DOE and Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs) Awards

Per January 2007's Executive Order 13423, every DOD base is under the gun for reducing its energy costs every year to reach a 30% reduction by 2015. This Ars Technica article describes recent DOE NREL awards for companies making big strides to reach ZEB standards as soon as possible. Solar is called out, and one technology that isn't (urban or building-mounted wind energy) is covered by my friend builder Chris here. Using just the Army's structures for example, if the efficiency of its 50,000 housing units and nearly 1 billion square feet of buildings could be improved just a little, you'd be talking humungous cost savings.