Design

A report from the US National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is calling for research and development into building technologies that increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse emissions.

Currently, buildings in the US account for 40% of the nation’s energy consumption – more than either the industrial or transport sectors. Electricity and heat usage alone account for 40% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The report – Federal R&D Agenda for Net-Zero Energy, High-Performance Green Buildings – outlines goals to develop technologies, tools and practices that cut usage of energy, water and other natural resources. The report also calls for the reduction of building material waste.

“A coordinated federal effort, as well as strong collaboration with the private sector, is essential to achieving breakthrough improvements in energy efficient and renewable energy technologies in the building sector,” says Jerome Dion of the US Department of Energy and co-chair of the NSTC committee that put together the report.

The R&D effort would aim to improve the energy performance of buildings, particularly building efficiency, which Richard Russell of the NSTC describes as the “often overlooked” component of energy systems.

For further information:
www.bfrl.nist.gov/buildingtechnology/documents/FederalRDAgendaforNetZeroEnergyHighPerformanceGreenBuildings.pdf
www.ostp.gov/cs/nstc