Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_418671

26 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2024 ELEMENTS Decarbonization Incorporating Flexibility into Decarbonization Policies is Key D ecarbonizing the built envi- ronment is growing increas- ingly urgent, and the reasons are clear. According to EPA statistics, commercial and residential buildings account for just over 30% of all green- house gas emissions in the U.S., of which 43% comes from the use of fos- sil fuels. As an industry, we have the responsibility and the ability to make a meaningful contribution to tackling the climate crisis, especially at a time when extreme weather events are becoming all too frequent. One of the principal ways in which cities, counties and states are taking action is through the introduction of building performance standards and policies bench- marking energy usage and setting reduction targets for the biggest emitters, which tend to be large existing buildings, whether office tower blocks, data centers, or university or health care campuses. Given the nascency of such regulations, there are some issues to iron out, and one of the top concerns from industry practitioners is the cost associated with compliance – as in the case of Denver’s existing built environment building perfor- mance standards, which were met with a lawsuit lodged by building owners and developers, arguing that adher- ence places them under huge financial pressure. A sec- ond legal challenge followed, this time questioning the requirement to switch all fossil fuel powered heating equipment, even if functional, to electric. Building owners, while committed to the climate agenda, seek to meet performance targets in ways that are practicable, attainable, cost-effective and iterative. This highlights the necessity of building a greater level of flexibility into ordinances and taking a collaborative approach to their implementation. After all, working to- gether toward shared goals will have far-reaching posi- tive impact. Official figures show that buildings are responsible for 64% of greenhouse gas emissions in Denver. While, encouragingly, one in five buildings in the city already comply with Energize Denver’s 2030 goals for existing buildings covered by the ordinance, the ultimate goal is Josh Green eld High Performance Design Director, Building Engineering Services, HDR Mike Cameron Denver cityscape