Building efficiency is key to cutting energy consumption. In 2007, 878 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases were attributed to commercial buildings worldwide.1 Buildings account for 16 percent of world energy consumption2, with a higher share in developed economies (nearly 40 percent of total energy use in the United States)3. While roughly two percent of commercial floorspace is newly...
The term “green building” has been transformed in recent years from a qualitative ideal and marketing vehicle to a quantifiable and defensible statement about sustainability. Key to this transformation has been the development of transparent and trusted rating and certification systems for green buildings. BREEAM (established in the UK in 1990), LEED (established in the U.S. in 1998),
Clean energy is key to environmental sustainability. Reliable, affordable energy is fundamental to economic development. While dense megacities continue to emerge as the dominant population centers of the 21st century, over two billion of the world’s people still lack access to basic energy services. Affordable energy infrastructure and technology, coupled with the development of a...
In the past, energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy programs have often advanced along separate pathways. However, a 2007 study conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) concludes that investments in both energy efficiency and renewable energy are essential to creating a secure energy future for the U.S.
Al igual que con todas las decisiones comerciales, la decisión de “construir o no construir” depende de un análisis de la relación coste-beneficio: un proyecto de construcción o una instalación particular se ejecuta si se espera que genere un valor monetario superior a su precio. Si, por el contrario, los costes percibidos superan los beneficios, el proyecto se abandona.
We all know that the term "green building" does not refer to plants that decorate it , but there is no single definition to explain exactly what makes a building is environmentally friendly. Instead, they should be considered multiple elements, although currently being debated what are the most important.
For many building owners, the challenge is not just to dial down energy use in a single building, but to improve efficiency across an array of buildings.
Reduced to its essentials, carbon management is about setting a goal to reduce emissions and then working to attain it. Once an organization has completed a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, it can establish a carbon emissions reduction target. Setting a that target based on an accurate and thorough inventory of GHG emissions communicates a company’s commitment to managing its footprint.
Establishing a carbon management plan depends first on getting an accurate read on the extent of an organization’s emissions. This is not as simple as reading the meter on energy use, however, as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions emanate from many different aspects of doing business.