According to a new white paper
released today by Environment New Hampshire, the country's energy consumption
could be cut by 11 percent through simple building efficiency measures. “Building
an Energy-Efficient America: Zero Energy and High Efficiency Buildings” describes
the many opportunities for increasing energy efficiency in buildings and makes recommendations
for what local, state and federal officials can do to secure huge energy
savings in new and existing buildings.
“An enormous amount of energy is wasted in buildings, and
capturing this energy is vital in order to set America on a new path to a cleaner,
smarter energy future” said Environment New Hampshire Advocate Erika
Staaf. “With global warming looming and
energy prices soaring, we need to be doing all we can to save energy.”
Nearly half of the energy we use in the United States—10 percent of the
energy in the world—is consumed powering the buildings in which we live and
work and much, if not most of that energy is wasted. “Building an Energy-Efficient America”
describes policy steps that states and the federal government can take to
significantly cut that waste and realize our technological potential for energy
efficiency:
- Building energy codes should be improved and
enforced. National model codes should be 30 percent more efficient by 2010 and
state codes should match or exceed the model codes.
- Federal, state, and local governments should
adopt policies that encourage building far beyond code and retrofitting
existing buildings for increased efficiency.
- Policies should be designed to encourage on-site
renewable power.
- Political leaders should set the goal for all
new buildings to be zero net energy by 2030.
The energy savings that can be achieved through these
cost-effective policies cannot be understated.
- By 2020 we could reduce annual United States
energy consumption by 11 percent through simple building efficiency measures
such as more efficient lighting, water heating, and appliances, and by
designing new buildings to be more energy efficient.
- Strong energy codes alone, adopted nationally
and adequately enforced, would reduce national energy consumption by 2 percent
by 2030.
- One quad of energy gained through building
efficiency would cost $42.1 billion. This much energy would cost three times as
much gained through new coal plants, and five times as much through new nuclear
plants.
In September a major opportunity will present itself, when
officials from towns and cities across the country come together to update the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) –
the national model code most states use to shape how new homes are constructed. The officials could vote to improve the model
code to require new homes to be 30 percent more energy efficient.
“This little known process represents one of the most
important energy votes of the year,” said Staaf. “Mayors who send their officials to vote for
the 30% Solution won’t just be saving their citizens money, they’ll be setting
the stage for the entire nation to dramatically reduce the energy we waste and
global warming emissions,” she added.
Another key step
towards modernizing our buildings is renewing the national energy tax credits. This package includes tax deductions and
bonds to help homeowners, builders and business owners construct buildings that
waste less energy and take advantage of solar power. Passing these tax credits would not only
preserve support for clean energy investment, one of the fastest-growing areas
of our economy; the tax credits would also help consumers save money by
encouraging energy efficient building. We’re
calling on Senators Gregg and Sununu to work to pass these tax credits.
Many states are
already leading the way with building codes, incentives, and rules that set
strong minimum standards for efficient building and encourage efficiency far
beyond the minimum and renewable energy.
- Maine recently passed its first statewide
residential building energy code, which requires that the state continually
incorporate each update to the model code as its energy efficiency increases.
- Oregon enacted tax credits for energy-efficient
building practices in 2007, which can amount to thousands of dollars and large
percentages of the incremental costs.
- California, as part of its ground-breaking Million
Solar Roofs legislation, mandates that solar panels become a standard option
for all new houses by 2011.
Environment New Hampshire calls on
decision makers to make a commitment to do everything it will take to move
our country forward, past the old, inefficient and wasteful, and put ourselves
on track to make all new buildings zero-energy by 2030. In the short term, this means passing the 30
Percent Solution, renewing the energy tax credits.
“Gas and electricity bills could be obsolete by the middle
of this century, and we can start by taking advantage of the large savings that
are already at our fingertips,” said Staaf.
“We need to make a commitment and work towards that vision of clean,
efficient, homegrown energy by making the most of the opportunities in front of
us right now.”
