Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)’s Post

The #HomeBuilding and #Construction industries are treating sustainability and #NetZero efforts with the utmost importance. But what are the realistic expectations for construction becoming net zero? A new report from the DOE’s Building Technologies Office’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative shares what those expectations look like. It looks at the scale of action needed and the level of urgency required to bring all new and existing construction to net zero carbon. Let’s just say it will take some time. ⏳ Given the crisis in attainability right now, especially for first-time buyers, it's important that governmental policy not get ahead of what is technologically feasible and cost-effective on these initiatives. #ConstructionIndustry #Sustainability

🔍Building Performance Standards: U.S. Cities Aim for Net-Zero Emissions🌿 🌆 Rising Standards: State and local governments are adopting Building Performance Standards (BPS) to cut emissions and meet climate targets. 🏙️ Growing Numbers: 13 U.S. cities currently have BPS in place, covering 25% of U.S. buildings. By 2026, over 40 cities plan to implement BPS. 🌍 Net-Zero Goals: Many cities are setting ambitious net-zero targets by 2050 or earlier, urging building owners to improve energy and emissions performance. 📉 Compliance Costs: Initial compliance costs are lower, but penalties increase significantly in subsequent rounds, urging proactive action from building owners. 🔄 Performance Over Prescriptive: The National BPS Coalition supports shifting from prescriptive codes to performance-based standards, offering flexibility in achieving emission reductions. 🌟 Municipal Examples: Cities like New York, Boston, and Seattle have implemented varied BPS and penalty structures, highlighting different approaches to achieving goals. 📊 Cost-Benefit Analysis: Retrofit investments consider broader factors like energy savings, property value, and market demand for low-carbon spaces. How do you think these new standards will impact the construction industry? 🏗️🌱 #Sustainability #NetZero #Construction #UrbanDevelopment

Building Performance Standards and the Path to Net-Zero 🌍 Over 40 U.S. cities are sharpening their focus on building performance standards (BPS) to meet ambitious net-zero goals by 2050 or earlier. State and local governments are implementing these standards to prioritize energy efficiency and emissions reductions in the built environment. So far, 13 U.S. cities have implemented BPS, and over 30 more plan to do so by 2026. These standards require building owners to manage energy and emissions performance to avoid fines. Notably, cities like New York, Boston, and Seattle are leading the charge, with penalties for non-compliance set to increase significantly. What do the penalties look like? New York’s Local Law 97 fines $268 per ton of excess emissions, while Boston’s BERDO sets daily fines of $1,000 for buildings over 35,000 square feet starting in 2025. Seattle’s BEPS, effective in 2031, will penalize non-residential buildings $10 per square foot for failing to meet emissions targets. One way to meet these standards is by upgrading to energy-efficient systems like LED lighting. LED lights significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions, helping buildings comply with BPS and avoid costly fines. For building owners, now is the time to proactively manage and improve energy performance. Stay informed on how these evolving regulations impact your building projects and how we can help you meet these new standards. At SteelCo Construction, we understand the importance of these standards and are committed to helping our clients navigate these changes, achieve compliance, and optimize projects for a greener future. #NetZero #Sustainability #SustainableConstruction #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateTargets #LEDLighting #GreenBuildings #BPS #ConstructionIndustry #CommercialRealEstate #CRE #GeorgiaGeneralContractors https://lnkd.in/ePgfH4pA

It's great to see demand response programs gaining more attention! These initiatives are crucial for enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability in facilities. By balancing energy supply and demand, they help reduce costs, lower carbon footprints, and contribute to a more resilient energy grid. This insightful article from Buildings.com highlights the growing importance of demand response as a key strategy for facility managers. Embracing these programs is a significant step towards a sustainable future. https://lnkd.in/edvzAjF2 #DemandResponse #Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #FacilityManagement #OperationalExcellence #CleanEnergy #SmartBuildings #EnergyManagement #Resiliency #GreenTech #SustainableFuture #ClimateAction #EcoFriendly

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, among others, contributes to a better acknowledgement of buildings contribution to a more sustainable urban environment

It's great to see demand response programs gaining more attention! These initiatives are crucial for enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability in facilities. By balancing energy supply and demand, they help reduce costs, lower carbon footprints, and contribute to a more resilient energy grid. This insightful article from Buildings.com highlights the growing importance of demand response as a key strategy for facility managers. Embracing these programs is a significant step towards a sustainable future. https://lnkd.in/e94U-DBq #DemandResponse #Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #FacilityManagement #OperationalExcellence #CleanEnergy #SmartBuildings #EnergyManagement #Resiliency #GreenTech #SustainableFuture #ClimateAction #EcoFriendly

Should be electrifying buildings or designing them to be net-zero-ready? Two leading experts on #sustainable #buildings talk #decarbonization strategies, electrification approaches, and the meaning of net-zero-ready. https://stantec.co/3H7zrUE

Another informative article from the Big Green Build series showcases powerful examples of what's achievable when sustainability and long-term vision intersect. Thrilled to see a new generation of developers and architects transforming our built environment and leading the way with net-zero and green retrofit designs. They're proving that a cleaner, more profitable blueprint is not just possible but essential.   UnitiWall is proud to be part of this movement with our innovative solutions for both new buildings and retrofitting. Canada’s private sector has a critical role in driving this transformation by promoting, adopting, and investing in green buildings.   More than just meeting targets, it’s crucial to rethink how we construct, invest, and sustain our communities for generations to come.   Let’s keep pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and embracing the opportunity to create better and more sustainable environments through innovation and collaboration. https://lnkd.in/dJ5xtCGt #Sustainability #GreenBuilding #NetZero #ConstructionInnovation #BigGreenBuild  

New green building initiatives are creating new construction opportunities for New York. Decarbonization technology needs new specializations both in building and managing sites. New York state now has a greater need for experts with knowledge in building electrification. Financial support is being offered to train new site management across New York in these new decarbonization strategies. https://lnkd.in/eFXk35Ph #GreenBuilding #SustainableConstruction #Decarbonization #BuildingElectrification #NYConstruction

The White House and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released a draft national definition for a zero-emissions building. The definition is intended to serve as a common framework for greater market alignment to move the building sector toward zero emissions. The U.S. Green Building Council announced last Sept. at the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo that LEED v5 will align with the national definition, with LEED Zero Carbon and LEED Platinum incorporating the three core principles. Like LEED, the definition highlights energy efficiency’s critical role as a first step to zero energy emissions by reducing overall building energy needs, in addition to supplying energy from clean sources. Of course, this is only one piece of the decarbonization puzzle. Building emissions come not only from energy usage, but also materials, construction, refrigerants, building-related transportation, water, waste and other impacts. USGBC’s mission is to better define and advance holistic strategies to decarbonize buildings across all these areas. In fact, the LEED v5 for Operations and Maintenance draft features the draft update to LEED Zero Carbon with the core principles above, plus requirements for refrigerant management, embodied carbon in renovations and sustainable transportation. USGBC encourages the green building community to review the definition and provide comments if interested. The deadline to respond to the RFI is Feb. 5: https://lnkd.in/etPSjcvz