CitiesGoGreen - January 2009 - (Page 21) not going to mortgages and utilities can go into circulation, in part supporting local businesses. The plan does not specify which improvements to make, leaving that up to the homeowner and letting different products compete in the marketplace, whch will also vary according to climate. The criterion is how much energy efficiency exceeds code, so any combination of better insulation, new windows, caulking and sealing, roof color, passive solar heating or natural ventilation, daylighting, micro-wind turbines, solar hot water and/or PV, energy management, more efficient appliances or anything else, existing or new, if it performs, can qualify The plan includes $2 billion for states to train building inspectors so they can verify that the energy savings are being attained. The new jobs estimate does not include any jobs resulting from this piece of the program. A home renovation boom could be ignited virtually overnight because the fi- nancial savings are so significant and because the program lasts only two years, prompting early participation. Mazria estimates the program could be functional in 90 to 180 days, and believes it would turn the tide for the building industry while spreading benefits across the entire economy and to every community. Industries benefiting directly would include steel, insulation and caulking, mechanical, electrical and solar equipment, glass, wood, metals, tile, fabrics and paint. Business sectors that would benefit include design, engineering, banking, development, manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail and distribution. Existing window shops, plumbers, electricians, contractors and other trades, and local businesses would have plenty of work. More income for local businesses and an increased number of wage-earners, would support local and state economies. With more money in homeowner’s pockets, the pressure to sell homes is likely to subside to some degree, even as more jobs and business profits stimulate demand for homes, so the housing market could stabilize. Municipal income from property taxes could begin recovering as well. ergy savings and lower energy use from then on, and putting the nation on track to meet the 2030 Challenge milestones. Environmental and economic benefits Mazria estimates that if this plan is implemented, over a five-year period CO2 emissions will be reduced by 480 million metric tons and energy consumption by 6.17 QBtu. 83.35 million fewer barrels of oil would be imported. The program would also make a strong statement to the world that the US is serious about cutting emissions, and could inspire similar actions in other countries. Best of all, it doesn’t cost anything in the end. Mazria calculates that the whole program will pay for itself from the income taxes generated by new employment. There will also be cost reductions in unemployment and other social programs. With this program in place, and with the amount of building projected in the next decades, perhaps a new wave of domestic manufacturing would be launched. The volume of the immediate and follow-on demand could well stimulate private investment, bringing down manufacturing costs and starting a cycle of lower costs, greater demand, and better products as the market does its work. The result could be that we move to a far more efficient way of building in general and change the market so highly resource-efficient building is no more expensive than conventional building, even from a first-cost point o f view. Commercial buildings Commercial buildings are included in the plan with a different incentive. Accelerated depreciation is tied to the same energy efficiency targets, with an advantage for renovated buildings over new ones to encourage improvements in the existing stock. The sudden national demand for cost-effective energy efficiency would support the growth of existing and new companies and the appearance of new products, driving even more innovation in this field than we see already. Mazria projects that when the two-year program is finished, new energy efficiency codes will have been established and the demand for energy efficiency will continue as a new norm, producing enJanuary 2009 If this sounds good The plan has been shared with the Obama transition team and Mazria says it is “gathering steam” in Congress at this writing. If this sounds like a good plan to you, you can express your support at www.change.gov, the site where citizens can share their ideas with the incoming administration, or to your elected representatives. A few hundred or a few thousand local government officials and staff supporting the Mazria plan could only help its chances. v Photos © left, top, right: Wendy Kaveney , Vivid Pixels, Dubravko Grakalic - fotolia 21 http://www.change.gov http://www.change.gov http://www.architecture2030.org/downloads/2030stimulusplan.pdf http://www.CitiesGoGreen.com
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