A new central utility plant for Phoenix Children’s Hospital uses new technology and other innovations that will save 5.6 million gallons of water per year for the water-scarce Phoenix area (enough for 120 households) and will guarantee $570,000 in energy savings per year over 15 years, versus a traditional design.

They are using a chiller, which is the most efficient way to cool using existing technology. Basically, you make ice all night long and then blow air over it during the day for A/C. They basically do the opposite in the winter to make hot air and hot water.

Chase Field and surrounding buildings all share one massive chiller to heat and cool, as does the entire campus of UofA. I think ASU does, but my memory is failing there.

The only way they could use less energy to generate hot and cold water is to use solar hot water to help off-set the natural gas used to run the compressors. But, that technology is still being rolled out. Not in time for the new hospital tower.

Still, its pretty cool. I hope all new buildings take this same tactic.

Learn more at the developer’s website.

Check out this news, below, tracking the enrollment downtown.

After only four years, ASU downtown is up to 11,503 students. They are expecting upwards of 20,000 by 2012.

I am thrilled. Downtown students tend to be serious students and graduate students. These folks, along with faculty and staff, are going to make up the neighborhoods around downtown.

For those of us in Garfield, I think this is great. I think it means that we are going to have a vibrant community of people who are engaged as home owners or land lords. I think it will result if homes being renovated and people being active in the neighborhood.

It is a great time to invest in Garfield as the next campus community.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on it all.

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There were an astounding 8,000 closings in October 2009. That’s 50% above last year.

Didn’t I predict this buying spree six months ago? (Say “yes.”)

Expect even more closings in November, as everybody races for the tax credit.

Notice also that there is a greater trend toward short sales over foreclosures.  The percent of foreclosures continues to drop both as Closed transactions (44%) and in the Pending category (35%). 25% of the active listings were short sales. 31% of the pending sales were short sales.

Unlike a few months ago when short sales were active, but did not close, we are averaging 20% closed. Further, short sales are staying on the market for less time. So, the banks are doing better at processing them.

The price numbers are continuing to ‘bump around’ with no consistent trend line. October’s Average Sales price was down about $4000 to $171,000 and the Median Sales price was down $2000 to $128,000. Both of these numbers are considerably above the yearly lows of $159,000 and $115,000 respectively, but the Average has been up and down for the past 4 months, with the Median down for the first time since April.

What does all of this mean?

It means that everybody is rushing so hard for the tax credit that they are buying whatever they can.

What does it mean if you want to buy?

It means that you should try to buy during the holidays when everybody else has either already captured the tax credit, or has given up. The holidays usually see less activity, so that might increase your power as a buyer.

Please give me a holler if I can help you with more market analysis.

Data compiled from report by my broker, Jim Sexton of John Hall and Associates.