Green Roof Resource

Recently I’ve been researching the energy consumption of commercial buildings. The Energy Information Administration has a wealth of information on residential and commercial building energy consumption. Today I discovered an additional resource that provides tables with specfic R-value estimates, HVAC efficiencies, and general energy equation information. These and more can all found at Colorado Energy.

Willie Nelson’s enthusiasm for farmers and the environment has led to a new venture, biodiesel. Danny Hakim describes the venture in a December 30th article from The New York Times, His Car Smelling Like French Fries, Willie Nelson Sells Biodiesel.

Biodiesel as it is currently used, is not an alternative fuel. Already many states require agricultural fuel to be blended with standard diesel. However, biodiesel could provide an alternative if concerns of clogging lines in winter temperatures could be addressed. Producing enough biodiesel from agricultural crops is not possible at this stage and may not be desirable due to the environmental impact of large commercial farming, but utilization of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from restaurants and other FOG generators would provide an economic alternative to disposing of FOG or dumping FOG down drains , which creates problems for water distribution systems.