Holcim US Plants Earn EPA Energy Star

Holcim (US) Inc. says five of its plants have earned the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR.

"It is with great pride that once again Holcim is recognized by the EPA for our continued commitment to environmentally sound practices with the ENERGY STAR® Awards," says Filiberto Ruiz, deputy CEO of Holcim (US). "Protecting the environment is a priority at Holcim, and these awards reflect the determination of every Holcim employee to maintain that commitment." 

The following five Holcim plants were named: Theodore in Theodore, Ala.; Ste. Genevieve in Bloomsdale, Mo.; Holly Hill in Holly Hill, S.C.; Portland in Florence, Colo.; and Devil's Slide in Morgan, Utah. This year's award is the second for the Portland plant, the third for both the Holly Hill and Ste. Genevieve plants and the fifth consecutive year for the Devil's Slide plant. 

The ENERGY STAR® is the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance. 

Belgard Permeable Pavers Qualify Projects for EPA Grants

Belgard Hardscapes’ permeable pavers may help qualify projects for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) new Urban Waters Small Grants program.

The Urban Waters Small Grants program will award between $1.8 million and $3.8 million in funding during 2012 for research, studies, training and demonstration projects with the intent to improve water quality and revitalize communities. The deadline for grant applications is Jan. 23.

“This grant offers a tremendous opportunity for those in the building and design community to create sustainable projects, something we strongly value at Belgard,” says Chuck Taylor, commercial and permeable pavers expert for Belgard Hardscapes.

“We are always working to help builders and landscape architects find solutions that incorporate sustainability into their projects, and we’re excited that our permeable pavers qualify for the EPA new Urban Waters Small Grants program,” Taylor says.

The goal of the new EPA grant program is to improve water quality, which also helps support community revitalization and other local priorities such as public health, social and economic opportunities, general livability and environmental justice for residents.

As more land is developed, the natural water filtration provided by the soil is continually being diminished. In turn, storm water runoff – mixed with motor oil, fertilizers, and other contaminants – can pollute lakes, rivers, coastlines, and groundwater. As part of a bio-aquifer storm water system, Belgard environmental permeable pavers can virtually eliminate runoff, potentially removing the need for retention ponds or underground sewer pipes.

Belgard permeable paver benefits:
• Reduces pollution from rainwater runoff
• Reduces runoff from the common rainstorm by as much as 100 percent
• 50 year life-cycle for surface
• Outperforms similar systems in harsh climates or freeze-thaw cycles
• Replaces detention/retention ponds

The deadline for submitting proposals to EPA is Jan. 23, 2012. For more information on the EPA Urban Waters Small Grant, visit www.epa.gov/urbanwaters.

Big Win for Masonry: EPA Won't Include Masonry Site-Built Fireplaces in New Standard

At the March 2011 annual meeting of the Hearth Patio Barbeque Association, Gil Wood, EPA Staff Lead for NSPS, went on record to indicate that they were not pursuing the inclusion of masonry site-built fireplaces in the re-writing of the New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for New Residential Wood Heaters.

As noted in a Brick News Online article in July 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was previously advocating regulation of emissions on all masonry site-built fireplaces constructed in the U.S. This would be a major change from the original NSPS published in 1988 which exempted fireplaces. BIA along with other interested parties has worked hard to educate EPA representatives about the masonry site-built market and the implications of regulating that market.

Citing the questionable cost-effectiveness of site-testing every fireplace built, the limited number of masonry site-built fireplaces constructed in the U.S. each year, and the extent to which small business masons would potentially be affected, EPA is choosing to not include masonry site-built fireplaces in the most current draft of the regulation.

Another key component in EPA’s decision was the agreement of the Masonry Contractors Association of America (MCAA) to develop a course on the proper construction and use of masonry site-built fireplaces in their existing certification program. Wood indicated that EPA was encouraged by MCAA’s willingness to add a course on masonry site-built fireplaces to their curriculum and looked forward to its development and implementation.

For further information on the NSPS, please contact Chip Clark at 703-674-1531 or cclark@bia.org.