President Biden recently announced the first-of-its-kind Buildings Performance Standards Coalition during remarks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting. The announcement highlights the importance of enacting policy to support emission reductions in all buildings, both new and existing. The coalition includes 33 state and local governments with a goal of advancing legislation or regulation in each locale by Earth Day 2024. Jurisdictions included in the partnership encompass 20 percent of the U.S. building footprint and 22 percent of its total population.
“New Buildings Institute lauds the White House announcement of this new initiative on Building Performance Standards,” says CEO Ralph DiNola. “Now is the time to put the $1.8 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to work. NBI and others in our industry are prepared to support jurisdictions pursuing BPS policies, an essential component in the climate fight.”
Two states, Colorado and Washington, have signed onto the initiative, as well some of the largest U.S. cities of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco. A total investment of $1.8 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be made available to state and local governments through the U.S. Department of Energy to expand building retrofits and policy implementation throughout the nation.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor, facility group.
.jpg)
