Engineer calls for big shift in design and construction

By KATIE ZEMTSEFF

Guy Battle says sites and climates are unique so buildings must be designed to take advantage of local conditions.

Environment Watch

• Puget Sound group seeks science teams
• DDES seeks LEED silver for building
• Kent luncheon topic: zero waste
• West Point permit gets updated
• NEBC mixer July 16 at K&L Gates
• ShoreBank helps 2 Skagit Valley firms

Yakima water: $18M for studies, but still no plan

In the first of likely many meetings, state and federal officials met Tuesday with tribal and local elected officials, conservation groups and irrigation districts on how best to improve the water supply in central Washington's arid Yakima Valley.

Where have all the green jobs gone?

Everywhere you turn there is talk of a shift to renewable energy, of building wind farms and solar plants, of making buildings more efficient, of developing biofuels. And of billions in federal funding to help make it all happen.

Spokane yards get tested for asbestos

Crews are testing residential yards near W.R. Grace's former insulation factory in Spokane for asbestos fibers that can cause cancer.

Seattle sets new recycling record

The city of Seattle hit a new record for recycling in 2008, with half of its residential and commercial waste being recycled or composted rather than going to a landfill.

McKinstry buys Vancouver's Electrix

McKinstry of Seattle has bought Vancouver electrical contractor Electrix. Terms of the deal, announced yesterday, were not disclosed.

NW drivers are using less gasoline

A new report finds that drivers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho used 180 million fewer gallons of gasoline between 2007 and 2008, the largest drop since 1980.

Grandview dump to be cleaned up

The Environmental Protection Agency says the owners of a central Washington property where an illegal pesticide dumpsite was found will clean it up.