Economic Report Finds “Significant Shift” in Destinations for State Exports

Connecticut has become more reliant on exports to drive gross state product growth during the past decade, according to a new report prepared by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC). In 2003, Connecticut exports as a percent of Gross State Product (GSP) stood at 4.5 percent, increasing to 6.6 percent of GSP in 2013. That growth, CERC points out, makes it “important to analyze Connecticut exports trends to understand how exports will impact Connecticut’s economy in the future.”

In 2014, approximately 46 percent of Connecticut exports were comprised of transportation equipment merchandise, which includes aerospace equipment. And approximately 45 percent of Connecticut exports went to four countries: France, Canada, Germany, and Mexico, according to the report, Eye on Economics – Export Trends for Connecticut.

Although Connecticut still has strong trade ties with Europe and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries (Canada, Mexico), there has been “an obvious shift in export growth among its trading partners.”   From 2013 to 2014, Connecticut exports to South America and Asia increased overall, while exports to Europe, Oceania, and the rest of North America (mostly Canada and Mexico) were “generally flat.”

From 2003 to 2014, Connecticut exports to Asia increased by 182 percent, faster than exports to any other region, according to the data.   Economic growth in Asia was primarily driven by growth in China.

The shift in Connecticut export locations “can be partially explained by demand changes in regions that Connecticut trades with,” the report explains, citing changes in the appetite for exports in Europe and Asia. Europe, for example, has “experienced economic weakness since 2008 and has not fully recovered. It has been particularly hit hard by credit market constraints and unemployment, which has reduced consumptions levels, and thus demand for imported merchandise, the CERC report pointed out.

Looking ahead, the CERC analysis anticipates that Connecticut exports “may slow or remain flat” because of “weaker demand in Europe, where the majority of Connecticut exports currently go to; and Asia, which received the second largest amount of Connecticut exports in 2014.”

CERC is a nonprofit corporation and public‐private partnership that provides clients with objective research, marketing and economic development services. The organizations mission is to “provide services consistent with state strategies, leveraging Connecticut’s unique advantages as a premier business location.”

The report was developed by the CERC Research Department, including Alissa DeJonge, Carmel Ford and Matthew Ross.

Too Much Sharing on Social Media - by Parents, Survey Finds

Earlier this month, the Lymes’ Youth Services Bureau offered a program for parents on social media and internet safety.  The focus, as is usually true of similar sessions in communities across the state, was on protecting children, and understanding how they are using social media. What is often overlooked in such community meetings is how parents – especially parents of young children - are using social media. Recent statistics from a national poll by the University of Michigan indicate that the parents of today’s youngsters are increasingly online using social media, often for reassurance, advice and guidance.  And they are concerned about how other parents are using - or overusing - social media.

Most parents of young children (84% of mothers, 70% of fathers) report using social media like Facebook, online forums, or blogs, according to the national poll. Over half of mothers (56%), compared with only 34% of fathers, discuss child health and parenting topics on social media.  When sharing parenting advice on social media, common topics include getting kids to sleep (28%), nutrition/eating tips (26%), discipline (19%), daycare/preschool (17%), and behavior problems (13%).

Parents rate social media as useful for making them feel like they are not alone (72%), learning what not to do (70%), getting advice from more experienced parents (67%), and helping them worry less (62%).  In contrast, about two-thirds of parents are concerned about someone finding out private information about their child (68%) or sharing photos of their child (67%), while 52% are concerned that when older, their child might be embarrassed about what they have shared on social media.

The majority of parents who use social media (74%) know of another parent who has shared too much information about a child on social media, including parents who gave embarrassing information about a child (56%), offered personal information that could identify a child’s location (51%), or shared inappropriate photos of a child (27%).

Parents in this national poll cite many benefits of using social media to seek and share parenting advice, most notably around feeling that they are not alone with parenting concerns. In the poll analysis, it is pointed out that connecting with another parent who is awake in the middle of the night can help to counteract feelings of isolation. Asking for other parents’ recommendations can facilitate the choice of a new childcare provider. And hearing about strategies used by other parents can offer practical tips to deal with a toddler’s behavior problem.

