WASHINGTON - The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has joined the growing list of organizations, cities, counties and states that have committed to the 2030 °Challenge—the aggressive campaign to dramatically reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions within the building sector by the year 2030.
Each year the United States builds five billion square feet of new buildings; renovates approximately another five billion square feet; and demolishes 1.75 square feet of existing buildings. It takes at tremendous amount of energy to build, operate and demolish those buildings; in fact, 76 percent of all electricity generated by power plants in the United States goes to the buildings and the CO2 emissions from the energy is destructive to the environment. It's the culprit behind global warming.
One way to reduce CO2 emissions is to increase energy efficiencies in buildings, which is where the professionals within the design sector can make an impact, and it is the approach taken by the 2030 coalition. Specifically, the challenge calls for all new and renovated buildings to use half the fossil fuel energy they typically would consume, and to propose an increase in the fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings to 60 percent in 2010, 70 percent in 2015, 80 percent in 2020, 90 percent in 2025 and to become carbon neutral by 2030.
"As part of an industry that works within the built environment, the 2030 °Challenge gives design professionals an opportunity to help transform the building sector from one of the main contributors of greenhouse gas emissions to a key part of the solution," says Michael Alin, ASID executive director. "Sustainable design is no longer just an option, it's a responsibility and I'm proud that ASID is supporting this important challenge."
To learn more about the 2030 °Challenge, go to www.architecture2030.org. The 2030 coalition members will sponsor an energy forum July 22 - 23 in Washington, D.C., titled "High Performance Federal Buildings: Meeting EISA (Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) Requirements Through 2030." The forum is open to the public and details will be made available soon.
About ASID
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a community of people-designers, industry representatives, educators and students-committed to interior design. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people's lives. Its more than 40,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Visit www.asid.org to learn more.
