Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
“Human-induced climate change is a threat to human life and society, and steps must be taken across economic sectors to reduce the adverse impact of carbon and other harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” said AC Powell, president and CEO of NIBS. “Progress has been made, but there is still far to go.”
The report’s recommendations include:
- The federal government should prioritize private sector input in federal actions around decarbonization.
- The administration and federal agencies should ensure all proposed actions and mandates are working from a common definition of decarbonization, with commonly shared, publicly available data.
- Federal agencies should provide technical assistance and funding to support development of a generally accepted lifecycle approach to evaluating whole-building environmental impacts. This should include balancing operational GHG emissions and embodied carbon considerations.
- Federal, state, and local governments and the building industry should increase investment in understanding and overcoming the challenges to decarbonization posed by the existing building stock.
Related Stories
| Mar 26, 2014
Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies
Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.
| Mar 25, 2014
Sydney breaks ground on its version of the High Line elevated park [slideshow]
The 500-meter-long park will feature bike paths, study pods, and outdoor workspaces.
| Mar 21, 2014
Forget wood skyscrapers - Check out these stunning bamboo high-rise concepts [slideshow]
The Singapore Bamboo Skyscraper competition invited design teams to explore the possibilities of using bamboo as the dominant material in a high-rise project for the Singapore skyline.
| Mar 7, 2014
Thom Mayne's high-tech Emerson College LA campus opens in Hollywood [slideshow]
The $85 million, 10-story vertical campus takes the shape of a massive, shimmering aircraft hangar, housing a sculptural, glass-and-aluminum base building.
| Feb 27, 2014
Target converts former prison dump into latest big-box store
Target's new San Rafael, Calif., location was built on the site of the former San Quentin prison dump.
| Feb 20, 2014
5 myths about cross laminated timber
A CLT expert clears up several common misconceptions and myths surrounding the use of wood as a building material.
| Feb 17, 2014
GBI to Offer AIA Approved Course Free for 60 Days to Train New Green Globes Professionals
The Green Building Initiative™ (GBI) announced today that between Feb. 13 and April 15 it will provide free access to its online certification course for Green Globes Professionals™ (GGPs). GGPs help guide building projects in achieving Green Globes® ratings, awarded for environmentally-focused design and construction.
| Feb 14, 2014
Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower
Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.
| Feb 4, 2014
World's fifth 'living building' certified at Smith College [slideshow]
The Bechtel Environmental Classroom utilizes solar power, composting toilets, and an energy recovery system, among other sustainable strategies, to meet the rigorous performance requirements of the Living Building Challenge.
| Jan 30, 2014
Mayors of 10 metros unite to cut building-related climate pollution
Organizers say combined initiative could cut as much climate-change pollution as generated by 1 million cars every year, and lower energy bills by nearly $1 billion annually.
