by Rebecca Walker — January 19, 2009—The AIA’s Consensus Construction Forecast projects an 11 percent decline in design and construction activity in 2009. To revitalize the building sector, which accounts for about one in every 10 dollars of the US Gross Domestic Product, GDP, the AIA has developed the Rebuild and Renew Plan, which details its recommendations for the allocation of funds in President-elect Obama’s economic recovery plan.
The AIA is calling on the new administration and Congress to create policies that ensure these monies are spent on the planning, design, and construction of energy-efficient, sustainable buildings and healthy communities that are advantageous for both the environment and economy. The AIA estimates that, if implemented correctly, the nearly $100 billion plan would create 1.6 million jobs throughout the design and construction industry, including 14,000 jobs for architects.
The plan is composed of five key policy areas for immediate attention:
- 21st century schools. The AIA is calling for the federal government to invest $25 billion in districts across the country to repair, modernize, and “green” school buildings.
Additionally, the AIA is proposing $700 million for pilot programs that would provide grants for the development of model school campuses that support 21st century teaching and learning in each region of the country. This proposal would create more than 445,000 jobs across the industry.
- Green buildings. The AIA is calling for the federal government to provide $30 billion for energy-efficiency upgrades and modernization for federal, state, and local public buildings; residential, commercial, industrial, and health-care facilities; and green affordable housing. In addition, the AIA is calling for increasing the size of the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction from $1.80 per square foot to $3.00 per square foot. This recommendation was just endorsed by the Environment America Research & Policy Center.
- Transit and livable communities. The AIA believes that it is important to invest at least $12 billion for transit facilities and operations that greatly enhance the economic development, sustainability, safety, and livability of communities. Funding for transit-oriented projects will create compact, walkable communities that mix housing, retail, office space, and other amenities around high-quality train systems. This would create approximately 375,000 jobs for the building and construction industry.
- Historic preservation projects. The plan calls for the appropriation of at least $30 million to the National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Park Service’s under-funded Save America’s Treasure program for bricks-and-mortar preservation projects. The plan also calls for another $100 million in grants to be provided through the State Historic Preservation Officers and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers for non-federal public and nonprofit historic sites.
- Tax relief for businesses. By accelerating the depreciation of energy-efficient heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, or commercial refrigeration property installed in nonresidential property or residential rental property, businesses of all sizes would be able to improve their operations, reduce costs, and reduce energy consumption. The AIA is also calling for elimination of a provision by which businesses that perform government work can have 3 percent of their payments withheld.
