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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are carbon-containing chemical compounds that readily evaporate into the atmosphere. Common examples of things that emit VOCs into the atmosphere include gasoline, mineral spirits, alcohol, nail polish, and paint.

VOC Laws VOCs are released from many sources, including large and small process industries, commercial transportation, and automobiles. These sources, especially automobiles, are responsible for the majority of VOC emissions. As these major sources become subject to more stringent regulation, lawmakers seek to regulate smaller sources as well.

Regulatory Changes: What’s Ahead 

Regional Changes:

On January 1, 2005, significant VOC restriction standards were enacted in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and northern Virginia. These states are part of the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC).  Northern Virginia will expand the regulation to Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg City on January of 2008.  Connecticut has adopted their proposed AIM (OTC) regulation with an effective date of May 1, 2008, and Massachusetts has proposed an adoption date of January 1, 2009.

National Changes:

The National Architectural Industrial Maintenance (AIM) regulation was originally established in 1999. There is a new draft of the regulation that has a proposed implementation date of January 1, 2009.  The rule will be based on the current OTC model and includes the current exemption provisions. This will have a major impact on the products available throughout the country.

Contact your local Benjamin Moore Retailer to find out the availability of products.

Improved Technologies, Improved Products

Benjamin Moore Offers Eco Spec® a low odor low VOC product that has received approval from both GreenGuard® and Green Seal®.  Recently Benjamin Moore introduced AURA® a low odor low VOC product.  This is a high performance interior product that is tinted from our new Gennex Waterborne low VOC colorant.  AURA with Color Lock® Technology offer super performance and meets the most stringent regulations in North America.

Other Benjamin Moore products that use waterborne technology include: Waterborne Satin Impervo® 314, Waterborne Urethane M73, Waterborne Polyamide Epoxy M42, and Moorcraft Super Spec® Acrylic Epoxy 256. All of these products are low odor and have low VOC content.

We have utilized the latest technology to develop VOC-compliant coatings that perform at least as well and often better than their higher VOC predecessors do. Some of the many advantages to these waterborne-based products are:

• Non-Yellowing Quality
• Coating Flexibility
• Better Gloss Retention
• Better Fade Resistance
• Low Odor
• Low VOC
• Easy Cleanup

For More VOC Information

To learn more about the VOC regulations affecting your area, please refer to the various government agencies’ links listed below:

• Ozone Transport Commission (OTC)
• Maricopa.gov - Air Quality Rules
• CARB
• CARB - Coatings Rules in California
• NYSDEC - Regulations and Enforcement
• NJ DEP - Air Information
• South Coast AQMD
• Virginia DEQ - Air Regulations
• National VOC Frequently Asked Questions

What is LEED^®?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Who uses LEED?

Architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders and government officials all use LEED to help transform the built environment to sustainability. State and local governments across the country are adopting LEED for public-owned and public-funded buildings; there are LEED initiatives in federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, and State; and LEED projects are in progress in 41 different countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India.

How is LEED Developed?

LEED Rating Systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees. Each volunteer committee is composed of a diverse group of practitioners and experts representing a cross-section of the building and construction industry. The key elements of USGBC’s consensus process include a balanced and transparent committee structure, technical advisory groups that ensure scientific consistency and rigor, opportunities for stakeholder comment and review, member ballot of new rating systems, and a fair and open appeals process.

Pictured: The floating cities that could one day house climate change refugees

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:13 AM on 04th July 2008

• Comments (9)
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At first glance, they look like a couple of giant inflatable garden chairs that have washed out to sea
But they are, apparently, the ultimate solution to rapidly rising sea levels.
This computer-generated image shows two floating cities, each with enough room for 50,000 inhabitants.

Enlarge  

The ‘Lilypad’ cities would be powered by renewable energy sources

Based on the design of a lilypad, they could be used as a permanent refuge for those whose homes have been covered in water. Major cities including London, New York and Tokyo are seen as being at huge risk from oceans which could rise by as much as 3ft by the end of this century.

This solution, by the award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, is designed to be a new place to live for those whose homelands have been wiped out.

The ‘Lilypad City’ would float around the world as an independent and fully self-sustainable home. With a lake at its centre to collect and purify rainwater, it would be accessed by three separate marinas and feature artificial mountains to offer the inhabitants a change of scenery from the seascape.

Power for the central accommodation hub is provided through a series of renewable energy sources including solar panels on the mountain sides, wind turbines and a power station to harness the energy of the waves.

Mr Callebaut said: ‘The design of the city is inspired by the shape of the great Amazonia Victoria Regia lilypad. Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger.

‘But the lilypad project is actually a long-term solution to the problem of the water rising.’

The architect, who has yet to estimate a cost for his design, added: ‘It’s an amphibious city without any roads or any cars. The whole city is covered by plants housed in suspended gardens.

‘The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.’

‘Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger.

‘But the Lilypad project is actually a long term solution to the problem of the water rising.

‘And it has the other objective of providing housing for refugees from islands that have been submerged.’

Enlarge  

The Lilypad city would house climate change refugees

Centred around a lake which collects and then purifies rain water, the Lilypad will drift around the world following the ocean currents and streams.

It will be accessed by three marinas and will also feature three ‘mountains’ to offer the inhabitants a change of scenery.

Power will be provided through a series of renewable energy sources including solar, thermal, wind energy, hydraulic and a tidal power station.

The city will actually produce much more energy than it consumes and be entirely ‘zero-emission’ as all the carbon-dioxide and the waste will be recycled.

Mr Callebaut added: ‘It’s an amphibious city without any roads or any cars.
‘The whole city is covered by plants housed in suspended gardens. The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

‘I think trying to accomodate the millions of people left homeless by environmental changes will prove to be one of the great challenges of the 21st century.’

Neither the cost of building the city or the cost of living there have been revealed.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global sea level is expected to rise between nine and 88 centimetres by 2100, with a ‘best estimate’ of 50 centimetres.

This is due to global warming which is causing the ice caps to melt.

In many places, 50 centimetres would see entire beaches being washed away, together with a significant chunk of the coastline.

On low-lying Pacific islands such as Tuvalu, Kiribati or the Maldives, the highest point is only two or three metres above current sea levels.

If the sea level was to rise by 50cm, significant portions of these islands would be washed away by erosion or covered by water.

Even if they remain above the sea, many island nations will have their supplies of drinking water reduced because sea water will invade their freshwater stocks.

There are also tens of millions of people living in low-level coastal areas of southern Asia, such as the coastlines of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma, who would be in danger.

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It’s hard for me to imagine a time when smoking was considered sexy or stimulating in any way.  As a child who was born in the 70’s, the perception of smoking has always been poor.  I came across this image somewhere on the net and I was going to toss it, but I thought the world needed to see it.  I believe it was from Playboy Magazine in the 70’s.  I was a mere child.

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