Green Urbanism
Landmark Energy Efficiency Bill Sponsored by Global Green USA Signed by Governor
First of its Kind Bill Will Save Money, Create Jobs and Reduce Carbon Emissions
Los Angeles, CA (October 12, 2009) – Today, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 758, legislation that will make existing buildings more energy efficient and less expensive to operate. The bill, sponsored by Global Green USA and authored by Assembly Member Nancy Skinner (D- Berkeley), will require the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency program for all existing residential and commercial buildings.
“All Californians have won a great victory today, thanks to the Legislature and Governor who have once again demonstrated our state’s innovation in reducing energy consumption,” said Global Green policy director Mary Luevano. “As the world prepares for the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference, this bill’s passage provides another concrete example of ways that states and countries can immediately reduce their carbon emissions while growing their economies at the same time.”
More than three quarters of California homes are built to outdated energy standards so the existing building stock represents a huge opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and will save money for the average homeowner. Energy use in buildings is the largest single global warming pollution source in the United States – accounting for 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions nationally.
“To meet our future goals for affordable, clean and reliable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we need AB 758 to ensure our aging residential and commercial building stock is as efficient as our new construction,” said Assembly Member Skinner.
AB 758 requires the California Energy Commission to establish a regulatory proceeding, by March 1, 2010, to develop a comprehensive program to achieve energy savings in the existing residential and commercial building stock that falls significantly below current Title 24 building standards. For the first time the CEC will be given the authority to implement such a program. The bill would also require the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), by January 1, 2011, to authorize each electrical corporation to provide a targeted number of low- or no-cost energy efficiency audits each calendar year.
In the residential sector there are currently over 13 million homes and apartments in California. Within that number over 9 million were built prior to the implementation of the first set of energy efficiency standards. This means that three quarters of homes in the state have never had to comply with any energy efficiency requirements.
Today in the U.S. buildings account for a greater amount of heat trapping greenhouse gas emissions than transportation, manufacturing or any other sector. In fact 70% of all electricity consumption and 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions nationally can be directly attributed to buildings.
Retrofitting and weatherizing an existing building can significantly lower utility costs for residents. Lower energy consumption means a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and less stress on the power grid, reducing the vulnerability to the rolling blackouts Californians experienced in 2000.
Many out of work Californians will be put back to work by AB 758. Over the last year 1 in 5 California workers who have lost their job came from the construction sector meaning many of the workers needed to retrofit and remodel homes, apartments and office buildings will need little or no training.
According to the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) 2005 report “Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings” they project that electricity can be reduced 9% and natural gas 6% through cost effective measures which translates to $4.5 billion dollars in consumer savings. Implementing the CEC’s recommended cost effective measures is the equivalent of removing over 3 million cars from the road for one year.
Global Green USA is the only national environmental group headquartered in greater Los Angeles, and has offices in Washington D.C., New Orleans & New York. Global Green is the US affiliate of Green Cross International, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. Global Green is a national leader in advocating for smart solutions to global warming, including green building for affordable housing, schools and communities, as well as advancing groundbreaking solar, green building and energy efficiency legislation in California, other states and at the national level. Global Green recently released its first annual Global Solar Report Card, which gives an evaluation of progress towards solar energy use within 16 countries around the world.
