This year, unlike years in the past, JG has decided to take a serious look at the NBA Finals for the purpose of supporting the greenest team.  If you’ve been tucked away on another planet, you might not know that the NBA Finals start tonight between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.  It’s an age-old rivalry between two classic teams, and the Celtics are in the clear lead when playing each other (8-2 all time in NBA Finals).  But we’re not going for the Celtics because of their winning tradition, or the mad skills of Pierce, Garnett, Rondo, and Allen.  We’re not even pulling for the Celtics because Perkins has been going berserk in the Playoffs.  We’re going for the Celtics because they’re GREEN.  The color, that is.  And as much as I like the Lakers, it’s kind of hard to argue with that.

++Coverage Starts @ 8:30 pm EST

This is a guest post provided by Maria Surma Manka direct from WINDPOWER 2008.  Maria writes about renewable energy policy, innovation, and private sector leadership at Maria Energia.

Greetings from Houston, site of the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2008 conference. I am a guest of AWEA and have spent the last few days meeting several of the 12,000 attendees and visiting many of the nearly 800 exhibitors.  Below are some of the interesting small wind turbine designs I found.

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Zabeel Properties just announced details of a new landmark hotel and leisure development for Dubai.  Although no renderings or designs are yet available, Dubai-based Zabeel Properties also confirmed the appointment of LA-based architecture firm, GRAFT, whose team of design consultants for the project will include the Hollywood actor, Brad Pitt.  Pitt’s involvement in the design for the resort demonstrates his interest in green development and architecture.   Says Brad: "Whilst acting is my career, architecture is my passion.   Selecting this development as my first major construction project has been a simple decision.   It will underpin not only my values for environmentally-friendly architecture, but also embrace my career in entertainment."

Sorry for the celebrity gossip bit, but I just couldn’t hold back!  I’m definitely interested in seeing the sustainable design for this new hotel, so we’ll have more details when they’re released. 

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From memorandum released May 28, 2008: In early May, AIA and USGBC’s volunteer and staff leadership met to talk about how we could work together towards advancing our common goals related to the goal of carbon neutral buildings by the year 2030 and other sustainability issues.

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At this very moment, ElectraTherm is releasing details of the successful installation of its new product, a commercial waste heat generator called the Green Machine.  ElectraTherm tested their first Green Machine at none other than my alma mater, Southern Methodist University, and the results exceeded initial expectations.  Stated simply, the Green Machine makes electricity from residual industrial heat that usually just goes to waste.  ElectraTherm’s new product employs minimal heat (200 degrees F liquid) to generate fuel-free, emissions-free electricity at $0.03 – $0.04 per kWh during a three-year payback period and at under $0.01 per kWh after that.  SMU’s test of the 50 kW Green Machine reached output well beyond the 50 kW rating. 

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