From the September issue: Four Chicago condominiums participated in an energy usage pilot program
this summer called “demand-response,” which paid the buildings to adopt
certain energy practices, the Chicago Tribune reported. At the four
condos, 535 N. Michigan Avenue, Park Millennium Condominium Residences,
600 N. Lake Shore Drive and the Domain, at 900 N. Kingsbury, the
buildings’ air-conditioning systems were programmed to power down for
short periods of time when demand for electricity peaked, with the
buildings storing some cool air to keep temperatures down. Each
building was paid $10,000 for the 2009 season for the study by a
public-private partnership.

The city Department of Buildings announced it will share information
about tower cranes with Chicago and Philadelphia in an effort to track
equipment failures, recalls, accidents and industry trends. Over the
past year, 12 tower cranes have come to New York City from other
places. The new system will track where the cranes work, who owns them
and will include any information on accidents involving the machines.
This is the latest in a series of measures instituted after two tower
crane accidents in Manhattan resulted in nine people dead last year.
There is currently no national database to track tower cranes and their
parts, and several other places, including California, Connecticut and
Dallas, have expressed interest in the new program. [more]