Building a better future
A recent report published by The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) claims to be the most rigorous study ever into energy efficiency in buildings, taking four years and $15m to complete.
The report (you can read the details here) was commissioned as a result of some worrying facts: buildings today represent 40% of the world’s energy demand (source: OECD) and the report concludes that the demand for energy is predicted to grow by 45% through to 2050. Although commercial buildings only represent 33% of the energy demand, the technology exists to create or convert commercial buildings to zero demand and zero CO2 output.
The potential outputs for commercial enterprises who take action around this topic are simply staggering. If you could slash a realistic 60% off your energy usage from external suppliers, just calculate what that means to your bottom line.
Organisations considering the impact on their business, next year, of the Carbon Reduction Commitment should investigate the solutions available right now.
You will almost certainly not be able to negate any carbon trading liability for the 2010/2011 period but investment into energy reduction technology today could save those organisations (of which there are some 5,000) that will fall foul of their CRC ceiling significant amounts in the next financial period.
So what is standing in the way of, what seems at first sight, a genuine corporate no-brainer?
“Green” buildings have already been erected in various parts of the world but current cost structure prevents widespread adoption by general contractors.
As has been evident from projects like the Empire State Building project, there is also apathy/resistance from building tenants/owners based on ignorance of the true state of energy affairs and the long term benefits of starting work today.
The project was also a lesson in the lack of political leadership that will certainly be required, both financially as well as ideologically, in order to create progress. Regrettably, the workings of the political systems across the western hemisphere are not designed to deliver results and the emerging nations will not follow a non-existent lead.
So there are certainly major challenges to be overcome, but they are mostly attitudinal. If recent times have taught us anything, investment criteria must certainly be revisited and adjusted for a more sustainable return-on-investment calculation and is eminently ‘doable’.
The project proposed by the WBCSD will comprise three phases, each producing reports that, together, will form a roadmap to transform the building industry.
The first report will document existing green building successes and setbacks, the second will identify the full range of present and future opportunities, and the third will present a unified industry strategy for realizing those opportunities by 2050, specifically in China, India, Brazil, the U.S. and the E.U.
Each report will take one year to complete and involve hearings and conferences with building contractors and suppliers, sustainability experts, government representatives, regulators, utility officials and others.
It strikes me that the clock is ticking and any organisation seeking answers to the question of exactly how long they can continue with business-as-usual should be getting involved with this project. It does not appear that there is anything to lose other than a big chunk off your bottom line operating costs.
