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In 2009, the US adopted its first nationwide auto emissions standards for greenhouse gases. We are now well on our way to creating these same mandatory standards specifically geared towards greenhouse gas emissions for all federal power plants. These changes have not only increased pressure on Congress to pass a climate bill, but sets the bar for further and comprehensive greenhouse gas reductions in the future.
In addition, very soon after taking office President Obama urged the EPA to reconsider its decision to deny the state of California a waiver to implement strong auto emission standards relating to greenhouse gases. This will hopefully lead to California's waiver standards being adopted nationwide, bringing fuel efficiency standards to 35.5mgs by 2016 resulting in a 30% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in new cars.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected developments of 2009 was the appearance of 'nuisance' lawsuits against polluters by 'victims' of climate change. It was predicted that these lawsuits will become more frequent, but until this point many have been dismissed. Yet in September the Federal Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal of two nuisance cases, essentially putting polluters on notice that they could be held accountable for greenhouse gas emissions. While the future of climate-related litigation relies heavily on future judicial appointment, increased accountability of greenhouse gas emission is surely on its way.
In 2010, we can expect these, and many more, sustainability issues to take center stage. The time has come to completely reshape what people see as 'green building' and how we fight climate change. Making the ideas surrounding building sustainably more accessible can lead to 2010 being the year of green building with economic sense and energy efficiency. According to USGMC figures, buildings account for:
- 72% of electricity consumption,
- 39% of energy use,
- 38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,
- 40% of raw materials use
- 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
- 14% of potable water consumption
2010 has to be the year where this economic sense is turned into action, where green building moves beyond an early-adopters phase and enters the mainstream construction industry. The USGBC's LEED certification system has created clear sets of attainable goals for the building industry to strive towards. These include many new and exciting innovations such as increased use of renewable energy technologies, water and energy saving appliances, and high tech HVAC and water heating equipment. However, there are two more low-tech and cost-efficient aspects of the LEED rating system that are often overlooked.
The location and site of a building are two factors that have a huge effect on the overall sustainability of the building. The key to location is building closer to where the occupants will spend the rest of their time outside the building. The LEED system calls this 'community connectivity'. When you work near where you shop, live, eat, and spend your free time, things are simply better. A good location takes advantage of what already exists in the area. The redevelopment of buildings, neighborhoods, and urban areas in general indicates a demand for living in a denser community.
The site of a building is how your building is situated on the land. The main considerations are how the building will interact with the site and how to reduce overall environmental impact. While reducing roads, protecting watersheds and minimizing the disturbance of habitats are main priorities, correctly siting a building can save a lot of money over the life cycle of the building. Perhaps the greatest mistake often made is ignoring the orientation of the building. Poor orientation can lead to up to 30% more in energy costs. Good orientation can keep the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, reducing the amount of energy required to heat and cool the building. In the future this decreased need for energy will allow the owner to take greater advantage of solar and other renewable technologies to make his or her building completely self-sustainable. Light, heat, and air are all free to utilize - the challenge is to make them work for your building.
This next year is full of many exciting possibilities for the green building industry, if you have the knowledge and expertise to take advantage of them. LEED accredited professionals are more recognized and in-demand than ever. Get started on attaining your LEED accreditation today, and get ready to open up to a whole new world of opportunity.
