The newest solar product from Energy Conversion Devices can be found on one of Michigan's most prominent residences – the governor's mansion.

The EnerGen solar system, which produces 3.2 kW of power, covers the ranch home in the Moores River Drive neighborhood of Lansing. It has served as the governor's residence since 1969.

The solar system is made of thin-film flexible solar laminates incorporated into roofing shingles. This product developed by the Rochester Hills-based photovoltaics firm and roofing-specialist CertainTeed is slated for an official launch next year.

The idea is to create a lightweight solar panel that blends in with regular roofing shingles. The typical solar panel often sits on top of a roof in an awkward position reminiscent of the TV antennas of old.

Source: Energy Conversion Devices
Writer: Jon Zemke

Two of Michigan's leaders in alternative energy, Dow and Energy Conversion Devices, have notched project and product development wins.

Energy Conversion Devices won a contract with Recurrent Energy to deliver 4.8 megawatts of solar generating systems for eight separate building rooftops at ProLogis Park Sant Boi in Barcelona and ProLogis Park Alcala in Madrid, Spain. The Rochester Hills-based firm will supply its UNI-SOLAR photovoltaic laminates for the project.

The solar power systems will be installed on rooftops that Recurrent Energy leases from ProLogis. Construction is set to begin later this month.

Competing with that is Dow's newest product - the DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle.  This new technology incorporates photovoltaic solar panels integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials.

The new product generates renewable energy for homeowners. It will be rolled out beginning in mid-2010, and more commonly available in 2011.

Source: Dow and Energy Conversion Devices
Writer: Jon Zemke

Danielle Brycz was bored at her day job when she decided she wanted something more. To her, more equals Verde Lifestyles, a new Metro Detroit-based start-up.

"It's more of a creative outlet," says Brycz, the co-owner and director of sales and marketing for Verde Lifestyles.

Verde Lifestyles (verde is Spanish for the color green) focuses on advising people on how to live a sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. That can mean shrinking carbon footprints by purchasing green products made of recycled or renewable materials.

Brycz, a recent Michigan State University graduate, and her friend Ryan Forrest, who is about to graduate from Oakland University, started the website last year. Even though the business has a post office box in Royal Oak, Bryce lives in Dearborn and Forrest in Rochester Hills. They run the business virtually from wherever their laptops happen to be in Metro Detroit.

"We wanted something that could be somewhat automated, something that isn't attached to one location," Brycz says.

Right now the pair is concentrating on building up their brand name in Metro Detroit. The long-term plan is to create a national brand.

"I want this to be something that can replace or supplement my income," Brycz says. "I'd like to make it a part of my career."

Source: Danielle Brycz, the co-owner and director of sales and marketing for Verde Lifestyles
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland County is using cyberspace methods to get more real people voting in the next election cycle.

Its latest innovation is to send out an email reminder to voters two weeks before elections and then again on election days. The reminder will also include a bevy of other information voters can use to make the process easier.

"It's kind of like an electronic post-it note," says Ruth Johnson, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds.

The emails will be sent out before all local, school, state, and federal elections and will link to the clerk's website. The site will feature a list of candidates and ballot proposals, campaign finance reports, polling locations, and instructional videos for using voting machines.

It will also feature a new election reporting system that reveals results in real time. Also included will be information on voter registration and on how to become a poll worker, and a link to the state's Voter Information Center.

"This is just one more tool in the tool box," Johnson says.

For information on these new systems, click here.

Source: Ruth Johnson, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Writer: Jon Zemke

Now that the temps are starting to fall a bit, it's time to squeeze in some more outdoorsy stuff before it gets really frigid around here. Thankfully, there are lots of options that can help even the most jaded soul to appreciate the great outdoors in Southeast Michigan.

First up, fun for two-wheelers. There are two rides in Detroit on the 19th: Programs to Educate All Cyclists' (PEAC) Celebration of Cycling, which utilizes Hines Drive, and the Tour de Troit, which offers riders the option of a 30-mile or Metric Century tour of the D.

The Clinton River Trail Fall Classic is set for September 26, a great chance to experience a lovely trail if you haven't checked it out in a while.

On foot, the Sierra Club's Southeast Michigan Group has you covered. Just a sampling: September 6 at Independence Oaks, September 12 at Maybury State Park, the 26th at Potawatomi State Park and the 27th in the environs of the Fairlane Mansion in Dearborn. Find out details here.

Last but not least, take to the waters. Riverside Kayak Connection in Wyandotte has a Detroit River sunset tour at 6 p.m. every Wednesday. You can also arrange a group outing for $35 per person for a group of four or more that takes in Humbug Marsh, the lower Huron River, Grassy Island, or Mud Island. Call 734-285-2925 to make arrangements.

Get out there -- and appreciate what this area has to offer -- before frosty winter gets you couch-bound!

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Giffels-Webster Engineers is doubling down on sustainability, doubling the number of its staff with LEED certification.

As of this week, nine of the Rochester Hills-based firm's 65 employees are certified as LEED AP. That basically means when it comes to sustainable design, the firm has nine experts in it.

"We see it as a trend where people want to be green," says Loren Crandall, president of Giffels-Webster Engineers. "We want to be at the front end of that."

The LEED AP exam has been around since 2001. It focuses on green building practices and principles in LEED requirements, resources and processes. This certification is essential to obtaining LEED status on projects.

The 55-year-old firm specializes in civil engineering and surveying. It hasn't hired anyone so far this year, but Crandall expects that to change.

"We're marketing our services aggressively," Crandall says. "We expect to grow."

Source: Loren Crandall, president of Giffels-Webster Engineers
Writer: Jon Zemke

The conventional wisdom is that it costs a lot of money to start a new economy-based start-up. Melinda Korenchuk doesn't buy that.

In fact, it's her job and the focus of her one-month-old start-up to show people such beliefs are more factoid than fact. She started Rochester Hills-based Technology Leveraging Cooperative earlier this summer as a way of showing small businesses there are cheaper ways to do things like use email rather than purchasing name brand products off the shelf.

"Then you find out you can use open source products and pay nothing," Korenchuk says.

The problem is the sheer number of available open source software programs. Technology Leveraging Cooperative pools the best and most cost-effective of the bunch together and gives them to its customers. Korenchuk is building some standardized packages for small businesses right now.

She has been working on this concept for the last year, and finally, along with three partners, decided to go for it after becoming an employment casualty.

"I didn't feel like I wanted to work for someone else, especially with the economy the way it is," Korenchuk says.

Source: Melinda Korenchuk, director and owner of Technology Leveraging Cooperative
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ever have a day when you need a doctor, but can't find one anywhere? NeuMedicine Technologies plans to solve that ailment.

The Rochester Hills-based start-up uses telemedicine technology to place doctors with the hospitals or medical facilities that need them.

"The firm provides physicians to hospitals who have the medical staff to meet the needs of the community," says Rob Fisher, founder and CEO of NeuMedicine Technologies.

A venture-capital firm, Boston-based HLM, recruited Fisher to start the company almost two years ago. Last year he finally made the plunge and now employs five people and two interns, plus 30 physicians under contract in 10 states.

He expects to add a couple more staffers in the next few weeks and another 15-20 within the next year. Another 50-75 physicians will probably come under contract by then, and a new west coast office is expected to be open within the next year.

"I see it exploding," Fisher says. "The bottom line is we have two clients now but we have 34 hospitals in 10 states that are signing contracts."

Source: Rob Fisher, founder and CEO of NeuMedicine Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke