The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has released a roadmap that it says charts a path for federal buildings projects to achieve zero embodied carbon emissions by 2050.
Emissions standards can feasibly be set by the federal government to zero or “carbon-positive” levels, creating a framework for agencies to build carbon-storing projects by 2045, RMI says. Federal whole-project embodied carbon emissions standards could directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a cumulative 17 million tons of CO2 by 2050—equivalent to removing 3.6 million gas-powered cars from the road for a year.
By enacting embodied carbon emissions standards, the federal government could catalyze markets for disruptive, deeply decarbonized materials, such as zero-carbon cement, zero-carbon steel, mass timber, or bio-based insulation. Concrete and steel represent more than 60% of embodied carbon emissions for US federal buildings, according to RMI.
RMI’s plan would also embrace climate-smart portfolio planning that calculates the embodied carbon value of preservation, renovation, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. In addition, the plan includes whole project embodied carbon performance standards benchmarking of buildings.
Related Stories
| May 16, 2013
Lilker acquires DC-based EMO Energy Solutions
Lilker Associates Consulting Engineers (lilker.com), a multidisciplinary MEP engineering firm with offices in Manhattan and Long Island, announces the acquisition of EMO Energy Solutions (EMO), a Falls Church, VA-based company in the DC Metro area specializing in energy audits, energy modeling, commissioning and LEED® consultation services.
| May 15, 2013
Schneider Electric announces Global Xperience Efficiency Events for 2013
Schneider Electric’s Xperience Efficiency series will begin with events in the United States, China, Colombia, Brazil and Russia.
| May 14, 2013
Paints and coatings: The latest trends in sustainability
When it comes to durability, a 50-year building design ideally should include 50-year coatings. Many building products consume substantial amounts of energy, water, and petrochemicals during manufacture, but they can make up for it in the operations phase. The same should be expected from architectural coatings.
| May 14, 2013
Advanced turbines generate 6X more energy than conventional models
US-based wind energy company SheerWind just unveiled the INVELOX – a tunnel-based wind turbine that can produce up to 600% more power than traditional wind turbines.
| May 4, 2013
Research program offers incentives to homes, businesses toward new propane-fueled products
Propane Heat & Power Incentive Program provides up to $10,000 for qualifying generators, micro-CHP systems
| May 3, 2013
'LEED for all GSA buildings,' says GSA Green Building Advisory Committee
The Green Building Advisory Committee established by the General Services Administration, officially recommended to GSA that the LEED green building certification system be used for all GSA buildings as the best measure of building efficiency.
| Apr 16, 2013
5 projects that profited from insulated metal panels
From an orchid-shaped visitor center to California’s largest public works project, each of these projects benefited from IMP technology.
| Apr 10, 2013
23 things you need to know about charter schools
Charter schools are growing like Topsy. But don’t jump on board unless you know what you’re getting into.
| Apr 1, 2013
Half of building owners use 'smart' technologies, says survey
A survey of 291 building owners by IDC Energy Insights shows that 50% of owners use smart building technologies, such as HVAC controls, lighting controls, and analytics/data management.