Parents also recognize that there can be downsides to sharing too much information about children on social media. Although there are no hard and fast rules about what is appropriate to share, this poll found that three-fourths of parents think another parent has shared too much information about their child online.

Other concerns about social media use pertain to fears that postings could be used to identify a child’s home, childcare or play locations. In certain situations, such as child custody disputes or domestic violence cases, disclosure of identifying information could pose a significant risk.  Many parents employ privacy settings on social media to control who can see their personal information; however, privacy settings are not well understood by all users, the poll indicates.

The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has coined the new term “sharenting,” the social media violation parents continue to commit with a simple keystroke and click.“By the time children are old enough to use social media themselves many already have a digital identity created for them by their parents,” research scientist in the U-M Department of Pediatrics Sarah J. Clark, associate director of the poll. “Parents are responsible for their child’s privacy and need to be thoughtful about how much they share on social media, so they can enjoy the benefits of camaraderie but also protect their children’s privacy today and in the future,” Clark said.

The survey, for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, was administered in November/December 2014 to a randomly selected, stratified group of adults age 18 and older. Responses from parents with a child 0-4 were used for this report.

https://youtu.be/o_xn6xwl0BI

Boston Children’s Hospital Delights with Interactive Wall Developed at UConn

It lives in Boston, but was built at UConn.  Boston Children’s Hospital’s recently installed Interactive Media Wall is an immense, high-tech, engagingly interactive product of the University of Connecticut’s Digital Media and Design program – a collaboration of students and faculty that is bringing smiles to children and families who encounter the massive 30-foot wall in the facility’s reconstructed lobby. For a team of animators accustomed to designing for screens a few inches across, the task of designing a scene three stories high was daunting – but a challenge they took on energetically.  The electronic wall consists of a large high-definition video screen, and a series of cameras and sensors that observe the presence and movement of people in the space below it, allowing people entering the space to control what appears on the screen.  It can be a powerful experience, for children and adults, as their movement defines the action on screen.

Rather than just showing a pretty picture, the wall hopes to offer some therapeutic benefit to the children who interact with it, in support of the mission of the hospital, which is widely considered one of the best pediatric hospitals in the world.

“The idea was to empower emotionally and physically challenged children to take control of something in their life, at a time when things were spinning out of control,” Tim Hunter, Department Head of Digital Media & Design and Director of the Digital Media Center told UConn Today.

How did a major healthcare facility in Boston connect with Connecticut’s flagship university for the project?

Prior to joining UConn’s faculty in 2007, Hunter spent 25 years developing and producing national and international design projects through his New York City based company. His areas of expertise are in digital animation design & production, digital media design & production, lighting design, scenic design and video projection design.

Through that firm, he had worked for many years with Boston-based Elkus/Manfredi Architects, which in turn worked with Boston Children’s Hospital on various projects.  When the project to renovate the facility’s lobby came along, the architects suggested that hospital leadership contact Hunter to see what he would envision as a centerpiece, interactive experience. 

It was a good match.  Initial work began on the project at UConn in the fall of 2011, accelerating during the spring 2012 semester.  Plans called for the UConn Digital Media Center faculty and students to develop a unique imaging and sensing system that would be controlled by guests of the hospital as they traveled through the lobby.  The work was completed in mid-November 2014, and has been well-received by patients, visitors and staff, earning a not-to-be-missed following.

The UConn team drew on the expertise of faculty members from a broad range of disciplines. Experts in child psychology, in human behavior, and in several disciplines of computer science and engineering contributed to the development of the installation.

That kind of collaboration was critical to the success of the wall, says Hunter, even though such projects are not usually developed at an academic institution. “A university is not the first place you would look for something like this,” said the industry veteran-turned-educator.

Among the students participating in the project were William Pritchard, interaction design and project management; Somaiyeh Ghaffarnia, animation and character development; Sean Dexter, 3D animation; Kevin Richetelli, 2D animation; Samantha Menza, game design; Tom Lee, game design and music composition; and Tiffany Hoang, game design. Prtichard and Ghaffarnia began working on the project as undergrads and continued while pursuing their graduate degrees.  The other students were undergrads.

UConn faculty involved in the project, along with Hunter, were Samantha Olschan, animation and character development; Mike Vertefeuille, technology and installation; and Zsolt Palatinus, data mathematician.  Also participating were staff member Michael Toomey, interaction design and project management, and CHIP members Tim Gifford and Christian Wanamaker, engineering and coding.

