Prior to the COP21 International Climate talks in Paris, more than 54 building and real estate companies signed on to the Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration. The document urges policymakers to seize one of the ‘greatest economic opportunities of the 21st Century’ in tackling climate change.
The declaration is a companion to Ceres’ Climate Declaration, launched in 2013, which has more than 1,660 signatories including iconic brands such as Gap Inc., General Mills, Disney, Apple, and Starbucks. The Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration calls attention to the risks and opportunities associated with climate change on the built environment, which produces 39% of carbon emissions annually.
“Our community knows that buildings represent the lowest cost and greatest potential to reduce carbon emissions,” said Roger Platt, president, U.S. Green Building Council. “The Climate Declaration will give visibility to buildings as a critical climate solution. We’ve proven that by acting sustainably, we can leverage innovation and efficiency to drive economic growth.”
For example, Skanska has goals to replace fossil energy with renewable energy, and has conducted 113 “project carbon footprints” to reduce greenhouse emissions in 2014, an increase of 40% since 2013.
Related Stories
| Jun 18, 2014
Pittsboro, N.C., approves massive new development plan
The Pittsboro, N.C., Board of Commissioners approved the master plan for Chatham Park, a massive residential and commercial project that could bring 60,000 people to Pittsboro over several decades.
| Jun 11, 2014
AGC to study causes of construction deaths, injuries
The Associated General Contractors of America is conducting a new study to make job sites safer and search for ways to lower the number of injuries and deaths in the construction industry.
| Jun 11, 2014
U.S. infrastructure quality ranks only 19th in the world
The quality of infrastructure in the U.S. ranks just 19th in the world, trailing countries such as Oman, Portugal, and Spain, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report.
| Jun 11, 2014
ISO releases standards for comparing city services worldwide
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created the first standards to compare services of the world’s cities.
| Jun 11, 2014
Federal bill would promote shifting to energy-efficient roofs
A bipartisan proposal from U.S. Reps. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., and Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., would make roof replacement cost less and would help commercial building owners adopt energy-efficient systems.
| Jun 5, 2014
Over budget Homeland Security headquarters project may be canceled
A massive new headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security is more than $1.5 billion over budget, 11 years behind schedule, and may never be completed.
| Jun 5, 2014
Insurance giant sues nearly 200 Illinois communities for failing to prepare for climate change
Farmers Insurance filed nine class action suits against nearly 200 communities in the Chicago area, saying that local governments should have prepared for rising global temperatures that have led to heavier rains and flooding.
| Jun 4, 2014
Dikes, water pumps, and parks will help New York City area be more resilient
The Obama Administration has pledged $1 billion in federal funding to protect the New York City region from flooding like the area experienced from Superstorm Sandy.
| Jun 4, 2014
Green initiative may scuttle high-rise projects in Berkeley, California, critics charge
Volunteers in Berkeley, Calif., are collecting signatures for the “Green Downtown & Public Commons Initiative,” a controversial measure that critics charge would halt some development in the city.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
