TOPIC 'Environment' on Aug 13, 2009 (CEST)
Energy Efficient Buildings by 2030
The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA) or Waxman-Markley Climate Bill (HR 2454) passed the House of Representatives earlier this month and is awaiting action in the Senate. It’s is best known for the controversial “Cap and Trade” provisions for Carbon Dioxide emission reduction. To accomplish these goals and reduce American energy consumption, a less well known provision in this bill contains radical yet practical plan to change the way buildings are constructed.
The provision would set a uniform standard across America requiring 30 percent improvement in energy consumption by 2010 and 50 percent improvement by 2016. There are no efficiency standards in place nationwide today, and 39 states have their own energy codes. Creating one standard would be a big change for the construction industry, but the savings are substantial.
Heating and lighting is a substantial part of America’s energy usage, so a 50 percent decrease has a big impact. It’s estimated that the reduced energy consumption after 2030 is 18.4 billion BTUs, or about 240 medium sized power plants.
“It is clear that the building energy code targets set in (the bill) are not only essential for achieving the energy consumption and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions reductions needed, but that they also are the most cost effective approach for doing so,” says Edward Mazria of Architecture 2030, an organization of architects devoted to fighting global warming.
To meet these new standards, ACESA includes financial support to offset the often heavy initial cost. Households could receive $3,000 in financial support to make their residences at least 20 percent more energy efficient, and commercial buildings would also get financial support for weatherization.
The payoff for these provisions comes in more than energy savings. An analysis from McKinsey and Company shows savings of $33 billion per year by 2030 from these improvements. “Efficiency is the cheapest, fastest solution to our energy crisis,” according to the report, prepared for the National Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group.
While many parts of ACESA are controversial, no major groups have spoken out against the proposed nationwide standards for energy efficient construction. “It is clear that the building energy code targets (in ACESA) are not only essential for achieving the energy consumption and GHG emissions reductions needed, but that they also are the most cost effective approach for doing so,” says Mazria.
Jason Grace
on behalf of the
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