On February 27, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and nearly 1,000 businesses from across the country urged Congress to reject efforts to repeal the law setting goals for reducing fossil fuel use in federal buildings by 2030.
The letter comes in response to reports that the oil and gas lobby pushed to include a repeal of Section 433 of the Energy Independence and Security Act in the bipartisan Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill.
“It is unfortunate that the fossil fuel industry has demanded gutting federal energy laws through in the Shaheen-Portman bill,” said AIA CEO Robert Ivy, FAIA. “Sens. Shaheen and Portman have spent more than two years crafting a bipartisan energy efficiency bill. We support the original bill, which has many admirable provisions, but cannot in good conscience support legislation that undermines laws that help the federal government save taxpayers money by conserving energy.”
Last year, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the otherwise bipartisan Shaheen-Portman bill that encourages families, businesses and the government to save energy. It is not clear whether the revised bill can move forward in its current form.
“We remain committed to finding consensus solutions to improve Section 433,” Ivy said. “But so long as its opponents demand a full repeal, we do not believe the bill serves the interests of the American public.”
The letter states that design and construction companies across the country are already designing buildings that meet, and in some cases exceed, the current targets in Section 433. “In fact, Section 433 has enabled design firms to develop new design strategies that they are now using to help private-sector clients reduce their energy loads,” the letter states.
A full text of the letter can be found here. A “Myth vs. Fact” document about Section 433 of EISA can be found here.
Related Stories
| Feb 13, 2014
Extreme Conversion: Nazi bunker transformed into green power plant, war memorial
The bunker, which sat empty for over 60 years after WWII, now uses sustainable technology and will provide power to about 4,000 homes.
| Jan 30, 2014
How reverse engineering nature can spur design innovation
It’s not enough to copy nature. Today’s designers need a deeper understanding of environmental nuance, from the biome in.
| Jan 23, 2014
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill-designed Federation of Korean Industries tower opens in Seoul [slideshow]
The 50-story tower features a unique, angled building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) exterior designed to maximize the amount of energy collected.
| Jan 16, 2014
The incandescent light bulb is not dead
Despite misleading media reports, January 1 did not mark a ban on the manufacture or import of 60-watt and 40-watt incandescent bulbs.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Jan 6, 2014
Green Building Initiative names Jerry Yudelson as new President
The Green Building Initiative announced today that it has named Jerry Yudelson as its president to accelerate growth of the non-profit and further leverage its green building assessment tools, including the highly recognized Green Globes rating system.
| Jan 6, 2014
An interview with Jerry Yudelson, President, The Green Building Initiative
Green building consultant Jerry Yudelson has been named President of the Green Building Initiative and the Green Globes rating program. BD+C's Robert Cassidy talks with Yudelson about his appointment and the future of Green Globes.
| Jan 2, 2014
Measuring whole building energy use among big changes in LEED v4
A new prerequisite in LEED v4 calls for each project to measure whole building energy use, and then share that data with USGBC.
| Dec 31, 2013
Top 10 blog posts from 2013
BD+C editors and our contributors posted hundreds of blogs in 2013. Here's a recap of the most popular topics. They include valuable lessons from one of the first BIM-related lawsuits and sage advice from AEC legend Arthur Gensler.
| Dec 20, 2013
Can energy hogs still be considered efficient buildings? Yes, say engineers at Buro Happold
A new tool from the engineering firm Buro Happold takes into account both energy and economic performance of buildings for a true measure of efficiency.
