by jbs053109c3 — June 3, 2009—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) continues to provide resources to help state and local governments nationwide take advantage of the economic recovery opportunities presented by green building, including the newly released publication, “Top 10 Ways to Use Recovery Funds for Green Building.”
From investing in green schools and home energy retrofit programs to creating a revolving loan fund, USGBC says this list can be used by governments of all sizes, from small towns to states, looking to make the best use of federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The USGBC’s Green Economic Recovery Resources page also offers such resources as a matrix outlining how specific provisions of ARRA are relevant to green building, a recorded series of Webcasts on implementing recovery funds, the Roadmap to Sustainable Government Buildings, and many other tools. Local governments looking for more holistic guidance on sustainability planning may also want to review the Playbook for Green Buildings + Neighborhoods.
Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption, and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity, notes the USGBC. Greater building efficiency can reportedly meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
According to the USGBC, the Recovery Act represents a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity for green building. Governments are acting fast to take strategic steps to identify not simply shovel-ready, but shovel-worthy projects that will play a vital role in the short-term and long-term strength of the economy. USGBC is working collaboratively with state and local governments across the country as they think holistically about how to use recovery dollars to maximize sustainability in the built environment.
