Green Building Leader Calls Carbon-Free Buildings a Key Global Warming Solution
Barns powered by solar panels. (GabrielleMerk, CC-BY-SA-4.0)
Cutting carbon emissions attributable to commercial and residential buildings is essential to meeting the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 80 percent by mid-century, Ben Stapleton told members of the League of Women Voters Pasadena Area and others on November 4. He spoke during a Zoom webinar, “Decarbonize Your Building, Decarbonize Your Life,” organized by the LWV-PA Natural Resources Committee for November’s Thursday with the League.
Stapleton, Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Los Angeles chapter, explained that cutting carbon from buildings is essential because buildings currently produce 26 percent of total statewide greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, he said, California is already a hotbed of sustainable building construction, with 79 million square feet of buildings certified by the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.
In another sign of a green shift, Stapleton noted that many California companies are embracing sustainability. Disney, for instance, has a goal of eliminating carbon emissions from its operations by 2030. Toy maker Mattel plans to use 100 percent recyclable and bio plastics for its products by 2030. “Sustainability is really part of everything,” said Stapleton.
When it comes to construction, zero-carbon buildings not only help stem global warming but also create a healthier environment for building residents and visitors. Studies have shown that inside air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoor air, particularly in poorly maintained buildings, in part due to the buildup of emissions from improperly vented gas stoves, ovens, and other devices.
Looking ahead, Stapleton said that the state’s “aggressive” standards will require new buildings in California to reach zero emissions by 2030. This can be achieved through a variety of measures, such as installing insulation and rooftop solar; using electric heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and water heating; and eventually even drawing on power stored in electric car batteries to power homes when the electric grid is stressed.
By 2050, all existing buildings are supposed to be emissions free, Stapleton noted. Reaching this goal will entail replacing existing gas-burning appliances with electric devices that run off a grid increasingly supplied with renewable power.
Stapleton pointed out, for instance, that electric induction cooktops are becoming more common. They enable cooking temperatures to be controlled instantly, similarly to the way to gas stoves can be adjusted, unlike conventional electric stoves, in which temperature control is delayed rather than instantaneous.
Installing rooftop solar and driving electric vehicles are other important steps people can take to reduce their carbon footprints, according to Stapleton. He also acknowledged that low-tech approaches, such as hanging laundry to dry and planting shade trees, can cut carbon emissions.
For further information on how to cut carbon emissions attributable to buildings and to learn more about the U.S. Green Building Council’s Los Angeles chapter, go to usgbc-la.org. The webinar can be viewed on the League’s YouTube channel.
—Bill Kelly, Natural Resources Committee
