OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORT IS DYSFUNCTIONAL- A VIEW FROM THE TRENCHES

Sustainability is job one now and our planet, our governments, and corporations are largely underperforming. If we were doing a good job, we would all have the same goals and be somewhat on the same path. Most participants however are meandering toward sustainability but much of the effort and resources are not being efficiently utilized. I say we because I have been in the sustainable industry for over twenty years as the head of a efficiency product providing company that is now part of the Conservation Technologies Group. Much of my work is studying, analyzing, and making presentations to sustainable groups, funding organizations, governmental entities, and companies and that effort has led me to conclude that US and global sustainability efforts are dysfunctional, and that we need to do a much better job.

A primary job area where we have not made enough progress in sustainability is energy demand reduction. According to Materials for Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Buildings- “Almost half of the total energy produced in the developed world is inefficiently used to heat, cool, ventilate and control humidity in buildings, to meet the increasingly high thermal comfort levels demanded by occupants”.

We must do a much better job on energy demand reduction. In the recent US Department of Energy Better Buildings Report-"When pursuing a decarbonization plan, DOE is encouraging partners to lead with energy efficiency. Energy not used is energy saved, making the transition to clean, renewable energy infrastructure easier.“ If energy demand reduction is not the first priority then we will be producing energy that is being wasted. Reduce energy use then right size renewables.

Secondly sustainable planning should include human capital costs as a major consideration. Some experts have said that building occupant productivity considerations are fifty times more important than any other building benefit. Please note the “increasingly high thermal comfort levels demanded by occupants” part of the above quote. The main reasons people are uncomfortable where they live and work are long wave radiation, solar radiation, and the convection loop and all the issues are improved by energy saving enveloping improvements.

Building science, modification techniques, and analytical tools are getting better and better. Yet sustainable planning is not keeping pace.

Everyone benefits from great sustainability planning and implementation. Our buildings and structures are responsible for over seventy per cent of electricity usage and forty per cent of carbon emissions. Building infiltration is estimated to be responsible for 6-9% of our total energy usage. Most people are in buildings and structures most of their lives. If we can make sure they are efficient and comfortable as sustainability goals , we will get better results.