Commercial Property Executive<\/em> talked to Dr. Timothy Unruh and Ben Evans about the Mission Critical Facilities Renewal project. Unruh and Evans are two of the minds behind the project, which was voted one of the top three ideas to prepare communities for climate change.<\/p>\n Dr. Timothy Unruh, Executive Director, National Association of Energy Service Cos. Image courtesy of National Association of Energy Service Cos.<\/p><\/div>\n Dr. Unruh, an engineer by trade who has worked in building efficiency for more than two decades, is the executive director of the National Association of Energy Service Cos., an advocacy and accreditation organization for Energy Service Cos., dedicated to improving the country\u2019s building infrastructure through performance-based contracting. Previously, he served as the deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy.<\/p>\n Evans was recently hired as the U.S. Green Building Council\u2019s federal legislative director after holding a similar position at the Alliance to Save Energy. He\u2019s a Washington veteran with more than 20 years in service. Last year, Evans worked with the Clean Energy for Biden group on developing and coordinating policy priorities around energy efficiency and buildings.<\/p>\n The two experts collaborated with Jennifer Schafer of the Federal Performance Contracting Coalition and Joseph Womble of Alliance to Save Energy on drafting the Mission Critical Facilities Renewal project.<\/p>\n The Mission Critical Facilities Renewal project was inspired by public buildings and their essential role in our society. Although digitalization is gaining ground, we still depend on these buildings for everyday needs, from necessities such as obtaining a driver\u2019s license, to more serious support, such as finding shelter during natural disasters.<\/p>\n The pandemic highlighted just how vulnerable these properties are, with many of them being repurposed into vaccination centers. They have been neglected for years, and many are decrepit and have inefficient equipment, making government infrastructure the largest emitter of emissions in the country, according to Unruh.<\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong>: Carbon Reduction, a Vital Part of Any Recovery Strategy<\/a><\/p>\n The idea behind this proposal is basically a variation of what has been introduced in Congress as the Open Back Better Act, explained Evans. The Mission Critical Facilities Renewal proposal asks Congress to appropriate funds to make resiliency improvements, along with efficiency upgrades to public buildings. <\/p>\n \u201cUnder our plan, every $1 of federal investment in energy efficiency retrofits<\/a> leverages at least $4 in private investment\u2014it\u2019s a cost-effective measure for making our federal buildings more efficient and resilient,\u201d detailed Unruh.<\/p>\n Ben Evans, Federal Legislative Director, U.S. Green Building Council. Image courtesy of the USGBC<\/p><\/div>\n Exponentially, the proposal calls for $20 billion in federal funding. \u201cBut we think it would leverage more than $100 billion in activity through performance contracting and other public-private partnerships around the energy efficiency work,\u201d added Evans.<\/p>\n The cost savings from the efficiency improvements can more than pay for themselves over time, while making health and resilience improvements simultaneously can significantly cut costs of the overall project\u2014for example, replacing the HVAC equipment at a school with a high-efficiency system that can also deliver improved air quality, explained Evans.<\/p>\n Moreover, the Mission Critical Facilities Renewal project would create jobs, particularly across the clean energy, manufacturing, building services and construction sectors. <\/p>\n \u201cIt empowers small and minority-owned energy service contractors and building equipment suppliers, and incentivizes innovation across the energy efficiency industry,\u201d stated Unruh.<\/p>\n Image by Mika Baumeister via Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n Evans hopes their idea will become a law. The Open Back Better Act is pending in Congress, along with a number of other USGBC-supported initiatives such as including improved tax incentives for efficiency improvements and allotting funding for green schools and sustainable affordable housing.<\/p>\n “Overall, the USGBC supports policies and programs that pave the way for more efficient and resilient buildings and communities, which aligns with the organization\u2019s vision that healthy people in healthy places equals a healthy economy,\u201d Evans noted.<\/p>\n Combating climate is considered an issue of great personal importance by 25 percent of Americans, according to a 2020 survey by researchers at Stanford University, Resources for the Future and ReconMR. Roughly 82 percent of U.S. residents believe human activity is the primary cause of climate change. <\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong>: LEED Zero Projects From Coast to Coast<\/a><\/p>\n To combat it, an alliance that brings together the private sector, policymakers and citizens is needed. The private sector is clearly ahead of Washington\u2014in both recognizing and acting on the climate challenge\u2014and political will is also changing, according to Evans. While we have not seen strong federal policy, despite significant evidence of the impacts of climate change, there have been pockets of progress.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that more and more members of Congress acknowledge climate change but are still unsure about responses that could impact their constituents and, in some cases, policymakers are debating the role of the federal government in this crisis,\u201d noted Evans.<\/p>\n What\u2019s certain is that there can\u2019t be real progress with just the private sector\u2019s involvement. \u201cThe politics is hugely important to get to those actions. Presumably, with the kind of weather events we\u2019re seeing lately, more people will begin working toward solutions,\u201d Evans said. <\/p>\n Even though political will can help greatly with the process, there are still things the rest of the world can do and is doing. \u201cIn my industry alone, performance contracting with ESCOs complete at least $7 billion a year in energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that help fight climate change,\u201d Unruh mentioned. <\/p>\n An increasing number of companies and governments have set up plans for decarbonization<\/a> by 2050, and it\u2019s quite satisfying to see that the ranks of those joining the climate change battle are thickening, but one pressing question remains: \u201cWon\u2019t it be too late\u2014too far into the future?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe we need to celebrate everyone that makes a goal to combat climate change,\u201d responded Unruh. \u201cBut it\u2019s important to acknowledge that doing so requires a significant amount of effort, investment and time. For example, renewable energy and energy efficiency investments require not only financial investment but also physical equipment that needs to be changed, altered and installed to make this happen\u2014all of which takes time to complete.\u201d<\/p>\n Companies and governments should set measurable, actionable goals. Organizations such as the USGBC have the tools and resources to help businesses achieve those goals. However, the plan needs to include a sense of urgency, Evans told CPE<\/em>, adding that cutting emissions in half by 2030 is not easy, but it is achievable.<\/p>\n Image by H\u00e5kon Grimstad via Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cThe good news is that if we do it, we will unleash enormous amounts of economic activity and innovation. In the building space alone, the policies we\u2019re talking about would create hundreds of thousands of jobs in construction, building trades, engineering, design and other fields,\u201d continued Evans.<\/p>\n Buildings are massive contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency is an elementary solution. In fact, energy efficiency and renewable energy are or could be the best partners, said Unruh. \u201cWe need to increase efficiency as much as possible by lowering the amount of energy we need to generate. Then we can apply renewable energy to the remaining energy use.\u201d<\/p>\n To achieve net-zero emissions<\/a> by 2050, Evans believes we will also need to build more sustainable homes and buildings that are adapted to changing conditions and protect health along with the climate; decarbonize the electric grid with carbon-free power; transform the transportation sector with electric vehicles, improved mass transit and better urban planning; and improve efficiency and find new technologies for the industrial sector.<\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong>: Building Performance Standards Are de Rigueur for the Future<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2021\/08\/Dr.-Timothy-D.-Unruh-NAESCO-headshot.jpg?w=300\")
<\/a>Targeting the largest carbon emitters in the U.S.<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>A joint effort against climate change<\/h2>\n
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\nFocus on the positives<\/h2>\n
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\nLL97\u2013an example to follow<\/h2>\n