There may be more to come.  UConn’s Digital Design department – with students in Storrs and Stamford - and Boston Children’s Hospital now have an ongoing relationship, with plans for UConn to develop new interactive experiences for the next five years.

https://youtu.be/DD7gk2kHP3g

FEMA to Upgrade Emergency System at WTIC-AM Tower As Station's License Renewal Remains Unresolved

As the license renewal application of WTIC-AM radio continues to languish at the Federal Communications Commission, nearly one year after the station’s broadcast license expired, another federal agency is proceeding with WTIC on a local project aimed at assuring the availability of broadcast communication in the event of an emergency. This week the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, testified at the Avon Planning and Zoning Commission outlining a plan to upgrade the Primary Entry Point System (PEP) facility which is located on Avon Mountain at the site of the station's transmitter and operated in conjunction with WTIC. 

The facility is part of a nationwide network of about 70 such installations, which for the past 30 years have provided a “broadcast-based capability to communicate critical life-saving information to the public in times of extreme emergencies,” according to FEMA officials.  FEMA coordinates with local broadcast stations with the most far-reaching signals in their respective regions.  WTIC is the only PEP station in Connecticut.

Also this week, an official at the FCC indicated that the "enforcement hold" status of the station’s license renewal was "unchanged," and the station continues to operate until a decision is made, as is customary with delayed renewal applications. The WTIC-AM license renewal application has been on enforcement hold at the FCC since the license expiration date of April 1, 2014, as the agency’s Enforcement Bureau continues to consider “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” according to an FCC official. The renewal application was filed by the station almost 16 months ago, on November 27, 2013. Stations must file an application for license renewal) four months prior to the expiration date of the station’s license.

The facility at the WTIC broadcast tower and antenna in Avon would be the last in the country to be upgraded by FEMA.  After hearing a FEMA presentation and comments from local residents, the Avon Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the plan and construction is slated to begin later this spring.

FEMA, noting that the PEP system “proved invaluable” to the New Orleans community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, places back-up generators and diesel power at the transmitter sites of key commercial radio stations, to assure that they stay on the air to broadcast emergency information if other media is off-line due to power outages or other “extreme emergencies.”  Such was the case in New Orleans with WWL-AM, which, like WTIC-AM, is a 50,000 watt broadcast station.

Federal officials noted that “WTIC is the only original PEP station that has not been upgraded with long-term back-up components.  This leaves Connecticut and its local communities in a very vulnerable position when a major disaster strikes.”  The plan approved this week calls for installation of a new emergency back-up transmitter, two state-of-the-art generators and diesel fuel tank that would enable the station to transmit broadcast signals for longer than two months if necessary.  Nationally, FEMA continues to upgrade and expand the PEP system. The agency's website indicates that direct coverage of the nation’s population will expand from approximately 67 percent in 2009 to over 90 percent through 77 PEP stations by the end of this year.

WTIC-AM, which is licensed to Hartford but operates from studios in Farmington and has its broadcast tower on Avon Mountain, can continue broadcasting under the license that expired  on April 1, 2014, until the FCC acts on its renewal application. Until the enforcement hold is lifted the FCC Media Bureau cannot proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license.  The Enforcement Bureau must first determine whether or not a violation of FCC rules has occurred.  If the allegation is substantiated, the agency has a range of options, such as warning that the violation not be repeated or imposing a monetary fine on the station, officials said.

Precisely what the allegation under review involves is not made known to the public, officials reiterated this week.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, FCC official have said. The agency can, and often does, communicate with the station as part of their review process.  WTIC has declined to comment on the ongoing review process at the FCC.

Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection last fall to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law,” related to former talk show host John G. Rowland’s use of his radio program to promote the Congressional campaign of Lisa Wilson-Foley. Krayeske had filed a previous complaint in 2012 that did not result in FCC action against the station.

When the license renewal application does reach the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.  The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.  License renewals for radio stations are issued by the FCC for a period of eight years.

