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EPA grants Petaluma firm $70,000 for green building research

Release Date: 3/17/2005
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, (415) 947-4297

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently gave a $70,000 grant to GeoPraxis, Inc. of Petaluma, Calif. to help increase the number of new buildings in the West designed with sustainable, "green" building components.

The EPA chose GeoPraxis, an engineering, architectural and construction software development company at 205 Keller St., from a pool of 363 applicants nationwide to receive the funding under the agency"s Small Business Innovation Research contracts program. The EPA awarded 34 grants totalling $2.6 million to small businesses across the country.

GeoPraxis will use the funding to develop a Web service for use in building analysis that will factor in such issues as localized wind information, water table information, transportation alternatives, utility transmission and distribution infrastructure availability, and regional air quality. The Web service will also assist builders with decisions on siting, natural ventilation, water efficiency, indoor air quality, material selection, atmospheric and energy technologies.

The EPA 's Small Business Innovation Research program offers financial support to businesses with fewer than 500 employees to develop the best new innovative technologies related to environmental protection, including clean air and water, hazardous and solid waste, pollution prevention, remediation and monitoring.

For more information on the program go to: http//www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir