine affordability, consumer appeal and design excellence.  ThermaCote, Inc. worked with the team from the University of Puerto Rico in 2009 and it was a great experience for us all.

The Solar Decathlon 2013 will include teams from the following universities.

• Arizona State University and the University of New Mexico (Tempe, Ariz., and Albuquerque, N.M.)

• Czech Technical University (Prague, Czech Republic)

• Hampton University and Old Dominion University (Hampton and Norfolk, Va.)

• Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vt.)

• Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, Mo.)

• Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.)

• Queens University, Carleton University, and Algonquin College (Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario)

• Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, Calif.)

• Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology (Los Angeles, Calif.)

• Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.)

• Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, N.J.)

• The Catholic University of America, George Washington University, and American University (Washington, D.C.)

• The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)

• The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (El Paso, Texas)

• University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta)

• University of Louisville, Ball State University and University of Kentucky (Louisville, Ky.; Muncie, Ind.; and Lexington, Ky.)

• University of Nevada Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)

• University of Southern California (Los Angeles, Calif.) • Vienna University of Technology (Vienna, Austria)

• West Virginia University (Morgantown, W. Va.)

The selected teams and their proposed projects represent a diverse range of building technologies, design approaches, target markets, geographic locations, climates, and regions, including urban, suburban, and rural settings, DOE added.

More information on the competition:http://www.solardecathlon.gov/

The Solar Decathlon and Solar Decathlon Europe have been the subject of a number of news and feature stories in Durability + Design. These include: University of Maryland’s ‘WaterShed’ Triumphs at Solar Decathlon 2011; Their Time in the Sun: ‘Decathlon’ Entries Go Toe to Toe in Capital; A Shining Moment for SPF; Model ‘Green’ House; ‘Solar Decathlon’ home features low-VOC paints; and others.

Sited from http://www.durabilityanddesign.com/news/?fuseaction=view&id=7060&nl_versionid=1680

Dear Mr. Sharp:
Hope this letter finds you and your ThermaCote family in the best of health. Habitat for Humanity Yuma would like to thank you for your company’s contribution to our new build in Wellton, Arizona.

The fact that Habitat for Humanity of Yuma was selected as the beneficiary of your product is outstanding. Families that will move into these homes will have an added tool in managing their utility cost. By reducing the overall utility expenditure, the savings realized by the families will help improve their quality of life. The summers in the Arizona desert can be very brutal with temperatures exceeding one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit. ThermaCote product will definitely make a huge impact in energy savings during the summer months.

The fact that ThermaCote would take it upon itself to provide assistance to the less fortunate is a sign of a very special company with strong leadership. To have the awareness that providing assistance is a positive influence on the outcome of our communities is again a strong indicator on your commitment to helping the less fortunate.

Tommy, ThermaCote will always have a special place in our heart and your contribution to our new homes is very much appreciated by all of us.

Respectfully,

Frank Carrillo Executive Director

Habitat for Humanity Yuma

Mooresville, NC (August 29, 2011) Josh Wise will pilot the No. 40 Key Motorsports prepared Chevrolet in Saturday’s 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with primary sponsorship from ThermaCote, Inc., an Atlanta area manufacturer of high performance sealants used in homes, classrooms, hotels and all types of buildings.

“ThermaCote, Inc. is fired up at the opportunity to sponsor and support the Key Motorsports #40 car at the Nationwide Series Great Clips 300,” stated Thomas R. Sharp, Jr., President of ThermaCote, Inc. “We’ve got all of Atlanta cheering for Josh and the #40 ThermaCote® Chevy!”

Wise, who drove the No.40 Chevrolet at Watkins Glen and Montreal the past two weeks, is looking forward to returning to the 1.5-mile high-banked superspeedway where he recorded an 11th-place finish in the 2010 edition of this event.

“I like running Atlanta, it is super fast and there is a lot of room to race,” offered Wise. “We have a good chemistry with Gary Showalter (Key Motorsports crew chief) and the whole No. 40 team. Gary is very knowledgeable with these cars and I am looking forward to a good run in the ThermaCote® Chevrolet in Saturday’s race.”

Showalter is equally as pleased with the way everything worked out to bring Wise and ThermaCote® together for Atlanta this weekend.

