USGBC Boosting Energy Performance Requirements

You know what I love about the green building industry? We don't shy away from a challenge.

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2007 -- As part of the U.S. Green Building Council's
Climate Change Agenda, the group's membership have overwhelmingly voted to
approve a 14 percent increase the requirements for energy performance within
the
LEED standards. The change will require all LEED certified projects to
achieve
at least two "Optimize Energy Performance" points, which will
improve the energy
performance of all LEED certified green buildings by 14
percent for new
construction and 7 percent for existing buildings.

This was recently published on GreenerBuildings.com and is, of course, on the USGBC website as well. The most remarkable thing about the "green" building movement is that the construction and design industry is self-regulating. We are doing it because it's the right thing to do.

Recently, I attended a Town Hall Meeting organized by Shell Oil to discuss the "domestic oil crisis". John Hoffmeister, CEO of Shell, made the statement that government should take the lead to require use of alternative fuels, and decrease need for oil. I asked "why"? Why doesn't the oil industry do it because it's the right thing to do? Why don't they take proactive measures to create need for alternative fuels? Why don't they do what the building industry is doing? Self-regulating?

Let's just say he's very good at his job and the spin on his response could have separated chemicals in a centrifuge.

If you'd like a peek at the event, check out the video at the ABC News Website.

I'm proud of the building industry. I'm proud that we overwhelmingly voted to increase the energy standards on our buildings and set a higher benchmark. I'm proud of the good work we're doing to promote energy efficiency.