All Posts Tagged With: "green power"

Profiled in last week’s small business report in Crain’s, Ardour Capital is a five-year-old investment bank that focuses exclusively on renewable energy and sustainable technology. Notwithstanding the persisting gloom on Wall Street (more on that in the context of green later this week), the firm expects revenues this year to top $10 million and double by 2009, up from $3.9 million in 2006. According to managing partner and co-founder Brian Greenstein, “[t]here’s a recognition that this sector is going to be one of the ones that grow.” Ardour’s 25 staffers review companies across the green power sector and then distill the technologies down for potential investors. Since opening its doors, Ardour has helped raised over $1 billion for 30 companies; earlier this year, it worked with California-based eco-friendly printer Colorep, Inc. in securing a $24 million private investment.

Designed by Perkins+Will and Lilker Associates Consulting Engineers, the New Space for Women’s Health will be New York City’s first stand-alone birthing center, offering women and their families prenatal and postpartum care, childbirth education, social work, and psychological services. The three-story project is pursuing a LEED Gold rating from USGBC; green features will include efficient HVAC, water, and lighting systems, among other LEED standards. Lilker’s healthcare division sought to design a “relaxed and warm setting” for patients that simultaneously conserves energy. The team is also considering installing wind turbines and solar hot water panels. The 8000-square-foot project involves the conversion of a former parking garage on West 30th Street in Midtown and should open sometime in 2010.

In 2005, the 800-square-foot OPEN House was conceived and constructed by 75 students at Old Westbury, Long Island’s New York Institute of Technology. Made from wood, the house debuted at the 2005 Solar Decathlon and took home fifth place as a fully operational showcase for solar and hydrogen fuel cell technology. In 2007, it was re-entered in the Decathlon with a few upgrades, including an array of 35 solar panels and a rooftop pool for heating and cooling, which was designed to simulate the heating and cooling principles of a geothermal system. The prototype included a performance dashboard displaying the home’s energy consumption in real-time. The Town of Hempstead recently purchased the OPEN House from NYIT for $75,000.00 as the centerpiece of a new alternative energy office park on Long Beach.

Calling itself in the “small wind” business as opposed to large-scale, utility-grade wind farms, Chautauqua Wind Energy plans to move into the fledgling market for smaller scale, residential wind turbines beginning this fall. Based in Chautauqua County, New York, the green energy company will focus on installing and servicing 5 to 10 kilowatt wind turbines. The company will act as a dealer and carry turbines from different manufacturers, including Bergey, Windterra, and Helix Wind. Chautauqua will also act as a consultant to determine the optimal installation for each of its customers. Chautauqua County is apparently a prime spot for wind energy. Boasting nearly constant Class 3 winds (15 miles per hour), the area is home to some of the windiest areas in New York State, which is actually the 15th windiest state in the union.

As part of Major League Baseball’s efforts to green this year’s All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium (which the American League won last night in 15 innings), the red carpet that covered 95,000 square feet of Sixth Avenue yesterday from 40th through 58th Streets during the All-Star Red Carpet Parade was manufactured by Bentley Prince Street from 100 percent recycled fiber content. Bentley, whose California manufacturing facility holds a LEED-EB rating from USGBC, used 100 percent renewable electricity to manufacture the carpet through its on-site solar array, coupled with the purchase of Green-e-certified RECs. According to Bentley, its carpet manufacturing process avoids the use of 300 pounds of petroleum-based fiber and 162,000 gallons of water.

The Dynamic Tower- a 1380-foot, rotating residential high-rise, will break ground in Dubai within a few months, according to Italian architect David Fisher, who discussed details about the project at a press conference today at the Plaza Hotel in Midtown. According to Dr. Fisher, a second Dynamic Tower will soon follow in Moscow with a third to come here in New York City. Although he did not provide specific details, Fisher noted that he is already talking to developers about bringing the concept to Gotham.