In 2006, General Services Administration (GSA) adopted the “Memorandum of Understanding for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings.” This year, it updated its “High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Guidance,” which includes guiding principles for minimizing energy use in new construction and major renovations, along with existing buildings. Strategies include focus on reducing building energy loads—including products that are “life-cycle-cost-effective”—before considering renewable or clean and alternative energy sources.
The guiding principles are also influencing efforts throughout the country in exploring innovative ways to achieve progress toward carbon neutrality with advanced and stretch energy codes, incentive programs, and mandates. Forty-seven states have energy efficiency requirements for state-owned or funded public buildings that go beyond the state energy code and help reduce demand-side energy and related greenhouse gases (GHGs).
In June 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set state standards to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants, a program known as the “Clean Power Plan.” Each state has a GHG reduction target and would be required to submit a plan—with energy efficiency strategies encouraged—to EPA for approval. However, the Supreme Court has ‘stayed’ the plan’s implementation pending judicial rule—27 states oppose the EPA program, while 18 support it. While this ‘stay’ is in place, many states are nonetheless quietly continuing development for their plans, as building energy efficiency is considered an opportunity that can help reduce demand-side energy.
The “Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Industrial Sector Report: Market Assessment & Recommended Strategies to Accelerate Energy Efficiency” reports of the four major energy-consuming sectors of the United States economy, the industrial sector consumes the largest amount of energy, beating out transportation, along with residential and commercial buildings. It is accountable for approximately 31 percent of total energy use, or 30.5 quads in the Northeast alone.
More than 140 companies, including U.S. industrial manufacturers, have made an ongoing commitment to climate action; they represent significant CO2 reductions through the American Businesses for Climate Action and Clean Energy (AB4CE). These are the world’s most influential businesses committed to doubling their energy productivity, which is about getting more economic output from each unit of energy.
U.S. corporations contracted for 3.1 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy in 2015—double the amount procured by corporate purchasers the previous year, based on the findings of a study released by the Advanced Energy Economy Institute (AEEI). According to Greenbiz.com, 431 companies already report stronger financial performance and a better ability to manage the changing landscape of natural resources supply, customer demand, and regulatory controls.
Almost 1900 companies publicly disclosed data to CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) last year, while 248 invested in projects to reduce climate-changing emissions outside of their immediate operations, purchasing the equivalent of 39.8 million tons of carbon dioxide.
The City Energy Project is a national initiative run by Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The current leadership of 10 cities (from Atlanta and Denver to Los Angeles and Chicago) are providing practical solutions that cut energy waste, boost local economies, and reduce harmful pollution. These types of programs from states and cities are worth noting for future business and case studies on what is working (and what is not) in energy intensity and related GHG reduction.