“We have everything we need for a good showing in Atlanta,” shared Showalter. “Josh is a level-headed driver with a lot of potential and we are bringing our best to this race. We appreciate the support of ThermaCote® at Atlanta and want a good result for them.”

While the No. 40 ThermaCote® Chevrolet remains the flagship of the Key Motorsports fleet, team owner Curtis Key recently expanded his operation to four Nationwide Series teams which has opened up opportunities for many during a slow economy.

“Key Motorsports is proud to represent ThermaCote®” said Key. “It is a quality product made right here in the United States by a quality company and we are thankful for their support. Josh, Gary and the Key Motorsports team are prepared to get the job done this weekend.”

ESPN2 will broadcast Saturday’s 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series race live from Atlanta Motor Speedway with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

About ThermalCote, Inc. — http://ThermaCote.Com

ThermaCote, Inc. is a family owned and operated company incorporated in 1986. The goal and standard has always been to produce products that are friendly to the environment and that make lasting and measurable impacts by way of energy savings for building owners and occupants. ThermaCote® is a MAS Certified Green product to the California DHS 01350 standards for Indoor Air Quality in Classrooms & Offices, also Energy Star qualified and is a CRRC (Cool Roofs Rating Council) “Rated” Product along with a UL Classified 0 flame spread and only weighs 5lbs per gallon. With built in corrosion protection, ThermaCote® is the perfect primer/topcoat on new or existing sheetrock, wood, glass, plastic, concrete or steel projects and helps to seal the envelope of any structure. On roofs in hot climates ThermaCote® delivers unmatched ROI combined with maintenance programs which can protect your assets for decades. Use ThermaCote® to prevent thermal bridging through concrete slabs, and also use it on asphalt to redirect energy, cooling surfaces that contribute to the “urban heat island effect” in cities. Interior applications have a life of the structure warranty ensuring ThermaCote® will be there when your systems need it the most!

Short URL: http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=16227

U.S. energy secretary Chu backs a novel idea: to whitewash roofs and highways. It could save lots of money and highlights an increasingly proactive agency.

ThermaCote® News (ThermaCote.Com) – NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — America should attack global warming by … painting rooftops and road surfaces white.

Seriously. No kidding.

Among those promoting the idea is Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a big-thinking physicist who has a bully pulpit and influence over billions in research and stimulus funds.

Chu spoke about the idea at a London conference last year while Congress was busy hashing out a complex, 1,400-page bill to cut greenhouse gases.

Whitening the world’s roofs and roads would have the same effect on global warming as removing all the world’s cars for 11 years, he said.

“So I’d like to appeal to all people — we should convert to white limousines,” he said.

Chu was joking about the limousines, of course. But his proposal for addressing climate change is genuine.

It sounds kooky, but environmentalists say the idea is legit.

They say recent research shows it’s even more beneficial than previously thought. Moreover the Energy Department, flush with $38 billion in stimulus money, is in a position to make it happen.

Chu’s comments were based on recent research from Arthur Rosenfeld, a former colleague of Chu’s at the Energy Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Chu’s all cars for 11 years number is meant to be illustrative — no one really expects all roofs and all roads will be painted white.

But for new projects and some retrofits, it does make sense.

A white roof has three benefits:

• It keeps buildings cooler, reducing the amount of energy required for air conditioning.
• It reduces the so-call “heat island” effect, the heating up of entire urban areas which then causes other buildings in the vicinity to heat up, whether they are in direct contact with the sun or not.
• A white roof or road will actually reflect the sun’s rays back into space, keeping the atmosphere cooler.

“This is a great idea,” said Lane Burt, an energy policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We always knew it was good, and now we’re just starting to realize it’s even better than we previously thought.”

The Associated General Contractors of America, while saying costs for white roofs vary greatly, recommends them as one energy-efficient upgrade.

The Energy Department said a white roof can knock 10% to 20% off a building’s electric bill. To that end, it is encouraging anyone replacing or building a roof to take advantage of $2 billion in tax credits available under the stimulus plan.

A spokesman said the department is looking to use more of its stimulus money to promote “cool roofs,” which don’t have to be white and could include silver reflective paint or even rooftop gardens.

As for white roads, the spokesman said the department isn’t actively promoting them, but said an effort may be made to educate communities on the benefits of using cement-colored asphalt.

