Green Design Could Slash CO2 Emissions
According to a joint Canada-US-Mexico report, “Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges,” changes in building design and construction could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent in North America.
Politicians and businessman commonly focus solely on the transportation, oil, and gas industries, while ignoring problems in the building industry. North American buildings release 2,200 megatons of carbon dioxide each year according to the report. This is roughly 35 percent of all carbon released in North America. If we began building all buildings to a higher standard by 2030, the carbon savings would be equivalent to all carbon emissions of the transportation sector in the United states.