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
Green | Jan 31, 2018
U.S. Green Building Council releases annual top 10 states for LEED green building per capita
Massachusetts tops the list for the second year; New York, Hawaii and Illinois showcase leadership in geographically diverse locations.
Green | Jan 30, 2018
Welcome to the Jungle: Amazon’s Spheres have opened to employees and the public
The Spheres provide the most unique aspect of Amazon’s downtown Seattle headquarters.
Resiliency | Jan 17, 2018
Climate adaptation project addresses current and future climate changes in Randers, Denmark
The C.F. Møller-designed project is slated for completion in 2021.
Sustainability | Jan 16, 2018
The nation's capital of sustainable design
Major cities, like Washington, D.C., make up less than 2% of the world’s landmass, but they contribute 77% of the world’s CO2 emissions.
Museums | Jan 11, 2018
Suzhou Science & Technology Museum will highlight new cultural district in Shishan Park
The 600,000-sf museum will be about 62 miles northwest of Shanghai.
Urban Planning | Jan 10, 2018
Keys to the city: Urban planning and our climate future
Corporate interests large and small are already focused on what the impact of climate change means to their business.
Sustainability | Dec 7, 2017
Busting the myths: What the “S-word” can mean for construction and development
Sustainability, it’s a trendy term. The problem, however, is that it’s being used in so many different ways that people don’t even know what it means anymore.
Sponsored | Sustainability | Nov 2, 2017
Galileo’s Pavilion is a true showcase of sustainability
Galileo’s Pavilion is a 3,000-square-foot academic building.
Greenbuild Report | Oct 18, 2017
Rebuild, retreat, or resist
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma expose the necessity—and limitations—of resilient design and construction measures.
Sustainability | Oct 16, 2017
A negative emissions power plant is now operational in Iceland
The geothermal power plant in Hellisheidi, Iceland was outfitted with a Climeworks DAC module.
