Construction officials outlined a series of steps public officials and the construction industry should take to address the impacts of the built environment on climate change. The new initiative from the Associated General Contractors of America is designed to lessen the carbon footprint of the built environment while also making the process of building projects even more efficient.
“The construction industry is the delivery vehicle for building a greener, more climate friendly future,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Finding a way to ensure that what our members build is more efficient will have a significant impact on climate change.”
Sandherr noted that construction activity accounts for less than two percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Meanwhile, the built environment accounts for approximately one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, while the new initiative includes steps construction firms can take to operate more efficiently, the bulk of the effort is focused on pushing for public and private project owners to build more efficient projects and discovering how we can also support them in that process.
Among the measures outlined in the new initiative include calling for a national strategy to invest in physical infrastructure that will make communities more resilient. The association is also calling for an increase in investments and funding opportunities for public and private infrastructure to build more efficient highways, water plants and other facilities.
Public officials should also invest in modernizing federal buildings to make them more efficient. The association is also calling for expanding tax incentives and deductions to encourage the private sector to build more efficient buildings. And the group is calling for expedited permitting for projects that improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Association officials also identified steps contractors can take to operate more efficiently. This includes encouraging equipment manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of their equipment, helping firms learn how to reduce equipment idling and sharing information about industry innovations like solar powered job site trailers and energy efficient job site lighting.
The new initiative was crafted by a special climate change task force for the association created earlier this year. Representatives from 18 different member firms participated in the task force meetings and helped craft the recommendations outlined in the initiative. “You can’t wish for a greener future, you have to build it,” said Les Snyder, the president of Shikun & Binui America in Pittsburgh and the chair of the association’s climate change task force.
Click here to view details of the association’s new climate change initiative.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Nov 5, 2018
How the built environment can help the climate crisis
Our buildings and cities will have to experiment with new climate responsive forms, and in many cases, the built environment will require dramatic shifts to achieve true resilience and continue working towards a carbon-neutral society.
Sustainability | Oct 25, 2018
As project delivery models evolve, designers rethink their role
New York City’s newest university campus, Cornell Tech, pushes the limits of sustainable and resilient design.
Green | Oct 17, 2018
USGBC survey suggests employees are happier, healthier, and more productive in LEED green buildings
Can healthier, more sustainable buildings give employers a hiring edge to attract best in class talent?
Sustainability | Oct 3, 2018
Introducing sustainable design early leads to more resilient projects
Many companies are influenced by the misconception that only some projects can qualify as sustainable.
Sustainability | Sep 18, 2018
Starbucks to build 10,000 “Greener Stores” by 2025
The company is teaming with SCS Global Services and World Wildlife Fund to develop the Greener Stores framework.
Sustainability | Sep 13, 2018
Under-development solar panels snap together and turn waste heat into hot water
The project is being developed at Brunel University London.
Sustainability | Sep 10, 2018
At Penn State, sustainability is more than a goal
The university, encompassing 13 colleges and 24 campuses, adheres to protocols established by the UN.
Green | Aug 15, 2018
What if your neighborhood could make you healthier?
The WELL Community Standard equips planners to build health promotion into the very fabric of neighborhoods.
Energy | Aug 6, 2018
Will California lead the way to energy independence?
The architecture, engineering, and construction industry will have to make major adjustments in the years ahead now that many state, city and local governments are getting serious about creating a carbon neutral buildings sector.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 27, 2018
To take on climate change, go passive
If you haven’t looked seriously at “passive house” design and construction, you should.