The American Institute of Architects (AIA),
the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE), Architecture 2030, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North
America (IESNA), and the U.S. Green Building Council are now in the process of
developing a handbook of guidelines, which is initially targeted for the design
of retail stores and light commercial buildings (but can be adapted to homes),
that if implemented, could reduce energy consumption by these buildings an
average of 30%. And it is their goal to keep on revising the guidelines as new
technology becomes available, with the eventual target goal of 0% greenhouse
gases by the year 2030.
Understand that reducing energy use doesn’t necessarily come easily or
inexpensively. Rather, it requires a whole new way of thinking and building
designing. Yet, many of the means are currently at hand and are not at all
expensive to implement.