Boston, MA - A comprehensive plan to make our nation’s buildings more efficient by 2030 could save enough energy to power all of our nation’s cars, homes and businesses for a year and a half while saving Americans more than $500 billion, according to a new report by Environment Massachusetts. By renovating old buildings and ensuring that new ones use 50 percent less energy within ten years and generate as much energy as they use by 2030, we can cut U.S. global warming emissions by at least 34 percent by 2050.
The recommendations in the report mirror those put forward by Governor Patrick’s zero net energy buildings taskforce and, if implemented, would propel Massachusetts to the forefront of national building policy. “We are calling on the Governor to swiftly implement the recommendations of his Zero Net-Energy Buildings report and make Massachusetts’ buildings the greenest in the nation.” said Ben Wright, Energy Advocate for Environment Massachusetts “this would be a major step towards meeting our energy efficiency goals, cutting energy bills and reducing global warming pollution.”
Nationally, nearly half of our energy - and 10 percent of the energy used in the world - goes towards powering our buildings, and much of that energy is wasted. Buildings account for 40 percent of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to global warming. Building a Better Future: Moving Toward Zero Pollution With Highly Efficient Homes and Businesses outlines policy steps that local and state officials and the federal government can take to significantly cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The report calls for a comprehensive plan to make our nation’s buildings more efficient. The report calls for a comprehensive plan to make our nation’s buildings more efficient. Under last year’s Green Communities Act, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Patrick, Massachusetts has already taken important first steps including committing to upgrading state building codes which will triple energy efficiency in new buildings and creating a “stretch code” that will allow Bay State cities and towns to go even further to reduce energy waste.
In addition to those steps that Governor Patrick and the Legislature have taken, the report also calls for additional steps to reduce energy waste in our buildings including:
- Setting codes to have all new buildings be zero-net energy by 2030 through a combination of energy efficiency and onsite renewable energy;
- Stimulating investments in energy efficiency retrofits in all existing commercial and residential buildings before 2030.
The report illustrates the scale of reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that can be achieved by adopting these measures nationally, including:
- Saving 144 quadrillion BTU, or enough energy to power all of America’s homes, businesses, cars, and power plants for a year and a half;
- Avoiding a total 11.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, nearly equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of the U.S. and China combined;
- Paying back up front costs and netting more than $542 billion in energy savings from renovating existing buildings.
The recently passed American Reinvestment and Recovery Act represented a first and important step towards increasing the energy efficiency of our buildings. This significant piece of legislation provided $25 billion for weatherization and energy efficient upgrades for commercial and government buildings nationally.
“In Boston, we’re pushing developers to think creatively and build sustainably by incorporating a green building provision in our zoning code,” Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. “Federal funds from the Recovery Act will allow us to further our ambitious climate action agenda and create a one-stop shop for energy efficiency and alternative energy services that all Boston businesses and residents can take advantage of. Still, this report highlights the collective challenges and responsibilities we face in reaching our full potential to tackle climate change.”
“The Artists For Humanity EpiCenter is a facility completely dedicated to the voice, vision and virtuosity of urban teens. It is also committed to environmental responsibility. The entire 23,500 square foot LEED Platinum Certified EpiCenter was built using environmentally responsible methods and incorporates renewable energy technologies. By engaging our young people in the design process, we taught them the importance of thinking big, of pioneering change. Most importantly, it demonstrates the feasibility - and affordability - of green design and the future role it could play in our changing built environment.” Said Susan Rodgerson, Executive and Artistic Director with Artists for Humanity.
"Moving toward more efficient buildings is good for us all," said Representative Lori A. Ehrlich (D-Marblehead). "This will save money, create jobs, and protect the environment. Adopting energy efficient building policy makes both environmental and economic sense."
“With federal stimulus funds coming in from the federal government and a Governor who has shown great leadership on energy and climate issues, Massachusetts is well poised to continue leading the nation in sound energy policy. We are calling on the Governor to take the next step and make sure that the recommendations of his own task force’s report are implemented quickly” concluded Wright.
Read report.
