Noting that 40% of carbon emissions in the US come from the construction (including sourcing of materials) and operation (heating, cooling, lighting) of buildings and houses, the AIA pledges to achieve zero-carbon construction and operation of all new buildings, and retrofitting of existing buildings to reduce their energy use and increase their resilience to severe weather. They will achieve these goals through education, policy advocacy, calling for zero-carbon building codes, and advocating for the reuse of historic buildings rather than new construction.
For the full PDF version of the compendium issue where this article appears, visit Compendium Volume 3 Number 2 January 2020