Construction officials outlined a series of steps public officials and the construction industry should take to address the impacts of the built environment on climate change. The new initiative from the Associated General Contractors of America is designed to lessen the carbon footprint of the built environment while also making the process of building projects even more efficient.
“The construction industry is the delivery vehicle for building a greener, more climate friendly future,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Finding a way to ensure that what our members build is more efficient will have a significant impact on climate change.”
Sandherr noted that construction activity accounts for less than two percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Meanwhile, the built environment accounts for approximately one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, while the new initiative includes steps construction firms can take to operate more efficiently, the bulk of the effort is focused on pushing for public and private project owners to build more efficient projects and discovering how we can also support them in that process.
Among the measures outlined in the new initiative include calling for a national strategy to invest in physical infrastructure that will make communities more resilient. The association is also calling for an increase in investments and funding opportunities for public and private infrastructure to build more efficient highways, water plants and other facilities.
Public officials should also invest in modernizing federal buildings to make them more efficient. The association is also calling for expanding tax incentives and deductions to encourage the private sector to build more efficient buildings. And the group is calling for expedited permitting for projects that improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Association officials also identified steps contractors can take to operate more efficiently. This includes encouraging equipment manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of their equipment, helping firms learn how to reduce equipment idling and sharing information about industry innovations like solar powered job site trailers and energy efficient job site lighting.
The new initiative was crafted by a special climate change task force for the association created earlier this year. Representatives from 18 different member firms participated in the task force meetings and helped craft the recommendations outlined in the initiative. “You can’t wish for a greener future, you have to build it,” said Les Snyder, the president of Shikun & Binui America in Pittsburgh and the chair of the association’s climate change task force.
Click here to view details of the association’s new climate change initiative.
Related Stories
| Nov 22, 2013
Health Product Declaration Collaborative to develop protocol for third-party verification of HPDs
Seven leading product sustainability assessment companies partner with the HPD Collaborative to develop the verification and quality assurance protocols.
| Nov 19, 2013
Top 10 green building products for 2014
Assa Abloy's power-over-ethernet access-control locks and Schüco's retrofit façade system are among the products to make BuildingGreen Inc.'s annual Top-10 Green Building Products list.
| Nov 18, 2013
USGBC, UL Environment announce joint Environmental Product Declaration
Strategic partnership between U.S. Green Building Council and UL Environment will focus on building materials and product transparency.
| Nov 15, 2013
Greenbuild 2013 Report - BD+C Exclusive
The BD+C editorial team brings you this special report on the latest green building trends across nine key market sectors.
| Nov 14, 2013
How increased domestic energy production affects the nation [Infographic]
In light of America's new energy resources and an increased emphasis on energy efficiency, Skanska examined the trends in U.S. energy production and consumption, as well as the benefits we may incur from increased domestic energy production.
| Nov 14, 2013
Behind the build: BD+C's 'Pedia-Pod' modular pediatric patient unit at Greenbuild 2013 [slideshow]
Next week at Greenbuild, BD+C will unveil its demonstration pediatric patient unit, called Pedia-Pod. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of this unique modular structure.
| Nov 13, 2013
Government work keeps green AEC firms busy
With the economy picking up, many stalled government contracts are reaching completion and earning their green credentials.
| Nov 13, 2013
Installed capacity of geothermal heat pumps to grow by 150% by 2020, says study
The worldwide installed capacity of GHP systems will reach 127.4 gigawatts-thermal over the next seven years, growth of nearly 150%, according to a recent report from Navigant Research.
| Nov 8, 2013
Can Big Data help building owners slash op-ex budgets?
Real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle set out to answer these questions when it partnered with Pacific Controls to develop IntelliCommand, a 24/7 real-time remote monitoring and control service for its commercial real estate owner clients.
| Nov 8, 2013
S+T buildings embrace 'no excuses' approach to green labs
Some science-design experts once believed high levels of sustainability would be possible only for low-intensity labs in temperate zones. But recent projects prove otherwise.
