Archive for 2009

As a precursor to this post, I just want to let it be known that if you aren’t aware of ISPs, copyright infringement, torrents, or the FCC, then you probably won’t care too much. On the other hand, if you’re one the 10mm people that do (myself included), who actively use the Internet and care about much of the “underground” aspects of it, then read on.

To catch the unenlightened up to date, after much speculation and debate which appeared on various tech blogs, it was shown that the FCC was planning on proposing a new set of Internet legislation dubbed “Net Neutrality”. Now I know what some of you must be asking yourselves; “isn’t the Internet already a neutral place?” Though the file sharing trends and trials are being much more publicized because of the increased tension between users, ISPs, and the various companies such as Sony or Apple (not to mention the recent Pirate Bay mockery that was made in regards to the proposed “legalized buyout” of it’s trademark and domain) as of late, relatively few people actually know the laws that govern both sides of the argument.

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Green is a hot topic. The September 28 issue of Newsweek published a list of the 500 greenest companies in America with Hewlett-Packet listed as number one. Last April, former President Bill Clinton, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Chief Scientist Amory Lovins, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Empire State Building owner Tony Malkin, declared a very bold plan to reduce the energy use of the Empire State Building by 38 percent, and save $4.4 million annually in the process.

When it comes to conversations regarding green buildings, there are a couple of concerns that are in the foreground for most business owners: do green buildings really increase employee productivity and what is the cost of building (or retrofitting) within green guidelines?

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Our world is more hypercompetitive then ever before, and at an ever increasing rate of speed. As a result, entrepreneurs who stake their company’s long-term viability on just one competitive advantage (or even two) will not have a high likelihood of survival. Why?

The future of competitive advantage is aggregation. Having one or two competitive advantages has become the commoditized standard on a local, regional, national and global scale. Thus, survival and scalability means incorporating four, five, or even six disparate products/services synergistically and effectively to gain meaningful and sustainable marketshare. Furthermore, in addition to aggregation, businesses must continue a strong R&D Program, seeking new innovations that leapfrog the competition. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people who build green buildings are not the tree hugging type that are doing it to save the environment and the migratory patterns of local bird life. It’s ok to admit that there is a financial incentive to – in the end – doing the right thing. One of the nice things about LEED certification is that it doesn’t only look at the impact a building has on the environment and local ecology but also at the impact it has on the individuals using the building. Read the rest of this entry »

People often confuse geothermal and geoexchange technologies and call them both Geothermal. This is a misnomer unless you live near one of the earths fault lines. Geothermal technology is actually a method of generating power through super heated water turning to steam and powering a turbine which generates energy. Geoexchange is a process of using the earth as one big heat sink for heating and cooling a building or home. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people assume that when you are building green you need to have solar panels, which are very expensive, even after state and federal rebates. While it’s true that renewable energy technology is very innovative and green, I think it’s the wrong angle to attack the problem from. We should be focusing on making buildings more efficient so that they use less energy rather then figuring out an alternative way to meet their current energy needs. Read the rest of this entry »

By Landon David Chase

Everyday there are thousands, if not more, reports on just about anything in the world of business. From tech to healthcare, the oil crisis to insider trading scandal, we gain great insight into the business world through a distorted kaleidoscope of newspapers, television, and radio. The people who are mentioned, whether it be the Bernie Madoffs of the world, to Steve Jobs, or even Warren Buffet; there’s an addictive nature to our general fascination. These people, these men and women, are entrepreneurs. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the biggest holdups people seem to have about making their buildings or homes green is that they have heard all sorts of rumors that green building costs a lot more. They assume that this is a rule rather than an exception and it’s simply not true. If you are smart about your material choices, design decisions, and contractor education, there is no reason why you can’t build a very green building to little or no premium over standard construction. People also don’t take into account that green buildings will cost less to operate and will command higher rents and overall value because they have been built green. Sometimes, going green can even save you money… Read the rest of this entry »