The Energy Independence and Security Act, signed into law in 2007 by President George W. Bush, contains a mandate for new federal buildings and retrofits totaling $2.5 million or more to reduce fossil-fuel generated energy consumption in scalable increments in the years leading up to 2030. According to Sec. 433, new federal buildings and large scale retrofits will be required to eliminate the use of fossil fuels entirely by 2030. The AIA supported this provision and has worked with the Department of Energy during its rulemaking process.
Last week, Congress proposed to significantly weaken or eliminate this provision, despite the rulemaking process being incomplete. We need your help to tell congress that building and sustainability professionals are already succeeding in making federal facilities meet Sec. 433. First, contact your Representatives to let them know that weakening or repealing Sec. 433 with no deliberation or discussion will dramatically harm the federal government's ability to design and build facilities that use less energy and protect the environment.
Next, send AIA's government advocacy team examples of projects that are meeting - or exceeding - the current 2030 targets. Please send examples of any of these projects to Andrew Goldberg at agoldberg@aia.org.
It is up to us to educate Congress on this important provision. Requiring significant energy reduction targets in new and renovated federal buildings demonstrates to the private sector that the federal government is leading by example. It is helping spur the development of new materials, construction techniques, and technologies to make buildings more energy efficient. And it is showing that significant energy reductions are both practical and cost-effective. Reach out to your Representatives today, and please send us any examples of these projects.
Thanks Everyone!
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Christina Finkenhofer
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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