Publicly available building energy data are exploding--thirteen American cities and 14 states now require them by law. This emergence of data nudges building owners and tenants to reduce energy consumption by comparin...Publicly available building energy data are exploding--thirteen American cities and 14 states now require them by law. This emergence of data nudges building owners and tenants to reduce energy consumption by comparing their usage to that of similar buildings. However, vast untapped energy reductions and deeper physical understandings can still be extracted from these data. This paper extends the energy saving impact and provides key insight into building performance through publicly-disclosed data by describing three initiatives at a large design finn. An internal high performance design reporting program compares projects from around the world and across offices. A case study of 706 buildings in New York City illustrates the value of tracking large-scale patterns to a design firm. Per capita energy and carbon usage is correlated to life expectancy to better inform neighborhood and city design. As more data freely flow out into the public, engineers must strategically engage it.展开更多
In the public dialogue surrounding the development of the 2015 dietary guidelines for Americans, public health and environmental advocates converged around a simple theme of shifting towards a more plant-forward Medit...In the public dialogue surrounding the development of the 2015 dietary guidelines for Americans, public health and environmental advocates converged around a simple theme of shifting towards a more plant-forward Mediterranean-style diet. A robust body of literature documenting the health benefits of this eating pattern provides compelling reasons to change our dietary habits in ways that also benefit our environment, but we also need to have the right foods available and affordable to support this modest shift. This commentary discusses the gaps in current US dietary intakes compared to recommendations for meat and protein versus plant-based foods and the potential health benefits of shifting towards a more plant-based diet, focusing on the complex role of Mediterranean crops, such as tree nuts and olive oils, needed to support this shift.展开更多
文摘Publicly available building energy data are exploding--thirteen American cities and 14 states now require them by law. This emergence of data nudges building owners and tenants to reduce energy consumption by comparing their usage to that of similar buildings. However, vast untapped energy reductions and deeper physical understandings can still be extracted from these data. This paper extends the energy saving impact and provides key insight into building performance through publicly-disclosed data by describing three initiatives at a large design finn. An internal high performance design reporting program compares projects from around the world and across offices. A case study of 706 buildings in New York City illustrates the value of tracking large-scale patterns to a design firm. Per capita energy and carbon usage is correlated to life expectancy to better inform neighborhood and city design. As more data freely flow out into the public, engineers must strategically engage it.
文摘In the public dialogue surrounding the development of the 2015 dietary guidelines for Americans, public health and environmental advocates converged around a simple theme of shifting towards a more plant-forward Mediterranean-style diet. A robust body of literature documenting the health benefits of this eating pattern provides compelling reasons to change our dietary habits in ways that also benefit our environment, but we also need to have the right foods available and affordable to support this modest shift. This commentary discusses the gaps in current US dietary intakes compared to recommendations for meat and protein versus plant-based foods and the potential health benefits of shifting towards a more plant-based diet, focusing on the complex role of Mediterranean crops, such as tree nuts and olive oils, needed to support this shift.