Connecticut Medal of Science Nomination Deadline Approaches

The Connecticut Medal of Science is Connecticut’s highest honor for scientific achievement in fields crucial to Connecticut's economic competitiveness and social-well-being. Nominations for the 2015 awards, to be announced in May, are due by Friday, March 13. The Medal recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science in Connecticut. For this competition, science spans the physical and biological disciplines as well as mathematics, engineering and the social and behavioral sciences.

Modeled after the National Medal of Science, the award is bestowed in alternate years with the Connecticut Medal of Technology.  (Science in odd-numbered years; Technology in even-numbered years.) The most recent Medal of Science recipient, in 2013, was Thomas A. Steitz, Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Professor of Chemistry, at Yale University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Unlike their federal counterparts, the state medals are designed to recognize individuals, not teams or entire corporations. The work the awards honor must also have a "clear association with Connecticut," meaning it must have been performed in the state, at least in its final stages, or in a company or institution closely affiliated with the state. Profiles of all Medal recipients are featured permanently in the Hall of Fame, located at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford.

Selection of the Medalist is conducted by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, using the following criteria:

1. Total impact of the candidate’s work on the current state of physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or social and behavioral sciences. (primary criterion)
2. Achievements of an unusually significant nature and their potential effects on the development of scientific thought.
3. Distinguished service in the general advancement of science and engineering accompanied by substantial contributions to the content of science.
4. Recognition by peers within the scientific community.
5. Contributions to innovation and industry.
6. Influence on education through publications, students, etc.
7. A significant portion of the candidate’s work must have been performed in, or be associated with, an institution/organization/business located in Connecticut at least in its more mature and developed stage and during which time the candidate was a citizen of the U.S. or permanent resident who had applied for citizenship.

Nominations include a narrative statement by the individual making the nomination and three statements of support “from persons familiar with the technological aspects of the candidate's work.”

To date, Connecticut Medalists are:

Medal of Science

• Frederick M. Richards, Yale University
• Ronald R. Coifman, Yale University
• William C. Stwalley, University of Connecticut
• Michael P. Snyder, Yale University
• Robert R. Birge, University of Connecticut
• Steven L. Suib, University of Connecticut
• Thomas A. Steitz, Yale University

Medal of Technology

• Joseph Gerber, Gerber Scientific
• Charles H. Kaman, Kaman Corporation
• Anthony J. DeMaria, DEOS, LLC
• Gene Banucci, ATMI, Inc.
• Tso-Ping Ma, Yale University
• Jonathan M. Rothberg, Ion Forrent
• Yaakov Bar-Shalom, University of Connecticut
• Frederick J. Leonberger, EOvation Advisors

The 2015 Medal of Science will be presented at the May 19, 2015 Annual Dinner of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. Additional information is available from Richard Strauss, Executive Director of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, at 860-571-7135.

New “Digital Cookie” Program Brings On-Line Sales to Girl Scouts of Connecticut

Another time-honored tradition has transitioned to the digital age.  Girl Scouts are now selling their celebrated line of cookies on-line.  Connecticut is one of the Girl Scout Councils across the country to be participating in the inaugural year of the Digital Cookie program – and the response has been better than expected. The new Digital Cookie program strengthens, expands, and enhances the well-known and highly regarded Girl Scout Cookie Program by “combining the values and lessons of door-to-door and booth sales with crucial 21st century business and entrepreneurial skills,” official say, “continuing Girl Scouts’ long tradition of preparing today’s girls to be the female leaders of tomorrow.”

Here’s how it works:  Prospective cookie customers are able to purchase cookies on-line, after having been contacted by a Girl Scout. (Or you can tell a Girl Scout you know that you're interested in becoming a Digital Cookie customer.) Each scout has their own personal page thru which the cookies are ordered, so the scout will receive credit for the sale, just as when the transaction is completed in-person.  Officials say that some girls will market their online cookie business by inviting customers to visit their personalized cookie websites through a link sent via email.  Others will take in-person orders using a unique mobile app designed specifically for Girl Scouts.

“We were excited here in Connecticut to give our Girl Scouts the opportunity to participate in a pilot of Digital Cookie, a first-of-its-kind web platform that lets girls sell cookies from their own protected, personalized websites,” said Tiffany Ventura Thiele, Communications & PR Manager for Girl Scouts of Connecticut.

