Existing buildings account for 75% of U.S. electricity consumption. The DDPP reports call for a drastic reduction of GHG emissions attributable to buildings, ranging from 87% to 96% depending upon the scenario. Because buildings have long useful lives, the only way to achieve the goal is to retrofit a majority of our existing buildings. The chapter discusses six legal pathways that, when used in combination, may accomplish the objective: energy audits; mandatory retrofit laws; energy-efficiency performance standards for new buildings; voluntary certification systems; switching from fossils fuels to low-carbon electricity; and financing programs.
***
Top Ten Resources on Existing Buildings: To help users take a brief survey of some of our favorite materials from this pathway, the LPDD team has drafted a "Top 10" resources list for state and local governments trying to address Existing Buildings. Check it out here.