green technology

The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas will start at $26,155, with an additional $750 destination fee.  The Civic Natural Gas, which is the only natural gas-burning passenger vehicle that will be produced in the United States, has somehow stayed under the radar.

As a fuel alternative in general, natural gas doesn’t get much press.  However, natural gas costs about 30 percent less than gasoline, and has lower smog-former emissions.  Possibly the reason that the natural gas alternative doesn’t get much press is that the Honda Civic GX is only currently offered in four states.   The Civic Natural Gas – which is the new name for the Civic GX – will be offered in an additional 38 states when it is released on October 18.

Honda is the only major car manufacturer in the US that has a natural gas car.  With all the benefits natural gas has to offer, though, maybe we’ll start to see more it more frequently.  Natural gas is abundant, domestically produced, and costs less than regular gasoline.  Honda is pushing the Civic Natural Gas in response to a growing interest in the US in fuel-efficient alternatives to regular gasoline.

Drivers can refuel in their own homes by tapping into their gas line, or use a natural gas refueling station.  To help you locate these less-common stations, the Civic Natural Gas comes with the Honda Satellite Navigation System, which includes a database of Compressed Natural Gas stations.

The Civic Natural Gas will qualify for state-issued decals that allow single occupant vehicles to drive in the HOV lanes in some states, giving it an added value.

Updates on the Civic Natural Gas include new styling, enhanced performance, and increased fuel economy.  Drivers can expect 27 mpg in the city, 38 on the highway, and 31 combined.  Under the hood is a 1.8L four-cylinder engine with 5-speed automatic transmission.

Honda has the most LEED-Certified green buildings in North America. Their Powertrain Division in Ohio and Canda’s new head office on Ontario were the two most recent buildings to get LEED-Certification.

“Our environmental efforts extend well beyond the products we make and include the facilities that support Honda’s manufacturing, R&D, sales and service operations across North America,” says David Strelow, facilities manager for the Ohio plant. “This is part of our commitment to being good neighbors in the communities where we do business and good stewards of the environment and our finite natural resources.”

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It acts as a third party certification system, and certifies that buildings are using green strategies that save energy and improve water efficiency, etc. It began in 1998 and eventually established the Green Building Certification Institute, which allows buildings to become accredited and certified as environmentally safe and energy efficient. The process begins when a building submits an application documenting their energy saving practices and then GBCI reviews their application and systems to verify their compliance.

To earn this certification in their Ohio branch, Honda sourced materials from local companies and reused and recycled over fifty percent of construction materials. They also have a new “cool roof,” which is a special roof that helps reflect solar light in order to prevent sunlight from increasing the temperature of the building. Along with this cool roof, they have implemented efficient lighting, advanced indoor-air quality management systems and low-flow toilets.

Honda is a leader in environmental performance and has eleven LEED-certified buildings in America. Among these buildings are a parts warehouse in Oregon, data center in Colorado, parts consolidation center in Ohio, and even a Marien Engine Research facility in Florida. These buildings all implement similar strategies as the Ohio branch, along with conservation easements and energy-efficient heating nd air conditioning.

Honda vehicles also top the list for America’s greenest vehicles for the past eleven years. In 2006, Honda announced voluntary CO₂ emissions reduction targets for their automobiles and power equipment.