Building Green Solutions to Global Warming

Buildings are the source of almost half of all annual greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and consume more than three-quarters of all electricity produced by American power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. With recent coverage in BusinessWeek magazine, 2030, Inc. (Architecture 2030) is bringing the message home: green buildings are vital to an effective climate change strategy.

Established in response to the global warming crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002, RBF grantee Architecture 2030 equips builders and architects with practical guidelines and strategies that aim to change the way buildings are planned, designed, and constructed, therefore drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The organization is named after a challenge it issued two years ago - a plan that calls on the building industry to reach carbon neutrality by the year 2030. To date, hundreds of architectural, engineering, and construction firms, as well as professional organizations and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, have adopted or endorsed the plan.

Today's oil and climate change crises are prompting exciting technological innovation and experimentation. Even though big challenges lie ahead, Mazria argues that considerable gains can be made over the next few years through smart thinking and small changes in building design.

Read BusinessWeek's interview with Edward Mazria in "Building a Greener America."

View a slideshow of some green buildings selected by Architecture 2030.