Promote Green Buildings for Biggest, Easiest Cuts in North American CO2 Emissions

Link: Promote Green Buildings for Biggest, Easiest Cuts in North American CO2 Emissions

A report announced in Vancouver by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation states that "Promoting the green design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings could cut North American greenhouse gas emissions that are fuelling climate change more deeply, quickly and cheaply than any other available measure." 

Currently, North American buildings directly or indirectly result in the release of 2.2B tons of CO2.  Rapid implementation of green building technologies could result in savings of 1.7B tons by 2030, roughly equal to the US transportation sector in 2000.  A review by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development quotes John Westeinde, a partner in the Windmill Development Group in Ottawa and chairman of an advisory group that guided the report.

"The investments made for climate change benefit in buildings have direct payback, generally from the point of view of reduced energy costs and water costs as well the indoor health environment and increased productivity of the inhabitants of those buildings."

Barriers to rapid adoption include:

• limited application of lifecycle costing, often because capital and operating budgets are separately managed
• green building technologies often do not benefit the developer who pays for them
• higher perceived or actual costs
  
• higher perceived risk
• lack of expertise
• inconsistent government policies
• lack of investment in research

The includes a number of specific recommendations in the areas of developing a vision, setting targets and implementing strategies for change.

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