Hacienda
 
NETWORK Archives


NETWORK
 
Published June 17, 2008 Volume 16, Number 6

Business Bits

  • Hacienda’s Iron Planet, a company that offers online auctions of used construction and agricultural equipment, has formed a partnership with AGCO Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment. The venture will allow AGCO’s 1,200 North American dealers to sell used equipment through Iron Planet auctions, which the companies say will provide a faster and more profitable channel to market.
Dealers using IronPlanet will have their machines inspected by a trained IronPlanet equipment inspector, and can take advantage of the company’s guarantee that inspection reports are true representations of equipment condition. In addition, AGCO dealers will be able to sell equipment direct from their locations anywhere in the U.S., avoiding the costly transportation and make-ready expenses associated with selling equipment through traditional auctions.

“IronPlanet is pleased to have a relationship with an industry leader like AGCO and we look forward to providing its dealers with superior service and the best value for their used equipment through our online auctions,” says Paul Blalock, vice president of agricultural sales for IronPlanet. “Their strong brand identity and quality machines combined with IronPlanet’s global presence will benefit the agriculture industry worldwide.”
  • The interior renovations to the headquarters of Hacienda’s Dahlin Group Architecture Planning have received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for commercial interiors (CI).
The Owens Drive structure is the first LEED-certified structure for Hacienda, the third certified in Pleasanton and one of only 25 LEED CI office buildings in California. “This design also serves as a laboratory for our staff and as a demonstration for clients,” says Doug Dahlin, the firm’s founder and president. “With displays we explain and identify LEED elements found throughout the office.”

These elements include an open plan which maximizes this light source and natural ventilation via additional windows, skylights, glass interior walls for enclosed offices and glass rollup garage doors. Also notable are functional sunshades, automatic daylight sensors, low VOC paints, environmentally sensitive carpeting and adhesives, water thrifty plumbing, spectrally selective glass and efficient mechanical systems.

For a complete portfolio of photos, site drawings and floor plans showing the building’s remarkable transformation, see www.dahlingroup.com/OwensDrive.
  • Kaiser Permanente, whose IT department is located in Hacienda, is partnering with Microsoft for a pilot program offering health data transfers between Kaiser Permanente’s My Health Manager and the Microsoft HealthVault consumer health platform. Connecting My Health Manager to Microsoft’s HealthVault platform will allow users to combine personal health information from Kaiser Permanente with a wide range of health and wellness management applications and devices such as blood pressure monitors.
“Providing new ways to manage their health online is one more way we can engage consumers in their care,” says Anna-Lisa Silvestre, vice president of Online Services at Kaiser Permanente.

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