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City Mayors Pursue Climate Protection Efforts
Without much support from state and federal government, cities across the country are initiating efforts aimed at enhancing climate protection and reducing carbon emissions, according to a survey conducted in late April and May by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCOM) Climate Protection Center. The 134 mayors who responded represent more than 25 million people in 36 states in cities that ranged in size from Los Angeles, with a population of almost 3.7 million, to Milan, Minn. and its population of 326.
The mayors of these cities also are among the 540 cities that have signed on to the USCOM Climate Protection Agreement.
Among the key findings are:
- New city government buildings are being required to be energy-efficient, healthy and environmentally sustainable by nearly nine out of 10 cities — 60% currently have this policy in place and another 28% expect to adopt it next year. Almost equal numbers are extending this requirement to include government buildings undergoing major rehabilitation.
- In nearly three out of four cities, residential and commercial building codes and ordinances are being changed to encourage construction of new buildings that are energy-efficient, healthy and environmentally sustainable — 41% of the cities have already made these changes and another one-third are in the process of doing so.
- Seventy-eight percent of the cities are undertaking efforts to encourage the private sector to construct buildings that are energy-efficient, healthy and use sustainable building techniques, and 88% of them are undertaking efforts to educate the public about the importance of green building.
For more information, e-mail Carlos Gutierrez at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8242.
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