“Digital Cookie represents the next evolution of the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program, adding a digital layer that broadens and strengthens the Five Skills girl learn, while introducing modern elements like website customization and e-commerce,” Thiele explained.

Those skills haven’t changed:  goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics.  With the new on-line system, customers will be able to pay by credit card and have cookies either delivered by the Girl Scout or shipped.

Sales are running strong thus far.  To date, in Connecticut, nearly 38,000 packages have been sold on-line, with more than 2,500 girls participating.  In fact, orders placed in Connecticut have been shipped to 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as to military personnel.  (If you’re wondering, nearly two million boxes of cookies were delivered this past weekend, based on initial orders taken by Girl Scouts in Connecticut.)

Nationwide, a majority of the 112 local Girl Scout councils are participating in the Digital Cookie program for the inaugural 2014–2015 cookie season, which began in January.  Additional councils expected to be on board by the end of the year, using an updated version of the program, which will be tweaked based on the feedback received from participating Councils.

Officials stress that “because 100 percent of the net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program stays with local councils, when you purchase Girl Scout Cookies you’re not only getting a delicious treat — you’re also making an important investment in your community.”

There are two new cookie options locally this year:  Rah-Rah Raisins, an oatmeal cookie, and Toffee-tastics, a gluten-free butter cookie with toffee pieces.

An informal poll on the national Girl Scouts website asks visitors to vote for their favorite Girl Scout cookie.  The top three thus far:  Samoas (30%), Thin Mints (27%), and Samoas (13%).

If you’ve yet to place an order, there’s still time if you have a sweet tooth for Samoas, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Savannah Smiles, Trefolis or the two new offerings.  The Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s cookie program will continue with booth sales through the month of March, so there’s still a chance to fill the cookie jar.

Hospital Outreach Program, New Website and Video Advance Mission of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut began in 1988 as a way for seriously ill children, including those with cancer, to “raise a little hell,” as founder Paul Newman described it – a time and place when kids could simply be kids, without being self-conscious about their ongoing medical needs.  Twenty-seven years later, it is much more than a summer camp, offering a robust range of programs year round, in Connecticut and beyond. To tell that story, and increase public awareness of the array of programs available to children with acute medical needs, the Camp has launched a newly redesigned website (www.holeinthewallgangcamp.org) that eases navigation through the various program offerings, and produced a new video that highlights the range of activities and impact.

Among the programs highlighted is the less widely known Hospital Outreach Program (HOP), one of a number of programs that have blossomed in recent years to extend the mission and impact of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp into communities to reach more children.

Through one-on-one interactions and group activities, HOP “brings Camp’s unique summer programming and spirit to hospitals and clinics. Whether working bedside, in playrooms or outpatient clinic settings, our interactions and activities with children and families include arts & crafts projects, and interactive games specifically adapted for use in the medical setting, as well as other Camp-inspired programming and events. Just like at Camp, all interactions are guided by the child’s choice and are child-driven,” the website explains.

Responding to the fact that children in the hospital often feel isolated, fearful, stressed, and uncertain because of their illnesses, the Hospital Outreach Program “brings the hopeful, playful spirit of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp to children, families, and their caregivers in the hospital setting, at no cost, year-round on a weekly basis.”

The HOP program has expanded to 35 medical facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  The Connecticut programs are offered at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic in Trumbull, and the Yale-New Haven Hospital’s Bridgeport Campus.

The HOP Specialists that provide one-on-one sessions visits “have a bachelor’s degree, excellent kid skills, experience developing fun and exciting programming and knowledge of hospitals systems. They attend both a HOP and Hospital Orientation and receive regular opportunities for professional development,” the website points out.

At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) last fall, the facility was “transformed into Downtown Camp” for a week, as nearly 30 Camp staff and volunteers and more than 60 CHOP volunteers provided five full days of Camp programming. In all, there were “approximately 800 healing experiences with children and families throughout the week, bringing the safety, respect and love of Camp to many families” in Philadelphia.

Building on the success of the week, the Hospital Outreach teach is looking ahead to similar events across the network of partner hospitals.