The Energy Department’s recent push into innovative conservation measures and renewable energy research is largely credited to its current head.

Chu, with a Nobel Prize to his name, is former head of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a strong advocate of renewable energy and conservation.

This is a marked contrast from previous energy secretaries, who often came from business or political backgrounds and had little experience in the energy industry itself, let alone the scientific community that many now hope will help the country move away from fossil fuels. President Reagan’s first energy secretary tried hard to abolish his own department.

W
hen renovating or building a new hotel, contractors should consider using paints with low volatile compounds, or low-VOC paints.

These eco-friendly paints, from a variety of manufacturers, make sense for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is they have low odors, meaning they won’t drive away your guests complaining of paint fumes. They meet standards for green building certifications and good air quality equals a better sleep, which equals a better guest experience.

Steve Revnew, vice president of product development for Sherwin-Williams at its Cleveland headquarters, answered questions about these paints, particularly their durability, costs and covering ability.

Hotel Interactive: Do low VOC paints cover as well as traditional paints?

Steve Revnew: Yes, as the demand for green building practices continues to grow and the standards for green building certifications continue to grow more stringent, VOC-compliance of a coating has become an important characteristic of a “good quality” paint. As far as comparison to traditional paints, low-VOC paints can perform on par or better than non-VOC compliant product as it relates to hiding and longer-lasting performance. These qualities translate to fewer coats needed to achieve a durable surface, which minimizes the frequency of costly repaints, and makes the investment in these produces beneficial for both contractor and customer.

HI: Are they more expensive?

SR:  Actually, VOC-complaint produces do not come at a high cost. In fact, even with the high-quality surfaces these coatings produce, the costs of these paints is in the same range as other premium coatings on the market today, making them affordable for contractors and a cost-effective option for customers even amidst tough economic times.

HI: Do they last as long as traditional paints?

SR: Yes, in fact, recent technological advances in environmentally preferred coatings have brought a new generation of performance-rich interior products to the market that offers even longer-lasting durability and high-end aesthetics, along with application ease. Some environmentally responsible paints also contain antimicrobial properties that resist mildew, bacteria, and other microbes to help maintain a fresh appearance longer. In addition, these coatings prevent stains from penetrating better than ceramic coatings on the market; resist burnish marks; and withstand repeated washings and visible paint wear, making them perfect for high-traffic areas and facility environments.

Ron Word,  Hotel Interactive, Inc.

Share the different methods and products you have used in your home to reduce your overall energy consumption. We will post different ideas, methods, tips and products you can utilize to reduce your overall carbon footprint.

We encourage you to subscribe to our blog and pledge to save energy with Kilowatt Killer.

Please review how ThermaCote® ceramic insulating coating can help you reduce your energy consumption and  fulfill your pledge to save energy.

China, now a leader in everything from cleantech investment to carbon emissions, can expect to see its star keep rising in 2011. However, the business atmosphere there promises to show much more volatility in the coming year … with uncertain implications for outside investors.

Enabling future energy solutions

Now in its 4th edition, World Future Energy Summit continues to provide the leading platform for international policy makers, innovators, business decision makers and investors to explore global energy challenges with the view to creating real and sustainable solutions.

In 2011, WFES is proud to bring together more than 150 eminent speakers and 3000 high level delegates to discuss the burning issues surrounding future energy. This is your opportunity to meet your industry colleagues and share knowledge and experiences which will further our collective goal of clean, secure and sustainable energy.

This year’s Summit program has been designed to assist you in identifying your specific areas of interest and offers a variety of formats – keynote address, ‘big picture’ plenary sessions, lively panel discussions, in-depth case studies and interactive master classes.

Use our ‘Program at a Glance’ as a quick reference guide or go online to “My WFES” to customise your schedule at the event and ensure you maximize your time.

“The World Future Energy Summit organized in Abu Dhabi offers an excellent opportunity to present solutions for a modern and sustainable energy system. Siemens with its innovative technologies is proud to attend an event of this scale, reflecting our commitment to develop renewable and sustainable energy sources as well as being part of tomorrow’s solutions.

Wolfgang Dehen, CEO of the Energy Sector and member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG”

See the full Summit program here and register today to reserve your place at the sustainable energy event of the year!