Clinton Climate Initiative, U.S. Green Building Council expand partnership

The partners plan to grow efforts to reduce greenhouse gases on a global scale, with initial efforts targeted at making existing buildings more efficient.

By Plant Engineering Staff February 18, 2009

The Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council last week expanded their partnership to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment on a global scale, with an initial focus on accelerating efforts to drive efficiency in existing buildings.
Homes, schools, offices and other buildings account for 38% of carbon dioxide emissions globally, according to the U.N. Environment Program. In the U.S. alone, the “low-hanging fruit” in building efficiency could save the economy more than $160 billion by 2030, according to McKinsey & Company . Looking ahead, new program development is underway to rethink and redefine new building developments.
“Retrofitting buildings represents an immediate and measurable opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve our economy; they are a priority for my climate initiative, which is encouraging retrofit projects around the world,” said former President Bill Clinton.
“Two years ago, the Clinton Climate Initiative helped put the urgency of reducing CO2 emissions by improving the performance of our existing building stock squarely on the national agenda,” commented USGBC CEO, president and founding chairman Rick Fedrizzi. “Green building creates green jobs that save energy and money — and green building will help save our climate.”
Click here to read the full press release and see more about the Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council.