Among the other programs offered during the year, in addition to the centerpiece Camp experience, are CampOut, which brings the Camp experience to campers in their own hometowns, weekend programs in Ashford in fall and spring, and Hero’s Journey for campers who have aged out of the summer program.  In addition, programs are offered for parents, caregivers and siblings of children participating in The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

http://youtu.be/P2516LEl6AM

Yale, UConn Among Top 100 in R&D Expenditures, Federal Data Shows

Yale University and the University of Connecticut both rank in the top 100 higher education institutions in the level of expenditures for research and development (R&D), according to data compiled by the National Science Foundation. Yale ranked at #21 and UConn at #86 in the rankings for fiscal year 2013, in the Higher Education Research and Development Survey compiled by the NSF and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.

The top 10 institutions are Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), University of Washington (Seattle), University of Wisconsin (Madison), University of California (San Diego), University of California (San Francisco), Harvard, Duke, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and University of California (Los Angeles).

Among local colleges and universities in addition to Yale and UConn, nine other institutions in Connecticut appeared in the national rankings, including  Fairfield University at #343 and Wesleyan University at#348.  Southern Connecticut State University ranked #522, Connecticut College ranked #531,  University of Hartford ranked #535,Trinity College ranked #536 and Central Connecticut State University at #552.  In addition, University of New Haven ranked #575, and Quinnipiac University #611 in the analysis that reported 645 higher education institution R&D expenditures.

The Higher Education Research and Development Survey is the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities, according to the NSF website.

The survey collects information on R&D expenditures by field of research and source of funds and also gathers information on types of research and expenses and headcounts of R&D personnel. The survey is an annual census of institutions that expended at least $150,000 in separately budgeted R&D during the fiscal year.

UConn’s R&D expenditures, $242,251,000 in fiscal year 2013 according to the data, has increased from $215,098,000 in 2004.  At Yale University, R&D spending has nearly doubled - growing from $423,664,000 to $788,784,000 during the same period.

Such R&D spending often is seen as a gauge of innovation in a state, because research can turn into technology transfer or new companies and the quality of research can attract top students, the Bangor Daily News has reported.

Overall across the country, university spending on research and development in all fields totaled $67.2 billion in FY 2013, according to data from the NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey.

When adjusted for inflation, higher education R&D increased by less than half a percent in FY 2013 from the previous year, according to NSF. Officials noted that the overall amount represents the reported totals from 891 degree-granting institutions that spent at least $150,000 in R&D in the previous fiscal year.

The published survey results include the 645 institutions that reported at least $1 million in R&D during their previous fiscal year and who contributed 99.8 percent of the total R&D expenditures reported in FY 2013.  The data was released by the NSF in late February 2015.

Note:  this article was revised to include a number of Connecticut institutions inadvertently omitted in initial publication.

More US Cities Seek to Join Stamford in Commitment to Energy, Water Usage Reductions in Commercial Buildings

Efforts are underway this year for seven additional cities, from Albuquerque to Ann Arbor, to follow Stamford and seven others across the nation, in making a long-term commitment to reduce energy and water consumption in commercial buildings and reduce emissions from transportation, while increasing competitiveness in the business environment and owners' returns on investment. The “2030 District” initiative began with Seattle in 2011, grew by two cities in 2012, to four in 2013, and then to eight in 2014 when Stamford joined Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and San Francisco as a 2030 District.  Now working towards the designation, in addition to Albuquerque and Ann Arbor, are Detroit, San Antonio, Ithaca, Toronto and Portland.

Across the United States and Canada, 2030 Districts are forming with greater frequency to meet incremental energy, water and vehicle emissions reduction targets for existing buildings and new construction called for by Architecture 2030 in the 2030 Challenge for Planning.  Districts are generally private/public partnerships that commit to dramatic reductions in water consumption and energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as adaptation and resiliency actions that address projected climatic impacts.

The Stamford 2030 District – launched this past  November - is an interdisciplinary public-private-nonprofit collaborative working to create a groundbreaking high performance building district in downtown Stamford.  Leading the way in the Stamford 2030 District are the Business Council of Fairfield County and Connecticut Fund for the Environment. As Stamford is a coastal city, its 2030 District will also implement a proactive vision to ensure resiliency against projected sea-level rise and storm surge.

