I am writing to recommend that you mandate construction, manufacturer, and architectural companies to create buildings that are designed to be energy efficient. There is already plenty of technology to provide energy efficiency, the next step is convincing or requiring consumers, manufacturers, architects and you, the government to choose efficiency. Yes, there are already some energy codes in place for commercial and residential buildings, but the country as a whole needs to adopt certain requirements for building efficiency, not just in federal buildings. My proposal involves all new buildings being developed need to qualify for a certification under the requirements of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) that was created by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 or the …show more content…
Another aspect of the policy is providing incentives for already established buildings and homes to make changes such as insulating solid walls, changing doors and windows, and using LED lighting. It is imperative that as a country we accept and take action for our carbon footprint produced by buildings and the numerous amount of appliances inside that consume astounding amounts of energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, buildings and the appliances they contain are responsible for more than 20% of all global energy consumption, specifically 50% in the United States. With the population continuing to grow rapidly, more buildings are being built which provides the perfect opportunity to initiate the trend of energy efficiency. Some beneficial implementations include; LED lighting, hybrid solar lighting, green roof gardens, and air- source heat pumps. The Department of Energy has stated that the widespread use of LED lighting will have the greatest impact on energy savings in the United States and uses at least 75% less energy and can last up to 25 times longer than