May 7, 2003—A new report prepared by the US Green Building Council says that design, construction, and operation of the more than 76 million residential and nearly 5 million commercial buildings accounts for 20 percent of the economy and more than 40 percent of energy consumption, pollution, and waste.
At the report’s announcement, Sen. James Jeffords—a ranking member of the US Senate Public Works and Environment Committee—said, “This report underscores the need to provide federal incentives and resources to promote the construction of high-performance green buildings.”
Jeffords is working to introduce legislation to promote buildings that incorporate energy efficiency, waste reduction, and other green design features. He noted that the federal government could accelerate the mainstreaming of high-performance building practices while saving taxpayer dollars.
The report, called “Building Momentum: National Trends and Prospects for High-Performance Green Buildings,” outlines specific recommendations such as strengthening existing federal policies and programs on green building, including the use of full-cost accounting results, and boosting funding for research.
In the last three years, the amount of facility space registered to certify as green by Green Building Council has doubled to over 100 million square feet.
