This Valentine's Day, in place of Cupid's Arrow, Architecture 2030 is unleashing the power of the pen to dramatically reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions in the Building Sector.
The 2030 Challenge for Products aims for the global architecture, planning, design, and building community, to specify, design, and manufacture products for new developments, buildings, and renovations to meet a maximum carbon-equivalent footprint of 30% below the product category average through 2014 – increasing this reduction to 35% in 2015, 40% in 2020, 45% in 2025, and 50% by 2030.
It is well known that the Building Sector is currently responsible for almost half of the energy consumption (49%) and GHG emissions (47%) in the U.S. While the majority of the energy consumption, and their associated emissions, come from building operations (such as heating, cooling, and lighting), the embodied energy and emissions of building products are also becoming increasingly significant. Approximately 5% to 8% of total annual U.S. energy consumption and associated emissions is for building products and construction. When including all products for the built environment (furniture, movable equipment, appliances, etc.), the percentage is even greater.

"With the stroke of a pen, the design and building community can transform the Industrial Sector in the U.S. by specifying building elements that meet the 2030 Challenge for Products. This presents a huge opportunity to spur competition for cost-effective, low-carbon building products."
Edward Mazria
Founder and CEO, Architecture 2030

The 2030 Challenge for Products builds on the success of Architecture 2030's seminal 2030 Challenge initiative, issued in 2006. This effort – calling for the operation of all new buildings and major renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030 – has been widely embraced and is now being actively implemented throughout the building and design community. This momentum sets the stage for the 2030 Challenge for Products – a bold step towards reducing U.S. energy use, curbing GHG emissions, and expanding local jobs and industry in the U.S.
Learn more about the 2030 Challenge for Products at the Architecture 2030 website.
To download a press release, click here.

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BUILDING SECTOR BUZZ:
What Industry Leaders Say About the 2030 Challenge for Products

"Clearly the 2030 Challenge has been a game changer in the way people think about climate change. Architecture 2030 drives change in any segment it focuses on. The new 2030 Challenge for Products appropriately uses LCA as a scientific methodology for holistic thinking, and that's an excellent way to reduce the environmental impact from building products."
Rick Fedrizzi
CEO, U.S. Green Building Council

"It is exciting to see the past success of the 2030 Challenge from the designers of our buildings, but this will take our impact to a whole new level by including building materials and products."
H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP
Chairman and CEO, HKS

"Too often manufacturers and specifiers aren't giving enough attention to the carbon footprint of green products. In many cases we're hobbled by a lack of data. This new challenge will focus attention on this critical issue, and our company will actively support it. By 2013 we will feature carbon footprint data in our GreenSpec database, and through our link to Pharos."
Alex Wilson
Founder, BuildingGreen

"The 2030 Challenge for Products will motivate the development of low-carbon industries and shape development of rigorous and relevant environmental performance standards."
Kathrina Simonen
Director, Carbon Leadership Forum

"Architecture 2030 continues to drill in on the critical issues that impact the carbon contributions of the built environment. Their new focus on reducing carbon in building products will bring much needed attention and resources to a major area that has, so far, been outside the grasp of most design and construction projects. It's terrific!"
Mary Ann Lazarus, AIAI, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Vice President, HOK

"Architecture 2030 drills deeply into the awareness and practice of the architectural and building community. These targets will not only directly improve our GHG emission rates, they will increase awareness of all the linkages from process to product."
Peter Calthorpe
Principal, CalthorpeAssociates

"This initiative has the potential to generate the type of credible and transparent carbon information needed to fill an important gap in our understanding of building product impacts on the environment and human health. By scoring products against the 2030 Challenge for Products in Pharos, we will help designers create market demand for products that are healthier for people and the planet."
Bill Walsh
Founder, Healthy Building Network

"This initiative has the opportunity to make us all investors in the most human sense as we commit to intelligent choices for the future of the planet."
James P. Cramer
Chairman, The Design Futures Council

"As we all know well, the making of the built environment is complex and comprehensive and requires a deep and thorough effort. And to make an impact of any type the entire range of the process must be engaged and committed to the cause. For our Profession and Industry to have that same comprehensive impact on the carbon footprint and GHG emission of our buildings and process, this product awareness and product Initiative is critical to the long-term result. I applaud your leadership efforts and this fundamental and forward thinking Initiative of the 2030 Challenge for Products."
Bryce D. Pearsall, FAIA
Chairman, DLR Group

"The Athena Institute is looking forward to working with Architecture 2030 to advance this important initiative. The climate change implications of building materials are becoming increasingly critical as buildings steadily improve from an operating energy perspective."
Wayne Trusty
President, The Athena Institute

"As we drastically reduce energy use in buildings, embodied carbon becomes a much larger part of the impact of our projects. The 2030 Challenge for Products is an important next step in Architecture 2030's efforts to change the way we make and think about buildings."
Craig Briscoe
Associate Partner, ZGF Architects LLP

"Just as the 2030 Challenge has provided a practical, clear pathway for our industry to address the impact of building energy use on climate change, the 2030 Challenge for Products offers us another tool that all should understand and use. Architecture 2030 understands that cutting energy waste saves money, creates jobs and protects the planet."
Dennis Creech
Executive Director, Southface

"The 2030 Challenge for Products is remarkable for using life cycle science to measure the progress of buildings. We know what gets measured, gets done. A commitment to using LCA means that the measurements will be the right ones. I look forward to working with the building industry in support of the Challenge."
Rita Schenck, Ph.D, LCACP
Executive Director, Institute for Environmental Research and Education &
American Center for Life Cycle Assessment

"Architecture 2030 has been changing the world of design and construction and this new building sector products initiative is the next logical step in speeding up the transformation to a post carbon economy. Another smart move at just the right time."
Bob Berkabile
FAIA, Principal, BNIM

"Building professionals stand on the cusp of a huge contribution to a sustainable world which they can realize fully when they commit to the 2030 Challenge for Products. LCA-based Environmental Product Declarations will support their goals, especially when combined with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and green building rating systems."
Deborah Dunning
President, The Green Standard
Principal, Sphere E.

"The 2030 Challenge for Products is transformative in moving building product manufacturers toward LCA-based Environmental Product Declarations. EPD Program Operators, like the German Institute for Construction & the Environment, The Green Standard and other members of GEDNet will have a critically important role to play, insuring that core principles and processes outlined in ISO Standard 14025 are implemented to meet best global practices in measuring, verifying and reporting all aspects of a product's environmental performance."
Dr. Eva Schmincke
Global LCA/EPD Consultant,
Member of the ISO Workgroup for Standard 14025