Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recently spoke of the major challenges facing America’s military resulting from climate change. Among the challenges the armed forces may face is rising sea levels that could put Navy docks and other installations under water in places like Norfolk, Va., Honolulu, and other coastal locations.
The Pentagon has been working for years to reduce the military's carbon footprint by using alternative fuels and more stringent energy-efficiency construction standards. Despite these efforts, the military was responsible for 71% of the federal government's carbon footprint in 2010. A federal greenhouse gas report said that more than 60% of the Pentagon's carbon footprint cannot be reduced easily.
A newly released Defense Department report identifies four things that will affect the U.S. military due to climate change: rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, more extreme weather, and rising sea levels. It calls on the department and the military to identify specific concerns, including possible effects on the more than 7,000 bases and facilities worldwide, and to start putting plans in place to deal with them.
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/climate-change-military_n_5975734.html)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 30, 2020
7 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 30, 2020
Affordable housing comes to the Bay Area and this is not the end of cities.
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2020
Mandated building retrofits are necessary to meet climate crisis
Performance standards could greatly reduce GHG emissions.
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2020
New buildings can fall short of designed performance
Similar structures can produce different energy usage results.
Codes and Standards | Jun 25, 2020
Arc offers tools, analytics for safe workplace re-entry
Platform helps sustainability teams to collect data, benchmark progress, measure impact, and improve performance.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2020
New API enables design and construction technology platforms to connect
Construction Specifications Institute offers “digital classification engine.”
Codes and Standards | Jun 23, 2020
State lawmakers encouraging transition to heat pumps for building heating
Policies aim to replace gas heaters with electric units.
Codes and Standards | Jun 22, 2020
Natl. Renewable Energy Labs, Cold Climate Research Ctr. team up on extreme weather research
Focus on renewable power, sustainable transportation, energy efficiency, and energy systems integration.
Codes and Standards | Jun 19, 2020
Demand for family rentals expected to jump over next few years
Developers’ focus on single, urban millennials leaves family market underserved.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2020
AIA offers retail and office 3D models for reducing risk of COVID-19 transmission
For modifying stores and offices with 17-point architectural, engineering, and administrative framework.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2020
Santa Fe is second city in the world to achieve LEED v4.1 Gold
New Mexico community gained credits for resilience planning, including public health crises.
