More than 60 of the largest and most influential global architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, planning, and construction firms issued a document to government leaders attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26) challenging them to increase emissions reduction targets for the built environment.
The companies collectively put in place over $300 billion in annual construction, and the two dozen industry organizations represent more than one million building industry professionals worldwide. The letter urges governments to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree carbon budget.
Buildings are the largest source of the world’s carbon emissions globally, accounting for about 40% of total emissions. When embodied carbon of buildings is included, that percentage is substantially higher. Thus, decarbonizing the built environment is essential to achieving the goal of the Paris Agreement.
Progress made in the United States in reducing carbon emissions in the built environment is encouraging, though. The U.S. building sector has not increased its energy consumption since 2005, even though the nation added more than 50 billion sf of buildings during that time. Today, carbon emissions in the U.S. building sector continue to decline each year and are currently down 30% from 2005 levels.
Related Stories
| Oct 28, 2011
Los Angeles County mulling building codes for improving health
An ordinance would amend county building codes to promote better walking environments, encourage more bicycling, improve access to healthy foods (farmers markets, community gardens), and enhance project review requirements to ensure that developers include healthy-lifestyle components in their building plans.
| Oct 28, 2011
Bipartisan opposition to federal 3% withholding for contractors
Both major political parties and the Obama Administration support repealing a law that would withhold 3% of all government contracts.
| Oct 28, 2011
OSHA requires training module on top causes of construction deaths
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) now requires a training module on the top four causes of death for construction workers.
| Oct 28, 2011
New York City requiring building energy use to be posted online
Owners of every New York City commercial and residential building larger than 50,000 sf will have to post each building’s energy use online by 2013.
| Oct 28, 2011
New ISO standard for escalator safety
A new ISO standard specifies safety requirements for escalators and moving walks.
| Oct 20, 2011
LEED 2012 to require real-time energy, water use reporting
The LEED 2012 rating system, set to launch in November 2012, will contain features to make sure buildings function as intended, and improve over time.
| Oct 20, 2011
New York City moving to speedier, online design reviews
New York City is moving towards a development design review process that will let officials and developers review blueprints for new projects online in a virtual conference room rather than in person.
| Oct 20, 2011
Michigan bill would let private firms operate as a city’s building department
Michigan House Bill 5011 would change state’s building code to allow private companies to operate as a municipality's building department.
| Oct 20, 2011
Alabama’s strict immigration law drives away construction workers
Alabama's strict new immigration law is driving many construction workers and roofers from the state.
| Oct 20, 2011
Fed bill would allow school rehab funding via historic tax credits
Virginia Sens. Jim Webb (D) and Mark Warner (D) introduced a bill this month to rehab aging schools across the country through the use of historic tax credits.
