Factor 10

The goal of being ten times as productive with half the resources (materials and energy), leading to a factor 10 improvement in efficiency. Alternatively, practices that are just as productive while using only 10% of the resources also qualify. This is an escalated challenge from the concept introduced in the 1998 book, Factor 4, written by L. Hunter Lovins and Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, and Ernst von Weizsäcker, founder of the... Read More

Factor 4

The goal of being twice as productive with half the resources (materials and energy), leading to a factor 4 improvement in efficiency. Alternatively, practices which are just as productive with 1/4 of the resources or 4 times as effective with the same resources also count. The concept was introduced in the 1998 book, Factor 4, written by L. Hunter Lovins and Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, and Ernst von Weizsäcker, founder of the Wuppertal... Read More

Partnership

An unincorporated business that is owned by two or more individuals. These individuals are responsible for all risks and liabilities for the business any share in any proceeds and rewards based on their percentage of ownership. About 7% of all businesses in the USA are sole proprietorships.  Read More

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)

A new energy management model developing in California. Community Choice Aggregation permits any city, county, or joint powers authority to aggregate the electrical loads of residents, businesses, and municipal facilities for electricity purchases. An “opt-out” provision allows constituents to elect not to participate in Community Choice and to continue having their current utility provide their electricity supply. California State Assembly... Read More

Ethics

Philosophically speaking, ethics is concerned with the evaluation of human actions – which attempts to understand the nature of morality and to define that which is right from that which is wrong(1). From a professional viewpoint, ethics typically pertains to a code of professional standards that contain aspects of fairness and duty to the profession and to the general public. A useful distinction between ethics and morals is that morals are... Read More

Energy Service Company (ESCO)

A company that offers to reduce a client’s energy costs, often by capitalizing the upfront expenditures and sharing the resulting future cost savings with the client. This is typically accomplished through the use of an energy-performance contract (EPC) or a shared-savings agreement. ESCOs may offer any of the following services: financing, design & installation, project management, education services, equipment leasing, maintenance, and... Read More

Energy Performance Contracting (EPC)

A contract with an architect, designer, or developer in which they are paid a bit more than they conventionally would have been, but part of their fee is paid over time from the savings their solution creates in terms of either performance or efficiency. Conversely, designers and developers are often paid a percentage of the costs of the materials they specify, an incentive to be less efficient.  Read More

Economic Value Added (EVA)

An estimate of a business’ true economic profit for the year, differing sharply from accounting profit. EVA represents the residual income that remains after the cost of all capital, including equity capital has been deducted, whereas accounting profit is determined without imposing a charge for equity capital. The basic formula for EVA is as follows: EVA = Net Operating Profit After Taxes (or NOPAT) – After-Tax Dollar Cost of Capital Used to... Read More

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)

An EU program recognizing organizations that are continuously improving their environmental performance beyond what is legally required. Organizations regularly produce statements reporting their compliancy and performance. Once becoming verified, they are recognized by an EMAS logo. http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/emas/  Read More

Eco-Industrial Park

Two or more separate industrial processes co-located in to form mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationships in which each participant’s environmental and resource issues (including energy, water, materials and waste) are managed in a manner that improves their environmental and economic performance. These parks may employ features such as: • Conversion of wastes into valuable inputs • Cogeneration of energy • Minimization of material throughput  Read More