ConstructionAdvisorToday

New Resolution Intended to Boost Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings

A group of regulatory utility commissioners has adopted a resolution that is designed to promote energy-efficiency improvements in commercial buildings across the United States. Specifically, the new National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) resolution encourages state public utility commissions (PUCs) to provide commercial building owners with access to whole-building energy-consumption data to support energy-efficient building operations. However, Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International Vice President of Advocacy Karen Penafiel admitted to Green Building Insider (GBI) that it is “not going to be easy” getting the resolution implemented.  

Several States Adopt New Green-Building Laws

Green Building Insider has compiled a list of several state green-building bills that recently were passed into law or are awaiting gubernatorial endorsement. Here are summaries of those measures:

Demand for Green Building Materials Expected to Skyrocket

Demand for green building materials is expected to reach $71.1 billion in 2015 in the U.S. market, climbing about 13 percent per year, according to projections that Cleveland-based The Freedonia Group recently released. 

California Unveils Solar Advantage Value Estimator

California energy officials have launched an online tool to help homeowners and other players in the state’s housing industry gauge the value of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. It is a unique tool that could be adapted for use in other areas across the United States and abroad, a California Energy Commission (CEC) spokesperson told Green Building Insider (GBI).

Nearly Half of All States Have Adopted a Residential Energy Code at Least as Stringent as 2009 IECC

Twenty-one states have adopted a residential energy code that is at least as stringent as the 2009 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), according to Green Building Insider’s analysis of energy-code information that DOE recently released. The status of each state’s energy-code policy for both the residential and commercial sectors can be accessed through the following link: http://www.energycodes.gov/states/state_status_full.php.

Jurisdictions Requiring Energy Transparency Should Take Proactive Steps: Report

Local and state governments adopting policies to require large commercial building owners to both measure and disclose their properties’ energy use should take some proactive steps to maximize compliance, according to a report that the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) recently released.

GBI Profiles 11 Congressional Bills Addressing Green Structures

Green Building Insider has profiled 11 bills undergoing congressional consideration that address green structures in some way. Among the topics the legislation covers are energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs, green building rating systems, the energy efficiency of hospitals, and greener schools. Here is a breakdown of each proposal:

Homebuilders Group Applauds Key Change to RRP Rule

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has applauded a key change to the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this month (Construction Advisor Today, July 21, 2011, "EPA's New Renovation, Repair & Painting Rule Draws Mixed Reviews"). 

EPA’s New Renovation, Repair & Painting Rule Draws Mixed Reviews

Changes to the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this month have drawn mixed reviews. Among the organizations weighing in on the controversial moves are the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the National Association of Home Buildings (NAHB) with representatives from both organizations providing Green Building Insider extensive reactions via exclusive interviews.  NCHH's take on EPA's actions are included in this week's edition of Construction Advisor Today while NAHB's response will be featured next week.

USGBC Releases LEED Demand Response Pilot Credit

The U.S. Green Building Council has released a comprehensive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Demand Response Pilot Credit. The updated credit establishes new guidelines that will increase a facility’s LEED ratings with the award of additional points when the facility participates in an automated demand response (AutoDR) program.

Commercial facility owners and operators face several challenges when considering implementation of demand response events in their facilities, according to BuildingIQ, an energy management software company. “These include managing the complexity of these events manually, maintaining acceptable occupant comfort levels, and the cost of more automated, custom-engineered solutions. As a result, the adoption of demand response in commercial facilities has been relatively low compared with some other sectors.”