Dan Kandy
Dan Kandy

Exploring the environmental and climate impact of buildings and the built environment, MPA candidate in Environmental Science & Policy at Columbia

The Benefits of Classroom Ventilation
30 Jun 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
We've talked about how poor indoor environmental conditions can lead to more sick days in office buildings, but what is the impact of poor indoor air quality in schools? Furthermore, how does the cost of improving those conditions compare to attendance-linked funding lo …
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EPA’s National Building Competition 2012: Battle of the Buildings
18 Jun 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
The third year of the EPA's National Building Competition saw 3,000 buildings battle it out to see which could generate the greatest energy savings. Teams tracked energy savings using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and the winner was the building that demonstrated the …
Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, New Jersey took top honors

New Commercial Buildings May Suffer From Rebound Effect
18 Jun 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
Common wisdom may be that new commercial buildings consume less energy than their older counterparts, but that may not be the case, according to a new study, Commercial Building Electricity Consumption Dynamics: The Role of Structure Quality, Human Capital, and Contrac …
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Apartments Offer Big Energy Efficiency Opportunity for Utilities
18 Jun 2013 • openbook 2 minute read
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) sees utilities and renters in multifamily buildings as a match made in heaven for achieving energy efficiency goals. According to Engaging as Partners in Energy Efficiency: A Primer for Utilities on the Energy …
Apartment buildings in downtown Chicago

The High-Performance Hospitals of the Future
31 May 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
Healthcare facilities are the second most energy intensive building type in the U.S. (second only to food service), representing 9% of building energy use and 4% of total energy use in the country.  Targeting 100! A national High-Performance Hospital Model provides a r …
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U.S Air Force Calls for Leadership in Facility Operations
18 May 2013 • openbook 2 minute read
The U.S. Air Force uses 64 billion BTUs annually - generating approximately 35 million metric tons of CO2 - and consumes 27 billion gallons of water. This energy and water usage costs the Air Force over $9 billion annually. Although the majority of that resource and …
Barksdale Air Force Base

Green Schools Are a Great Place to Learn
18 Apr 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
Can a school be a place to not only learn, but a structure you can learn from? A study from researchers at Colorado State University describes an approach known as "whole school sustainability" which seeks to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of a school, in …
School gardens can allow students to practice conservation

Top Cities for ENERGY STAR, LA on Top Again
13 Mar 2013 • openbook 1 minute read
ENERGY STAR has compiled a list of the top cities with the most certified buildings for 2012, and there are a few surprises to be found. For example, Portland, Oregon, which has a place in the popular imagination as a Mecca of green design and awareness ranks 23rd - bel …
Los Angeles topped the list of cities with the most ENERGY STAR buildings for 2012