It's a fact. Begun in 1985 as a city-wide Energy Efficiency initiative, The Austin Green Building Program stands today as the preeminent leader in institutionalized green building programs, around the world. Recognized by the US Green Building Council, the National Association of Home Builders, The United Nations, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the American Institute of Architects, the US Army, Texas Parks and Recreation, numerous state and local governments / utilities, a growing cadre of international media, as well as by industry professionals from all over the planet – the 'exemplary' work of the Austin Green Building Program is very much establishing a legacy, which defines the future.
How can we say that?
Well, here's a brief timeline:
Accomplishments
> 1991, The Austin Green Building Program (GBP) evolves into existence and creates WORLD'S FIRST residential green building rating tool
> 1992, World First "Sustainable Source Book" is written an compiled by Green Building Program staff
> 1993, The Austin GBP receives special commendation from the United Nations "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro
> 1994, The Austin GBP becomes a charter member of the US Green Building Council (whose "LEED" rating system is now the worldwide standard rating system), and updates its residential ratings system
> 1995, Austin GBP begins a commercial ratings program
> 1997, Residential ratings tool once again updated & improved
> 1999, Multi-family rating system begins; incredibly comprehensive on-line products, services & education resource is built
> 2000, By popular demand, the Austin GBP begins consulting other utilities on developing green building / energy efficient utility programs
> 2001, "Green By Design" consumer workshops begin
> 2006, As of March over 5,500 homes have been certified, over 2,300 multi-family units have been certified, over 40 commercial projects have been certified. The GBP rating is now required on all SMART housing projects ... over 3 million square feet of built space has been officially certified by Austin GBP's standards. People fly in from all over the world to experience the GBP’sconsumer and professional educational programming. The GBP now regularly marketing, training, providing tours, attending trade shows, conducting workshops, offering rebate programs, refining its affordable housing, remodel, consumer, commercial, municipal, and mixed use programs, providing municipal consulting programs, and providing business development programs. Suffice to say, the popularity and success of our best kept secret, and most awesome local resource is built solidly on over 20 years of work, study, interaction, and successfully completed projects.
Clear Values
The Austin Green Building Program leads with common sense measures. Their goal: "to bring green building design and construction into the mainstream in Austin through marketing and education,” is defined through the following criteria:
1) to meet the precise conditions of Austin's ecosystem
2) to serve all customers of Austin energy
3) to enhance and serve the well-being of our community
Best of all - The Austin Green Building Program is “by the people, and for the people” as it is a division of Austin Energy, a community-owned municipal utility.
TAKE PRIDE IN AUSTIN'S GREEN BUILDING "HERITAGE"
Biggest accomplishments of note:
> As quoted in TIME MAGAZINE, 4/3/06 issue: "The Austin Green Building Program eliminated the need of building a 5 megawatt power plant by streamlining energy efficiency initiatives and paying forward consumer rebates" (paraphrased)
> Austin GBP's energy efficiency programs have eliminated the following since 1992:
- 51,105 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide pollution**
- 92 metric tons of NOx**
- 94 metric tons of SOx
- 31 tons of CO
- 11 tons of suspended particulate matter
- 103,878 megawatts hours of total energy
- 57.11 megawatts of peak load energy
**Carbon Dioxide pollution is known to be the #1 insulating gas / cause of Global Warming.
**NOx is known to be the #1 cause of acid rain.
By reducing demand for fossil fuel consumption - the #1 MOST IMPORTANT motivator behind any 'earth-friendly' project, the Austin Green Building Program has done more to eliminate detrimental environmental impacts than any other such program in the world. And their work, their professionalism, their expertise continues...
So, yes, this capital city, known for its music, its politics, its liberals, its cycling star, its computer companies, its organic food retailers, and its university -- has yet another feather to add to its cap. "Green Building Capital of the World" may be an all-too-superficial title for what's been achieved here... but it gives the right idea. Green Building is -- to say the least -- as important to the collective human future as the printing press, the personal computer, the telephone, electricity itself. Without it, we cannot move forward to face the challenges confronting human sustainability; challenges that lie ahead in the immediate short term.
