Date: 1/12/2011 to 1/15/2011
Location: Walt Disney World Swan Hotel - Orlando, FL
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E. Mitchell Swann
MDCSystems®
Consulting Engineer

Yup, yet another "sustainability" article.  It seems that this subject just won't die.  No, it won't.  But organizations that don't deal with the subject just might experience that result. 

If you haven't been keeping up on it, sustainability is about a lot more than eating nuts and berries, wearing wool sweaters and wearing sensible shoes.  It's about survival.   That may sound rather stark – harsh even.   But sustainability doesn't have to be and if you think through it, it shouldn't be.  You can survive at many levels – from "just barely" to "high on the hog".  One is undesirable; the other is, well...unsustainable.  So if you want your 'going concern' to continue going you need to consider how best to position and prepare yourself for a changing world.

Donald R. Keer, P.E., Esq.
MDCSystems®
Consulting Engineer

On March 22, 2010 the United Nations celebrated World Water Day by choosing Clean Water for a Healthy World as its theme. With continuous pressure being put on populations to use water wisely, attorneys in the construction industry are seeing issues arise that were not present two decades ago. Water treatment is a unique industry with its own problems.

Amal Kabalan
MDCSystems®
Former Consulting Engineer

How Consumers Can Still Save Energy

Last July Pennsylvania state officials announced the $100 million consumer and small business solar energy rebate program -- part of a $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund -- when it was signed into law. Recently the residential solar energy tax rebate program was put off. Given the current credit market conditions, it was deemed a “bad time” to float the government bonds needed to fund the $100 million program. “Anything that is tied to Commonwealth Financing Authority ... bond issue is on hold because of the Wall Street financial meltdown,'' said John Nikoloff, a principal with Energy Resources Group of Harrisburg, who has been following the program. Much of the program, including a solar energy rebate that was promoted as paying for up to 35 percent of the cost of installation of solar panels, was to be funded through Pennsylvania bond issue.

Amal Kabalan
MDCSystems®
Former Consulting Engineer

Today there is a lot of dialogue about 'being green', 'energy efficiency', and 'carbon footprints'. One of the main promises of campaigning politicians is investing in renewable energy technology. Every other commercial on TV or in a magazine speaks about green energy. Solar power is a major component of the renewable energy mix. By now, most people know that solar energy is a pollution free technology; it has the potential to reduce your carbon footprint and provide clean energy for future generations. In 2010 state imposed rate caps on electricity are set to expire, and utilities are positioning themselves for massive rate increases in Pennsylvania. Before deregulation, Pennsylvanians paid 15 percent more for their electricity than the national average. With current caps those customers are paying 2 percent less than the average. Amid all these promises and buzz one would think that it is time to invest in solar energy.

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E. Mitchell Swann, P.E.
MDCSystems®
Consulting Engineer