• Introduction
  • Cities, Climate and Sustainability
    • Urban Challenge
    • Local Authority
    • Local Opportunity
  • Action Planning Model
  • Mainstreaming Innovation
  • Building Government Capacity
Green Buildings
Buildings are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S. This can be attributed to the heavy dominance of coal for electricity – the most greenhouse gas intensive of all conventional fuels.

While shifting to renewable electricity will be part of the solution, the most practical way to reduce this contribution today is to improve the efficiency of current and new building stock.

Local governments have significant influence over these decisions. Green building Programs are proliferating across the country often with support and guidance from the US Green Building Council. 

A growing number of local governments are beginning to harness the energy of the wind, sun and the earth’s heat to yet further reduce emissions in the building sector in line with the American Institute of Architecture’s 2030 challenge. The challenge aspires to advance innovations in efficiency and renewables to make carbon neutral buildings the norm by 2030.

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