Earth Equity News

U.S. Governors Call for Carbon-Neutral Buildings by 2030. By Michael Burnham, Greenwire, July 20, 2009. "The National Association of Governors is the latest legislative group to support the American Institute of Architects' goal of zeroing out new and renovated buildings' greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The NGA -- which is convening in Biloxi, Miss., for its annual meeting -- endorsed the AIA goal as part of a resolution on energy efficiency and conservation. The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties have also endorsed the AIA goal by vowing to integrate provisions related to the built environment in their energy policies... NGA's resolution opens the door for the AIA to promote in every state a 'green' construction code that the International Code Council is developing. The code -- which will be compatible with the AIA's 2030 carbon-neutrality target -- will include water, energy, air-quality and safety benchmarks that states and cities may adopt starting in late 2011."