\ninspiration from The Biggest Loser<\/a> in a new competition that pits 14 buildings
\nagainst each other to see which can trim its energy usage the most.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The National <\/p>\n It’s an attempt to <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To back off from the <\/p>\n Here’s the EPA competition <\/p>\n Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Senate Dem leader vows action on both climate and immigration<\/a><\/p>\n Sit, stay, recycle [VIDEO]<\/a><\/p>\n Engineers plan underwater dome to contain Gulf oil spill<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBuilding Competition<\/a> is explicitly modeled after the weight-loss reality TV
\nshow, spotlighting structures that include a 23-story Manhattan office
\nbuilding, a San Diego Marriott hotel, a Colorado elementary school, and a Chapel
\nHill, N.C., dormitory. The 200 applicants were required to use a host of energy-efficiency tools from the EPA and Department of Energy. The 14 contestants are having their energy use measured from September 2009 through this August. The
\nbuilding that saves the most will be announced the winner on Oct. 26.<\/p>\n
\ninject a shot of drama into the, uh, titillating world of building efficiency.
\nIt’s a really important policy sector, proven by the fact that it has charts
\nlike this<\/a>:<\/p>\n
\nflippancy, building efficiency overhauls should be among
\nthe least controversial of clean-energy improvements<\/a>, since most steps pay
\nfor themselves fairly quickly.<\/p>\n
\nexplained by Bob Harper, who is apparently a guy from TV:<\/p>\n