NCET

Sustainable development, all the rage less than a year ago, has survived the economic downturn.

There just isn’t much in the way of development or construction — sustainable or otherwise — undertaken in northern Nevada these days.

But as projects are sketched out these days for construction once the economy rebounds, owners are telling architects and engineers to incorporate as much green design as possible into buildings.

“People still are talking about it — in some cases as if it’s a given now,” says Reno architect Ric Licata, who heads the American Institute of Architects in Nevada. “It’s now part of the equation.” During 2008, at least 90 percent of the requests received by Q&D Construction in Sparks asked about the company’s experience with sustainable development and commitment to the process, says Q&D spokeswoman Sheila Hlubucek. Read full story:

Technorati Tags: John Seelmeyer, Northern Nevada Business Weekly, Reno, Ric Licata, American Institute of Architects in Nevada, Q&D Construction, Sheila Hlubucek, green technology, Marc Markwell, Dermody Properties, Leadership in Energy and Environmental, Kimberly Phipps-Nichol, Blue Water Studio, Pete Blakely, BJG Architecture + Engineering, Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, NCET

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Nevada’s college and university students submitted a record 56 business plans for the 5th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition. Other highlights in the 2009 competition:

– 174 students participating, up from last year’s 146

- 98 undergraduate students competing in 32 undergraduate teams

- 76 graduate students competing in 24 graduate team.

- 20 plans competing for Lt. Governor’s Award for the business idea that best employs clean, renewable or efficient energy technologies and services.

- 16 teams competing for the NCED Commissioners’ Award, which recognizes the business plan that best addresses the economic development needs of rural Nevada.

The Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup is the only statewide business plan competition where students from Nevada’s universities and colleges team up and compete for nearly $110,000 in cash awards.

The winners of this year’s competition will be announced at the awards dinner ceremony on Thursday, April 23 at the Peppermill Hotel in Reno.

- Governor Jim Gibbons will deliver the keynote address

- Lt. Governor Brian K. Krolicki will serve as the evening’s Master of Ceremony.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation graciously provides a majority of the funds to put on the annual competition, but the NCET still incurs nearly $100,000 in costs associated with the competition. Individual and corporate sponsorships start at $250 and tables of eight to this year’s award ceremony are available for purchase.

For more information on event sponsorships, competition entry information, and awards gala reservations, visit www.GovCupNevada.com or contact Emily Somerville at (702) 944-9722 / (775) 337-3328 or Emily@NCET.org.

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How to Start a Small Business in Nevada
Thursday, January 8th at 7:30 am to 9:00 am
Washoe County Complex, 1001 E. 9th St., Bldg. C, Central Conference Room #110
Reno, NV
Cost: No cost to Sparks Chamber members

Economic downturns provide new opportunities to become self employed entrepreneurs.  Whether owning your own business is a result of a dream, or an economic nightmare, smart planning is essential in what steps you take to succeed.  Not everyone is cut out to own and operate their own business – find out what it takes, and how you can access countless resources to gain an edge on the competition.

Join presenter Rod Jorgensen, Director of Business Counseling at the Nevada Small Business Development Center as he takes you through many of the necessary steps to launch and grow a successful business in Nevada.

More information here

Some in the aviation industry say they could one day be flying the biggest jets across the planet without contributing to climate change — using biofuels.

They also say that it will be easier to convert planes to biofuels than land transport, because there are fewer planes than cars, trucks and buses, and there is a far less complex infrastructure to deal with, comprising only a few hundred airport fueling stations across the globe.

On Tuesday, Air New Zealand joined a clutch of other commercial airlines in testing out alternative fuels.

During a two-hour flight to and from Auckland International Airport, the Air New Zealand crew sought to test how the fuel, made from jatropha plants and blended 50:50 with Jet A1 fuel in the tank of one of four Rolls-Royce engines on a 747-400, stood up to use at high altitudes and in other demanding conditions.

Air New Zealand and the other companies participating the project were to “review all the results as part of our drive to have jatropha certified as an aviation fuel,” said Air New Zealand Chief Pilot Captain David Morgan, who was part of the test flight.

Using jatropha-based fuel still emits carbon dioxide, but the gas is typically recycled in the growing of the feedstock, so there is ostensibly no additional CO₂ added to the atmosphere.

Read entire story here