|
Policymakers seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions while boosting job creation should consider the residential and commercial building sectors where a few state governments are exploring the environmental and economic benefits of energy-efficient building energy codes.
One such state is Washington, which took major strides this year by becoming the first to legislatively adopt the fundamental goals of the Architecture 2030 Challenge into its building energy codes. State Senator Derek Kilmer (D) – widely known in Washington as the job creation guru – was a prime sponsor of this legislation (Senate Bill 5854), which aims to enhance business innovation en route to meeting the steady and ambitious building energy use reduction targets prescribed by the 2030 Challenge.
By setting targeted, achievable goals and providing strategic planning support, the Architecture 2030 Challenge encourages the building sector to construct net-zero emission buildings by 2030. To meet this goal, Senate Bill 5854 would direct the Washington State Building Code Council to adopt energy codes requiring homes and businesses constructed from 2013 through 2031 to incrementally move towards a 70 percent reduction in energy use by 2031 (using the 2006 energy codes as the baseline). Come 2031, the 70 percent reduction would require that newly constructed buildings be powered entirely by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and tidal waves or hydropower.
How will Bill 5854 promote job growth for Washington State? The employment opportunities for architects, contractors and others in the building community are predicted to increase as building energy codes improve and the demand for their work grows. Moreover, business innovation in this sector stands to flourish as building professionals explore new ways of meeting increasingly stringent codes and constructing energy-efficient – but also marketable – buildings.
Says Sen. Kilmer of Bill 5854’s potential, "There's a real opportunity here to do two critical things: save money and grow our economy. Energy efficiency is one of the few bright spots in these tough economic times. This bill will help lower utility bills for consumers across the state while putting people to work using skills they already have."
Click here to view Sen. Kilmer's remarks on the bill: http://blog.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/kilmer/im-cheap/
Examplary State Building Codes
(from www.bcap-energy.org)
California
According to the California Energy Commission, the state’s building efficiency standards (along with those for energy-efficient appliances) have saved more than $56 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978. Effective January 2010, the state’s energy code is estimated to exceed the energy efficiency of the 2009 model code editions, and will include broader and more stringent requirements for indoor & outdoor lighting, ventilation & indoor air quality, building envelope insulation, and cool roofs.
District of Columbia
Adopted by the D.C. City Council in December 2008, the D.C. Construction Codes for residential and commercial building codes achieve about 7 percent greater energy savings than the current standards in neighboring Virginia and Maryland and contain several “greening amendments” recommended by the D.C. Green Building Advisory Council, including cool roofs, on-site stormwater retention, and low-flow residential and commercial plumbing fixtures.
Massachusetts
In May 2009, the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards approved an optional "stretch code" to help improve local building energy efficiency; it can be adopted as an alternative to the base energy efficiency requirements. The residential elements of the stretch code are based on compliance with the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR standard, and the commercial elements are based on the New Building Institute’s Core Performance guidelines.
Oregon
While Oregon already enforces building energy codes slightly above or on par with the 2006 national model codes, the Oregon State Legislature has approved a bill that directs the state to adopt new standards for 2010 that would increase the energy efficiency of residential buildings by up to 15 percent and nonresidential buildings by up to 25 percent above Oregon’s current standards. The state shall also consider the energy savings targets to meet the Architecture 2030 Challenge.
Looking for more information on state building codes? Visit the Building Codes Assistance Project website, www.bcap-energy.org, or sign up for their weekly Code Alert Bulletin by contacting Paul Karrer at pkarrer@ase.org.
|
