Architecture 2030 issues Blueprint to reduce carbon emissions

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In April, 2008 Architecture 2030 issued a Blueprint for action to reduce CO2 emissions. The logic behind the Blueprint is summarized as follows:

1. The atmosphere presently contains 385 ppm of carbon.
2. That level is increasing at the rate of 2 ppm per year.
3. The acceptable level of atmospheric carbon is 350 ppm if we are to avert catastrophic climate change.
4. Coal use is responsible for 81% of the CO2 emissions associated with electrical production.
5. 76% of all electricity produced is used to operate buildings.

Conclusion: we should be focused on reducing the electricity required to operate our buildings.

The Blueprint's logic stream continues:

1. Buildings account for 38.5 QBtus of energy consumption annually; of that, 27.3 QBtus is in the form of electricity.
2. Existing energy efficiency options could reduce building energy use by 11.1 QBtus.
3. To provide 1 QBtu of energy: new nuclear capacity would cost $222B, new coal capacity with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS or so-called "clean coal") would cost $256B. Incorporating energy efficiency measures to negate the need for 1 QBtu would cost $42.1B.
4. Coal CCS is estimated to be 20 years away. New nuclear would take 10-12 years to build and bring online.
5. Each year in the U.S., we build approximately 5 billion square feet of new buildings. We renovate approximately 5 billion square feet and demolish approximately 1.75 billion square feet of existing buildings.

Conclusion: we have an immediate opportunity to make an impact on the use of fossil fuels in buildings by maximizing energy efficiency, and it is a far better use of capital resources than is building nuclear or coal (CCS) power plants.

This is not new news. Years ago, Amory Lovins (Rocky Mountain Institute) urged Americans to think in terms of negawatts - that is, eliminating the need for additional megawatts. It is already happening, but not fast enough to silence the proponents of coal CCS and nuclear power.

Having made the case for investment in energy efficiency in buildings, Architecture 2030 lays out its Blueprint for action, with the following key components:

1. Declare an immediate moratorium on the construction of new coal-fired power plants and phase out existing coal plants by 2030.
2. Require all federally funded developments to meet the 2030 challenge targets. As a reminder, the targets begin immediately:

• All new buildings should be designed to use 50% less fossil fuel energy than previously


• An equal amount of building area should be renovated to use 50% less fossil fuel energy


• The 50% fossil fuel reduction standard increases to 60% in 2010, 70% in 2015, 80% in 2020, 90% in 2025 and 100% in 2030. We can reach these targets through energy-efficient design, use of renewable energy, and purchase of renewable energy offsets to a maximum of 20%.
  

3. Strengthen the National Energy Conservation Code requirements to reflect the 2030 targets.
4. Invest approximately $22B annually during each of the next five years through existing federal programs to drive the use of energy efficiency measures.
5. Fund and implement a joint labor-management program for retraining workers in the coal industry to help them make the transition to new jobs.

What we are building and remodeling today will be in place for years to come. It is important that every project explore the possibilities and strive to meet, at a minimum, the immediate and progressively increasing 2030 targets. Please read the Blueprint for additional detail and source information for the data cited.