December 9, 2010
We’ve decided to do a blog series on Green Buildings because we recognize the importance of making our homes and work places sustainable and environmentally-sound. Buildings in the U.S. account for 39% of total energy use- that’s a huge percentage! Our Green Buildings blog series will cover an overview of the impact of buildings, the immense potential for residential solar, and the significance of green building designs that include passive solar technologies. The environmental, economic, and social benefits of sustainable building practices are extensive, so it only makes sense to begin integrating sustainable strategies and technologies into buildings that are in both the planning and constructed stages.
Part 1: Why we need green buildings
In a fossil fuel-dependent world, changing the way we traditionally design, construct, and use buildings is essential to reducing carbon emissions and global energy usage.
Environmental impact of buildings
Buildings account for a huge proportion of the world’s natural resource consumption. In the United States alone, the combination of residential and commercial buildings account for 38% of carbon emissions and about 70% of electricity use nation-wide, up to 50% of which is wasted. When it comes to raw materials, buildings use 40% of the world’s resources, which is equivalent to 3 billion tons per year.
These numbers might seem shocking, but think about it; the buildings that we work, sleep, and eat in everyday use lighting, water, heating and cooling systems, computers, and elevators. Not only do buildings consume and waste immense amounts of energy, but most of that power comes from dirty coal sources.
Significant savings come with building green
But don’t worry, there is hope. By making our homes and offices sustainable through green building strategies, we can reduce overall building energy consumption 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2050 (Environment America Research & Policy Center). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if we are able to reduce the amount of energy our buildings use by 20% over the next 10 years, we would save enough energy annually to power almost 100 million homes.
A residential installation of a renewable energy system not only lessens the need for fossil fuels, but can also significantly lower your energy bills. If American homeowners invest in energy efficient measures, by the year 2050, each family could annually save over $800, totaling $80 billion in residential energy savings.
As you can see, buildings have a huge impact on our energy consumption and consequently our bank accounts. Tune in next week for Part 2, which will offer an insight into why giving residential buildings a green upgrade may offer large environmental and economic returns.
{ 2 trackbacks }