In a recent survey conducted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA),
seven percent of those who responded identified buildings as the top
contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and forty percent indicated they
believed the primary contributor to be cars and trucks.
Those few seven percent had it right. Recent studies have shown that
buildings produce forty eight percent of the greenhouse gases which
contribute to climate changes. Buildings also consume over seventy percent
of the electricity produced at national power plants.
Whereas most respondents didnt realize that buildings (which include
multi-family communities) were responsible for almost half of the dangerous
greenhouse gas emissions, the majority indicated they were willing to invest
in energy-efficient homes. A whopping ninety two percent stated they would
pay in excess of $5,000 for a home that was more energy efficient to protect
the environment, even if they would not see financial returns through lower
utility bills over the next decade. And another sixty nine percent said they
would make an extra investment in an energy efficient home if they would
receive a financial return over the next decade.
"The AIA is in a position to educate all owners both residential and
commercial developers on the need for energy-efficient buildings, says
R.K. Stewart, AIA president. We are working closely with Congress to
advocate for the adoption of sustainable design principles in the final
energy bill that will be sent to the President.
AIA is currently advocating for inclusions of its AIA Federal Building
policy. This policy requires all new and significantly renovated buildings
owned or even leased by the government to be carbon-neutral by 2030.
Additionally, the AIA hopes the bill will also include an increase of the
energy-efficient commercial building tax deduction by twenty five percent
(from $1.80 to $2.25 per square foot); the construction of a Sun Wall on
the Department of Energys (DOE) headquarters in Washington D.C. that will
generate up to 200 kW of electricity; the creation of a Zero-Energy
Commercial Buildings Initiative at DOE to focus on carbon neutrality
nationally; establish a national energy-efficiency quota or goal for all
sectors of the U.S. economy; and establish an Office of Green Buildings with
the General Services Administration (GSA) and a consortium that includes
architects to advise.
In short, the AIAs goal with their proposed policy is to implement
government run awareness of energy usage efficiency and for the government
itself to lead the war on reducing greenhouse gasses by example.
Source: Multi-housing News
Published: The Capital Investor, October, 2007 |
