GREEN BUILDINGS

This report states, “Some studies have shown women prefer higher room temperatures than men, even with similarly thick clothing.” Whattaya gonna do about THAT?

“Greener” buildings could slow global warming: UNEP
Alister Doyle, March 29, 2007 (Reuters via yahoo News)

WHO
Authors of a United Nations Environment Programme study.

WHAT
Energy efficient building design, smarter use concrete, metals and timber in construction and better insulation and ventilation. Refurbishing old buildings rather than demolishing them and designing new buildings for long use. Conservation in the use home and office energy. Control of air conditioners and lighting. Changing to efficient light bulbs. Using blinds to reduce heating from the sun.

WHEN
Now. Sooner.

WHERE
Everywhere. Especially China.

WHY
Building and use efficiency are thought to be the low-hanging fruit in the fight against global warming, representing the potential to eliminate more greenhouse gas emissions than the Kyoto Protocol agreements.

QUOTES
- "Avoid building a bigger house than you need…"
- "By some conservative estimates, the building sector worldwide could deliver emission reductions of 1.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide," said Achim Steiner, the head of UNEP. "The savings that can be made right now are potentially huge and the costs to implement them relatively low if sufficient numbers of governments, industries, businesses and consumers act…"