The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released a new report today entitled, Using Executive Authority to Achieve Greener Buildings, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The report provides an extensive list of options, across a wide range of programs, that the Administration could begin implementing immediately in order to advance an effective and efficient green building agenda.
NHC President and CEO Maureen Friar was a key speaker at the event. Friar emphasized that efforts to “green” the existing affordable housing stock present an important opportunity to provide higher quality affordable housing, as well as to significantly lower utility costs, for families and individuals nationwide.
Specifically, the report finds that, under current authority and without new legislation, the Administration can use existing federal programs that have the potential to directly provide or facilitate $72 billion in funding, and can leverage hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment, to enhance efficiency in commercial buildings and multifamily housing.
The report shows, for example, that U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs provide an excellent range of options for helping to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability. One of the lesser known, but valuable ways to advance increased energy efficiency in HUD programs is through Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Insurance. FHA is authorized to insure loans and mortgages for new construction and the rehabilitation of affordable, multifamily dwellings.
To learn more about the USGBC’s work, please visit their web site.