Columbus, Ohio – Elected leaders join together with business, consumer and environmental groups to show the broad support for improving the efficiency of our buildings through legislative action. But, if Ohio’s leaders don’t act soon, Ohio could pass up millions of dollars from the recently enacted federal stimulus plan due to Ohio’s out-of date building codes.
“Bold action to improve the efficiency of our buildings would go a long way toward meeting our energy challenges and reducing our carbon pollution,” said Amy Gomberg of Environment Ohio. “And we create local jobs and save Ohioans money by doing so. But, we must act now.”
The recently passed American Reinvestment and Recovery Act represented a first and important step toward increasing the energy efficiency of the nation’s buildings. This significant piece of legislation provided $25 billion for weatherization and energy-efficient upgrades for commercial and government buildings.
The U.S. Department Energy announced that Ohio can receive $96.1 million to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy from one sector in the federal stimulus alone: the Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. Ohio’s eligibility for this money, however, is in jeopardy because of the status of its residential building code. To be eligible for program funding, Ohio needs to update its building codes to reflect the most current International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
"By adopting higher building code standards, utility costs and energy use can be minimized," said Consumers' Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander. "If Ohioans are able to use less energy because more existing and new homes are made more energy efficient, hundreds of dollars per year could be saved in utility costs. With more stringent building codes, Ohio can defer and hopefully avoid the need to build costly power plants at the expense of residential consumers."
Other states are moving quickly to adopt the most up-to-date building codes in order for their states to access the federal stimulus funding. Most recently, MI, IN, IL, WV and many other states have either signed new building standards into law, or are currently considering them in their state legislatures.
"To move Ohio into the future, we cannot adhere to outdated and outmoded standards of doing business," said Representative Marian Harris (D-Columbus).
“Committing to standards of business and development that are environmentally friendly means much more than pollution reduction. It also means jobs now and jobs tomorrow. It means innovation and energy independence and a cleaner future for Ohio."
"Our topic today is of growing importance and attention as we work to move Ohio out of this recession," commented State Representative Conne Pillich (D-Montgomery).
“Challenging times call for quick action and innovative solutions. One of those solutions is to solidify a 21st-century, job-generating economy for Ohio. This means investing in ways to make Ohio a leader in the manufacturing of the tools of the new economy and green building practices – like solar panels and wind turbines."
The nation’s buildings can be made efficient enough to save Americans more than $500 billion, according to a new report by Environment Ohio. Those energy savings could power all of the nation’s cars, homes and businesses for a year and a half.
By renovating old buildings and ensuring new ones use 50 percent less energy within 10 years and generate as much energy as they use by 2030, U.S. carbon emissions can be cut by at least 34 percent by 2050, the report said.
“As Ohio utilities and the government invest millions in efficiency retrofits, this timely report demonstrates that Ohio must also enact strong energy codes for new builds,” said Jen Miller, conservation program coordinator with the Sierra Club Ohio Chapter. “Investing in energy efficiency during construction is most cost effective, saving consumers money, supporting Ohio jobs, and reducing emissions.”
Nearly half of America’s energy - and 10 percent of the energy used in the world - goes toward powering buildings, and much of that energy is wasted. Buildings account for 40 percent of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to global warming.
Environment Ohio’s report, Building a Better Future: Moving Toward Zero Pollution With Highly Efficient Homes and Businesses, outlines policy steps that local, state and federal officials can take to significantly cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The report calls for a comprehensive plan to make the nation’s buildings more efficient including:
- Upgrading and enforcing building energy codes to require 30 percent more efficiency by 2012 and 50 percent more efficiency by 2018, and have all new buildings and substantial renovations meet these codes;
- Setting codes to have all new buildings be zero-net energy by 2030 through a combination of energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy;
- Stimulating investments in energy efficiency retrofits in all existing commercial and residential buildings before 2030.
Stronger building efficiency standards also will support the state’s many manufacturers of insulation and other efficiency technologies, protecting and creating jobs for countless Ohioans.
“Technologically-advanced materials will be essential in America’s drive to minimize energy loss in buildings of all types,” said Jack R. Pounds, president of the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council. “Companies in Ohio’s chemical industry are today investing in research, development and commercialization of the high energy-efficient products that will play the major role in creating the most energy-efficient buildings possible. This will lead to lower energy costs for consumers and businesses—and more high-tech investment and skilled jobs for Ohio.”
The report illustrates the scale of reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that can be achieved by adopting these measures, including:
- Saving 144 quadrillion BTU, or enough energy to power all of America’s homes, businesses, cars, and power plants for a year and a half;
- Avoiding a total 11.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, nearly equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of the U.S. and China combined; and
- Paying back up-front costs and netting more than $542 billion in energy savings by renovating existing buildings.
“This report demonstrates why Ohio needs a LeBron James-style full-court press to make all of Ohio’s buildings as efficient as they can be,” said Rebecca Stanfield with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “By creating jobs, saving consumers money and reducing harmful pollution, energy efficiency is a slam-dunk for Ohio residents and businesses.”
The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Representative (Zack) Space (D-Dover) and (Betty) Sutton (D-Copley) are members is slated to begin considering the American Clean Energy and Security Act as early as tomorrow. The committee is aiming to pass the bill before Congress recesses next Friday for the Memorial Day break, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that the full House will consider the bill this summer. The bill sets a framework for moving to a clean energy economy and reducing global warming pollution and includes strong requirements to promote efficiency in new and existing buildings.
“Our environmental and economic future depends on taking bold action to promote high-performance, energy-efficient buildings today,” Gomberg said. “We’re calling on Representatives Sutton and Space to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which does just that.”
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Environment Ohio is a statewide, citizen based, environmental advocacy organization.