The Stamford 2030 District – the first in New England - began with 23 founding members, including 11 property owners and 12 prominent professional and community stakeholders committed to meeting the 2030 Districts goals and targets. High performance buildings have proven track records of simultaneously increasing business and property profitability, reducing environmental impacts, and improving occupant health.

Now in the process of assessing the District’s current building performance levels, one-on-one assistance is provided to property owners and managers in benchmarking their buildings.  In addition, a first-time webinar will be held this week, on Wednesday, February 18, with several founding members highlighting best practices and procedures:

• Jay Black of SL Green Realty/Reckson Properties will offer industry perspective through his experience with benchmarking buildings in both NY and CT.
• WegoWise will present an overview of their web-based software that is able to benchmark a portfolio and provide deeper analytics into a buildings’ energy performance to find savings opportunities.
• Steven Winter and Associates will demonstrate how to take benchmarking a step further with tools such as building energy audits to help identify opportunities within the building.
• New Neighborhoods, Inc. will serve as a case study project in Stamford that has contracted with WegoWise for their benchmarking and will share their experience.

Officials indicate that District Members develop realistic, measurable, and innovative strategies to assist district property owners, managers, and tenants in meeting aggressive goals that keep properties and businesses competitive while operating buildings more efficiently, reducing costs, and reducing the environmental impacts of facility construction, operation, and maintenance.

“These collective efforts will establish the Stamford 2030 District as an example of a financially viable, sustainability focused, multi-sector driven effort that maximizes profitability and prosperity for all involved. Through collaboration of diverse stakeholders, leveraging existing and developing new incentives and financing mechanisms, and creating and sharing joint resources, the Stamford 2030 District will prove the business case for healthy and high performing buildings.”

Property owners and managers are voluntarily committing their properties to Stamford 2030 District goals; they are not required to achieve the District goals through legislative mandates or as individuals.

“Stamford is already a business leader in Connecticut. The Stamford 2030 District will make the city a sustainability leader nationwide,” said Megan Saunders, Executive Director of the Stamford 2030 District. With over 170 million square feet of commercial building space (including 6 million thus far in Stamford), 2030 Districts are rapidly emerging as a new model for urban sustainability, officials indicate.

The Stamford 2030 District provides members a roadmap and the support they need to own, manage, and develop high performance buildings by leveraging Community and Professional Stakeholders, market resources, and by creating new tools, partnerships, and opportunities to overcome current market barriers. This type of collaborative action is not only a strategic undertaking to keep Stamford competitive in the year 2030, but also represents a major investment in Stamford's future and reflects the collaborative nature of our region.

FCC “Enforcement Hold” of WTIC-AM License Renewal Continues in New Year

The license renewal application of WTIC-AM, filed more than a year ago, remains on “enforcement hold” at the Federal Communications Commission, as the agency’s Enforcement Bureau continues to consider “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” according to an FCC official. Until the enforcement hold is lifted, the agency’s Media Bureau cannot proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license.  The Enforcement Bureau must first determine whether or not a violation of FCC rules has occurred.  If the allegation is substantiated, the agency has a range of options, such as warning that the violation not be repeated or imposing a monetary fine on the station, officials said. 

WTIC-AM, which is licensed to Hartford but operates from studios in Farmington, can continue broadcasting under the broadcast license that expired nine months ago, on April 1, 2014, until the FCC acts on its renewal application.  The renewal application was filed by the station more than a year ago, on November 27, 2013. Stations must file an application for license renewal) four months prior to the expiration date of the station's license.

Precisely what the allegation under review involves is not made known to the public, officials reiterated this week.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, according to an FCC official. The agency can, and often does, communicate with the station as part of their review process.  WTIC has declined to comment on the ongoing review process at the FCC.

Officials say it is not unusual for a license renewal to be on enforcement hold for an extended period of time.  Stations in such a status routinely continue to operate without any interruption until a decision on license renewal is made.

When the license renewal application does reach the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.

The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.  License renewals for radio stations are issued by the FCC for a period of eight years.

Connecticut by the Numbers first reported the FCC’s enforcement hold last September.  Subsequently, Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection on October 1, 2014 to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law,” related to Rowland’s use of his radio program to promote the Congressional campaign of Lisa Wilson-Foley. Krayeske had filed a previous complaint in 2012 that did not result in FCC action against the station.