Energy use by buildings offers a tremendous opportunity for governments seeking to foster clean energy technologies. Sustainability-minded policymakers should focus on three interlinked policy approaches related to better buildings: 1) energy policy that favors energy efficiency and distributed renewable energy sources, 2) climate policy that recognizes and internalizes the cost of carbon pollution; and 3) standards and performance criteria for the building envelope and the building components.
A study completed by the Central European University and commissioned by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) demonstrates how transformative change in the building sector can contribute to emissions reductions. To achieve the full potential of emissions reductions in the building sector, today’s best-practice, state-of-the-art buildings must become the standard in less than 10...
The state of U.S. energy and the role of new technologies Building energy efficiency is making its mark in the current energy economy, according to a new report from...
Richard Graves Executive Director International Living Future Institute (ILFI),
Doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement economywide has become an important global policy goal. For some, it is critical to improve economic productivity, for others, it slows the rate of carbon emissions, and for countries without enough power to meet growing populations, it frees resources to help ensure access to energy. Sustainable Energy for All,1 an initiative launched by the...
With a population of 1.1 billion people and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India is experiencing a rising demand for energy. This growth has presented a challenge to the energy infrastructure, as evidenced by some startling statistics from the Central Electricity Authority’s Load Generation Balance Report 2010-2011. This assessment of the country’s anticipated...
Commercial building asset rating systems are in development in California and at the U.S. Department of Energy that will make a building’s energy efficiency potential more transparent, similar to an “MPG” rating for cars. This rating is complementary to the energy use ratings from the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The attached interviews with program experts from...
The City of Melbourne is using a unique set of complementary strategies, including national, provincial and city government policies, to improve the energy efficiency of its commercial buildings and achieve carbon neutrality by 2020. To date, Melbourne has implemented:
