A New Zealand firm is hoping to beat rivals to Britain's lucrative boiler replacement market with its energy-efficient product and says an IPO (initial public offering) in Europe could be on the cards as it ramps up production. Whisper Tech, controlled by New Zealand state power group Meridian, expects to be profitable within a year and is examining its funding options over the next 12-18 months as it moves into mass production.

But a dimmer living room and risk of eye-strain may be the least of our worries. In the rush to get us using greener, more energy-efficient light bulbs, authorities here have forgotten to engage in any public information campaign about their health risks.

One day, man-made buildings will mimic the human body in the relationship with the exterior. Penn State University researchers are about to study and implement a model that uses the sensitivity and flexibility of human cells to build “skins” that will give buildings the possibility to self-adapt to the exterior, to regulate their energy use according to changes in the environment.

The 155,000-square-foot facility is located in Lockport, N.Y., and unlike conventional ones, it uses 95 percent less water and 40 percent less energy. The energy-efficient data center has a power usage effectiveness rating of 1.08, which is quite less compared to the industry average of 1.92.

Starting early to develop China's own energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles a decade ago, China now has an established industry with the research and development of three types of these vehicles and three key technologies at its core. Zhang Laiwu, vice science and technology minister, made the remark Thursday at a press conference in Beijing, adding that China' s industrial pattern of green vehicles was relatively unique in the world, because of its early start to develop these vehicles.

The energy conservation exposition 2010 (ENCON EXPO 2010) featuring energy-efficient products and renewable energy will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from November 25-28.