Architect recognized for ‘green’ efforts
The U.S. Green Building Council recently honored local architect Bill Brown for his contributions to sustainable design and
construction.
Environment
Articles
IU launches new energy research center
IU has launched another energy research center, this time the Center for Research in Energy, administered by the School of
Public and Environmental Affairs, in Bloomington.
DePauw, Ball State, Purdue buildings among top AIA design winners
Three university projects, two of which contain green-building elements, dominated the most recent design awards presented
by the American Institute of Architects Indiana chapter. Of the four award winners, three involved college buildings: the
Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University, the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering at Purdue University, and
the Straw Bale Eco Center at Ball State University.
Purdue University launches Center for Energy Systems and Policy to meld research, business, public policy
Last month, Purdue University launched the Center for Energy Systems and Policy to make sure its researchers
are working early in the process with business and public-policy experts at the university.
Let’s invest in wind, instead of coal
Developing wind energy for Indiana would be economical and could make the state a leader in the green economy of the future.
VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Benefits to buying or leasing in a troubled economy
As real estate professionals well know, a troubled economy is making it harder to negotiate and close deals. However, buying or leasing real estate in a troubled economy also provides great opportunities for buyers and tenants. Real estate brokers often talk about it being a buyer’s and renter’s market and focus on selection and price; however, there are several other benefits when buying or leasing commercial real estate in a troubled economy. These additional benefits include tax abatements or credits…
Kite Realty goes on defensive: Local developer says stock sale should help it through tough times
Expecting a rocky 2009, locally based Kite Realty Group Trust sold nearly 5 million new shares in October to quickly raise almost $48 million in cash. The retail real estate investment trust saw its stock price tumble after the $10.55-per-share offering, from a close of $11.19 the day (Oct. 2) it announced the sale to $7.44 by Oct. 10. The deal dilutes existing shareholders, but company officials say it puts Kite in a stronger cash position to pay down debt…
No perfect fit for Main Street: Small-business owners fall on both sides of political line
Joe the Plumber has been getting plenty of attention in recent weeks, but what about Kimberly the Merchant or John the Manufacturer? For all the talk about whether this year’s presidential candidates favor Wall Street or Main Street, there’s little discussion of the fact that neither Democrat Barack Obama nor Republican John McCain may be perfect for all small-business owners. Indianapolis manufacturing firm owner John Raine is backing McCain because of his stance on taxes and labor unions. Local shop…
A renewed call for renewable energy mandate: State bucks trend by not forcing utilities to diversify
Indiana has become the lone state in the upper Midwest not requiring that utilities supply a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources, such as wind turbines and landfill gas. Last month, Michigan’s legislature mandated that at least 10 percent of electricity supplied in that state be generated from renewable sources by 2015. Indiana’s conspicuous lack of a standard, along with growing environmental concerns over coal, could improve prospects for passing a standard during the 2009 session of the…
NOTIONS: The perils and pitfalls of pulling the party lever
My sister-in-law is a deputy county prosecutor in Michigan. By all accounts, she’s good at her job. But that may not matter. You see, my sisterin-law’s boss is up for re-election next month. And because his job is on the line, so is hers. So in addition to her day job, my sister-in-law has been working nights and weekends on the campaign. My sister-in-law is passionate about putting away bad guys. She’d like to keep doing it. But it’s not…
IP law illuminates growing field for women: Increase mirrors rising number of Internet companies and inventions
But more than a century later, women are protecting more than their own assets-they’re increasingly looking out for the intellectual property of business owners large and small. One of the hottest practice groups within law firms today, intellectual property law falls into four basic areas: copyrights, trademarks, patents and publicity rights. With the exception of patent law, which requires a background in science or engineering, no specialized undergraduate degree is required. Gary Roberts, dean and the Gerald L. Bepko professor…
BEHIND THE NEWS: Opportunities start to arise for steely nerved investors
“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful.” This philosophy, which Warren Buffett espoused to a group of Columbia University students when he was just 21, has served the billionaire investor well. And it may serve you well as you navigate the ugliest stock market in three decades. To be sure, the thrashing that stocks in Indiana and across the globe have weathered in recent weeks has been nearly across the board-savaging the shares of…
RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY: Should you put your head into ‘cloud computing’?
Sometimes just the name of a technology is enough to make me hate it. An example is the new hot thing, “cloud computing.” For one thing, the name has given marketers everywhere a new meme to exploit with puns, clever ad copy and pictures, speeches and slogans. There is even a cloud computing expo, where reportedly cloudy references were so numerous that it stormed inside the hall. Cloud computing is already here, and it’s only going to get deeper and…
Lawsuit raises questions about prison privatization: Complaint alleges abuse of mentally ill inmates
A newly filed federal lawsuit alleging widespread abuse of Indiana inmates raises questions about the state’s privatization of prison health care. The Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services Commission, a not-for-profit watchdog organization, sued the Indiana Department of Correction on Oct. 1, charging it regularly segregates mentally ill prisoners into isolation for 23 hours a day. According to the suit, the prisoners are punished by stripping away their clothes and being fed a diet consisting entirely of “nutraloaf,” described as “a…
INVESTING: Advocates did bad job selling rescue package
The word bailout is being used more than the folks at Merriam-Webster ever could have imagined. Yet, bailout is the wrong term to characterize the rescue plan the Federal Reserve and the Treasury presented to Congress. Our leaders have done a poor job explaining why. At present, the U.S. financial system is in cardiac arrest, and this plan is the defibrillator designed to jolt the system back to life. The crux of the problem is that banks and other financial…
Commentary: Downtown reflected in shoeshine
Snake was proprietor of the shoeshine stand at Cento Shoes on South Meridian Street and, like he said, he could “make your shoes shine like new money every time.” For over 27 years, he applied his spit and polish with lively commentary on any subject you chose. He was a downtown historian and authority on the local scene. Snake suffered from a variety of ailments, but it was arthritis that finally sent him into retirement. While watching him fold that…
VIEWPOINT: Think you can move fast? Look at China
This month, I am making my 50th trip to China. My first trip was in 1995 to identify a possible Chinese partner for a manufacturing joint venture in Nantong. When the potential partner honored me by serving a coiled snake as one of the main dishes, I thought, “What am I doing here?” But that’s what change is all about-delving into the unfamiliar. Four years later, we had found a trusted partner, signed a joint venture agreement, located the proper…
Retailers save on energy costs through innovative lighting, heating and cooling
With energy costs at historic highs, retailers are struggling to find ways to trim the cost of lighting, heating and cooling
their stores and other facilities. The process of wringing out savings can be long, difficult and complex. However, the rewards
are too substantial to ignore.
Planners to pare down commuter-rail options: Vote for light diesel trains would precede design
Goodbye elevated guideway. Goodbye buses zooming down paved-over rail beds. For that matter, forget about commuter trains running down the median of Binford Boulevard and I-69. Or along Allisonville Road or Keystone Avenue. These northeast corridor rapid-transit options, cheered and jeered by residents in the debate over rapid transit, officially get thrown from the train on Sept. 26. That’s if a regional government group votes to accept the recommendation of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization for running diesel light rail…
VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: State buildings to go green thanks to executive order
Green construction projects in Indiana are becoming more the norm than the exception. More office buildings, schools and universities and even residences are being designed and constructed to improve environmental efficiency. And now, new and renovated state buildings will be a whole lot greener, too. Gov. Mitch Daniels signed an executive order this summer establishing the Energy Efficient State Building Initiative, mandating that all new state buildings be designed, constructed and operated for maximum energy efficiency. This is significant for…