Mitigating Global Warming Through Building Efficiency Standards: A Proposal for Federal Legislation in the U.S.

1. Mitigating Global Warming Through Building Efficiency Standards: A Proposal for Federal Legislation in the U.S. By: Jake Tonkel, Dan Ibanez, Jossued Rivera, Jen Spartz, Ian Sweeney

3. The Dangers of Global Warming • Ozone Layer • Polar Ice Caps • Extinction • Sea Levels • Heat Waves • Smog www.break.com

4. Who We Represent

5. Green Building Council • Vision • Through leadership collaboration, the global construction industry will transform traditional building practices and fully adopt sustainability to ensure the future health of our planet. • Mission • Ensure Green Building Councils are successful and have the tools necessary to advance. • Stand as the premier international voice for green building design & development. • Foster effective communications and collaboration between Councils, countries, and industry leaders. • Support effective green building rating systems. • Share best practices globally. http://www.worldgbc.org/about-worldgbc/who-we-are/vision-a-mission

6. LEED • Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design • Green Building Rating System • Standards • Sustainable sites (14 points total) • Water efficiency (5 points total) • Energy and atmosphere (17 points total) • Materials and resources (13 points total) • Indoor environmental quality (15 points total) • Innovation and design process (5 points total) • Cert. (26-32); Silver (33-38); Gold (39-51); Platinum (52-69)

7. Aims • Legislative advocacy project • Effort to pass federal legislation • United States government • Mainly Congress • Support from a Congressperson • Targeted at E&E Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce Committee of the House

8. Rationale

9. Rationale • Energy increases of +57% in 25 years • 31% increase in the United States • Electricity in U.S. to grow by 40%

10. Why Commercial Buildings? • Account for 18% of U.S. energy consumption • Expected to grow at 1.6% annually in 25 years • Many Great Examples to follow • High Probability of success • Help the Construction Sector

11. Why will it pass? • Addresses the most important issues of our time • Many easily noticeable positive effects

12. Overall • Save Money • Save Electricity • Reduce CO2 Emissions • Help with Energy Independence • Create Cleaner Cities and more comfortable living

13. Advocacy

14. Advocacy Logistics • Sub-federal level testing • State governments utilizing LEED certification programs • Support • Potential Congressional Sponsors • Stakeholders • Other sponsors

15. Legislation Process • Propose legislation to Congressperson • Congressional legal team refines and edits it • The bill is then at the mercy of the Committees • Our focus then shifts to approval form Committee with minor publicity on the general Congress

16. Support during legislation process • Reps. Ed Perlmutterand Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse • Congressional Hearing • Energy and Environment Building Alliance • High Performance Building Council • Alliance to Save Energy • Building Science Corporation

17. The Legislation

18. Profit ! The Gap The Efficiency Gap $ Efficiency Lee, W.L., & Yik, F.W.H. (2004). Regulatory and voluntary approaches for enhancing building energy efficiency.

19. Solutions http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/stat-green-building.jpg

20. Schemes Rating Label Incentive Regulation

21. Benchmark kWh/m^2/year

22. Coverage • Buildings • All public, commercial structures • Not residential homes • Inspectors • EPA inspection groups • Some private inspectors for full coverage • Cost of inspection minimized • Rotation ensures quality

23. 69.2 62.3 62.3 63.5 62.9 52.5 68.5 64.2 62.6 51.5 61.4 68.9

24. Raw Data

25. A B Sort, Select Benchmark

26. Other rating credits • Power use pattern • Renewable power support • Reduce emissions on site such as: • Natural gas heating • Transportation (fossil fuel powered) • Other environmental considerations

27. Below Benchmark • Period of support from administration • Suggestions of solution technologies • Focus on closing profit gap • Identify any limitations • Penalties: • Cooperation -> extended support / management • No cooperation -> taxes for excess energy used • No payment of taxes -> lose ownership

28. Support

29. Expertise Skills Required: • Knowledge of energy efficient improvement technologies • Knowledge of good construction practices • Persuasive speakers • Public educators • Good relations skills • Legal expertise • High-tech modeling and prediction capabilities

30. People Required: • Lobbyists • Legal consultants/government legal team • Congressional support • Technology analysts, researchers, high-tech modeling teams, and civil engineering analysts • Architectural Consultants

31. Sources of Funding • Funds for building projects across the U.S.: • Local LEED programs • HHS and HUD • Community Development Financial Institution • A variety of other economic institutions • Funds for Policy change: • Organizations with a similar purpose

32. Stakeholders Stakeholders Reasoning PRO: • Architects • City Residents CON: • Energy Companies • Government • Lease Owners • New standards for planning • Cleaner air, general comfort • Lower profits from fossil fuels • Complications with legislation • Cost of upgrading

33. Social Alliances • Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments • Green Building Alliance • The Alliance for a Sustainable Future • Various state and local alliances

34. Social, Cultural, Political, and Economic Trends • More citizens are becoming concerned about global warming • Political leaders are pushing change • Voters support leaders who address climate issues • 57 % of people worldwide acknowledge the seriousness of global warming • Homeowners are going green and saving money

35. 15 states and 46 cities require standards for new buildings • California is funding $3 billion worth of upgrades to older buildings • Connecticut consumers saved almost $39 million through energy efficiency in 2006. • A company Efficiency Vermont helped save $31 Million in buildings energy costs http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/12/06/green_buildings_map_final.jpg

36. Companies like DOW Chemical, Johnson Controls and even Wal-Mart have inserted efficiency programs • Many corporations have implemented efficiency changes, both for economic and environmental reasons

37. Closing

39. Questions?