Calling for Climate Change in the Building Industry

02.24.21

by Bora Architects

Climate Change in the Building Industry is important for all. Bora proudly joins more than 130 leading companies in the AEC industry in recommending immediate actions the Biden Administration can take to combat climate change in its first 100 days in office. Our proposed actions will significantly impact our actions. This also includes how we stimulate building reuse, promote healthy housing and resilient communities, electrify to achieve a carbon-free grid, and promote material health and product transparency.

This letter recommends actions in six categories:

• Enhance federal building standards by including a return to Obama-era requirements for high performance. Plus, new initiatives aimed at decarbonizing the federal building stock, like a base building code for all federal buildings, which are not also subject to local codes.
• Stimulate building reuse and upgrades. this calls for tax code reforms and other means of promoting reuse and retrofits.
• Promote healthy housing and resilient communities. Suggestions to national guidelines for healthy housing, along with better resilience tools such as higher-quality flood maps.
• Electrify to achieve a carbon-free grid. Highlights opportunities like model net-carbon building codes and model electricity rates that incentivize grid harmonization.
• Promote material health and product transparency. Addresses toxic cleaning products and building materials, in addition to embodied carbon.
• Promote healthy schools for all. This includes the idea of an Office of Healthy, High Performance and Resilient Facilities within the Department of Education.

Call for Climate Change in the Building Industry! Learn more and also add your signature: https://bit.ly/3bu18Xy