GENEVA, March 30, 2006 - The World Business Council for Sustainable
Development is forming an alliance of leading global companies to
determine how buildings can be designed and constructed so that they use
no energy from external power grids, are carbon neutral, and can be
built and operated at fair market values.
The industry effort is led by United Technologies Corp., the world's
largest supplier of capital goods including elevators, cooling/heating
and on-site power systems to the commercial building industry, and
Lafarge Group, the world leader in building materials including cement,
concrete, aggregates, gypsum, and roofing. The WBCSD and the two lead
companies are in discussions with many other leading global companies
that are expected to join the project and will be announced shortly.
Buildings today account for 40% of energy consumption in developed
countries according to the OECD. The effort announced today for
transforming the way buildings are conceived, constructed, operated and
dismantled has ambitious targets: By 2050 new buildings will consume
zero net energy from external power supplies and produce zero net carbon
dioxide emissions while being economically viable to construct and
operate.
Constructing buildings that use no net energy from power grids will
require a combination of onsite power generation and ultra-efficient
building materials and equipment.
The project will comprise three phases, each producing reports that
together will form a roadmap to transform the building industry. The
first report will document existing green building successes and
setbacks, the second will identify the full range of present and future
opportunities, and the third will present a unified industry strategy
for realizing those opportunities by 2050, specifically in China, India,
Brazil, the U.S., and the E.U.
Each report will take one year to complete and involve hearings and
conferences with building contractors and suppliers, sustainability
experts, government representatives, regulators, utility officials and
others.
"Green" buildings already are erected in various parts of the world but
current cost structure prevents widespread adoption by general
contractors. The project will build on these examples, aligning costs
and benefits in the building equation and by working in close
collaboration with architects, builders, suppliers and building owners
to promote a more sustainable approach to construction. Existing
standards for energy efficiency in buildings will be the starting point
for the industry-led alliance.
"Lafarge has been leading efforts in energy efficiency and sustainable
construction in the building materials sector for a number of years, not
only by reducing greenhouse gas emissions during the production process
but also by developing materials that contribute to making buildings
more energy efficient," said Bertrand Collomb, chairman of Lafarge.
"In this context, Lafarge has been collaborating with leading architects
to promote sustainable construction as illustrated by our partnership
with French Architect Jacques Ferrier, which led to the development of
the 'Hypergreen' concept: This multi-use tower building, designed for
the world's mega-cities, is highly energy self-sufficient thanks to the
use of the latest construction methods and technologies."
"Buildings of tomorrow should be self-sufficient in energy and have
carbon neutral emissions," said Jan van Dokkum, president of UTC Power,
a United Technologies company.
"This can be done by incorporating renewable energy sources into a
building's design, optimizing energy efficiency of support systems, and
taking advantage of geographic and culturally acceptable building
practices. Additionally, this aim is enhanced by using the 'cradle to
cradle' concept of producing, using and later re-using building
materials. This vision of energy and carbon neutral designs is a
necessary evolution we need to embrace to achieve sustainability for
buildings."
Björn Stigson, president of the WBCSD, noted that "being smarter and
more efficient about how we use energy in buildings will help us
conserve energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate
change. We believe this initiative can provide extremely cost-effective
solutions. It will also set the course for self-sufficient and
environmentally sound buildings in which future generations will live,
work and be entertained. Our partners are industry leaders with
technological expertise and presence that no single existing
organization or government could provide on its own.