New Mexico Mayors Support 30% Efficiency Improvement
in National Codes
According to a new white paper released today by Environment New Mexico Research
& Policy Center, the country's energy consumption could be cut by 11
percent by 2020 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 Mexico
Advocate Lauren Ketcham. “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.
Key findings in the paper include:
·
By 2020 we could reduce annual United
Stateswater
heating, and appliances and by designing new buildings to be more energy
efficient. energy consumption by 11 percent
through simple building efficiency measures such as more efficient lighting,
·
Strong energy codes alone, adopted nationally
and adequately enforced, would reduce national energy consumption by 2 percent
by 2030.
·
One quad of energy, roughly 1% of our nation’s
total consumption, gained through building efficiency would cost $42.1 billion.
This much energy would cost three times as much gained through new coal plants,
and, at least five times as much through new nuclear plants.
At the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in June,
Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez and Santa Fe Mayor David Coss joined more than
25 other Mayors in cosponsoring Resolution 54, which endorsed a 30% residential
efficiency improvement in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code
(IECC)—the national model code most states use to shape how new homes are
constructed. The resolution was approved by the full Conference.
“While Congress and the Administration have failed to act,
cities are moving forward with the solutions to global warming. The U.S.
Conference of Mayor’s vote shows that Albuquerque
and other cities across the country want bold solutions to this problem. The
IECC should put in place aggressive codes that give cities the tools we need to
improve building efficiency,” said Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez.
In September, officials from towns and cities across the
country will come together to update
the IECC. The officials could vote to
improve the model code to require new homes to be 30 percent more energy
efficient.
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. The tax credits are set to expire at the end
of this year and have passed the U.S. House numerous times but have been
continually blocked by Senate Republicans.
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.
“Senators Domenici
and Bingaman need to ensure that New Mexico’s growing clean energy economy doesn’t have
the rug pulled out from under it by ensuring that these tax credits are
extended,” said Ketcham.
“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. 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,” concluded Ketcham.
