Green Building

The oldest Ford plant still in operation -- the Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota -- will be the epitome of the changes to come. With plans to shut down in 2011, an additional 900 jobs will be lost in a plant that used to employ 2,000 workers. Communities throughout the state have already experienced the brunt of the country's economic downturn, Minnesota having lost 50,000 manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2006 alone, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The cross-party committee of MPs analysed government proposals to build three million new homes by 2020 and concluded that despite its high-profile commitment to eco-towns, the government's policy continues to favour building more homes over minimising their carbon impact.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," wrote philosopher George Santayana.

Most of us know that, and that's why we study the magazine stories, business review articles, and books written about successful companies. We want to know what worked—and what didn't.

But when a once-innovative company gets into trouble, it's easy to start thinking that its business model was fatally flawed and there's nothing to be learned from the company's history. And that, as Santayana pointed out, is a huge mistake.

The company says the new building’s energy-efficient insulated concrete foam walls will reduce air conditioning usage by approximately 40%. Other LEED features include energy-efficient lighting, including motion sensors for restrooms and offices, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, low-flush toilets, and the usage of well water rather than potable water for all irrigation.

Chipotle will seek LEED certification for the new restaurant, which would make it among the first LEED-certified restaurants in the country. The company is a participant in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Retail pilot program.

Last month Chipotle was named one of 2008’s green pioneers by SB20, for serving more locally sourced produce and 100% free range pork and chicken in all its 730 restaurants.

A recent EST study reveals that half of UK homeowners believe homes with greener features are easier to sell in the current market and 53% of all householders say they would be willing to pay extra for them.

The research reveals however, that estate agents could be under-selling the value of greener homes through a lack of information.