flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Senate kills bipartisan energy efficiency bill over Keystone pipeline amendment

Senate kills bipartisan energy efficiency bill over Keystone pipeline amendment

The legislation focused on energy efficiency standards such as water heaters with smart meters and cheaper heating and cooling systems for office buildings.


By BD+C Staff | May 22, 2014
The Keystone XL Pipeline is a proposed 1,179 mile (1,897 km), 36-inch-diameter c
The Keystone XL Pipeline is a proposed 1,179 mile (1,897 km), 36-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline which begins in Hardisty, Alta

Bipartisan legislation that focused on energy efficiency standards such as water heaters with smart meters, ways to reduce home utility bills, and cheaper heating and cooling systems for office buildings failed in the U.S. Senate earlier this month.

While the bill had broad support, the introduction of an amendment on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline poisoned the well.

Proposed by Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC) didn’t make it to a vote after the amendment was added to approve the Keystone pipeline extension ahead of the Obama Administration’s decision on whether to allow the pipeline to go forward.

As a result, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) refused to allow a vote on a Keystone pre-approval amendment to the bill, and the amendment’s supporters retaliated by blocking a vote on the main bill.

Many Democrats and climate activists oppose the Keystone pipeline. Portman reportedly called the bill’s failure “yet another disappointing example of Washington’s dysfunction.”

(http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-13/keystone-xl-the-zombie-pipeline-kills-bipartisan-energy-bill/)

Related Stories

| Jan 3, 2014

Norman Foster proposes elevated bikeways throughout London

Called SkyCycle, the plan calls for the construction of wide, car-free decks atop the city's existing railway corridors.

| Jan 3, 2014

World’s tallest vegetated façade to sprout in Sri Lanka [slideshow]

Set to open in late 2015, the 46-story Clearpoint Residences condo tower will feature planted terraces circling the entire structure. 

| Dec 31, 2013

Top 10 blog posts from 2013

BD+C editors and our contributors posted hundreds of blogs in 2013. Here's a recap of the most popular topics. They include valuable lessons from one of the first BIM-related lawsuits and sage advice from AEC legend Arthur Gensler.  

| Dec 31, 2013

BD+C's top 10 stories of 2013

The world's tallest twisting tower and the rise of augmented reality technology in construction were among the 10 most popular articles posted on Building Design+Construction's website, BDCnetwork.com.

| Dec 30, 2013

Calatrava facing legal action from his home town over crumbling cultural complex

Officials with the city of Valencia, Spain, are blaming Santiago Calatrava for the rapid deterioration of buildings within its City of Arts and Sciences complex.

| Dec 30, 2013

Survey: Number of licensed architects grows in 2012-13

A survey by NCARB shows that there are 105,847 registered architects in the U.S., up slightly from the organization's 2011-2012 survey.

| Dec 29, 2013

7 ways to make your firm more efficient

In a CEO.com post, Andrew Miller, president of ACM Consulting, shares the seven organizational efficiency strategies he encounters most frequently as he works with corporate executives to boost their performance. 

| Dec 24, 2013

First Look: Calatrava's Sharq Crossing in Doha, Qatar [video]

The government of Qatar has released details of Sharq Crossing, a massive infrastructure project designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. 

| Dec 23, 2013

MBI commends start of module setting at B2, world's tallest modular building

The first modules have been set at B2 residential tower at Atlantic Yards in New York, set to become the tallest modular building in the world.

| Dec 23, 2013

First Look: KPF's dual-tower design for Ziraat Bank in Istanbul

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is designing a new headquarters for Turkey’s largest and oldest financial institution, Ziraat Bank, in a modern, suburban district of Istanbul. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Warehouses

California bill would limit where distribution centers can be built

A bill that passed the California legislature would limit where distribution centers can be located and impose other rules aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic. Assembly Bill 98 would tighten building standards for new warehouses and ban heavy diesel truck traffic next to sensitive sites including homes, schools, parks and nursing homes.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021