Is Better Building in Recession a win-win?
During recession should the Responsible Developer spend $38 million to improve existing buildings energy efficiency? The City of Seattle and its partners say yes!
You may recall that last Spring Seattle was the recipient of a $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s BetterBuildings Program. Since then the City has leveraged other funds to create a pool of $38 million. The Mayor says the program will create 2,000 green jobs, reduce energy use by between 15 percent and 45 percent in retrofitted buildings, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 70,000 metric tons.
It will also mean work for contractors and suppliers and local tax revenues. These retrofit projects will be located between Central Capitol Hill and the city limits in Southeast Seattle. Joshua Curtis, Community Power Works manager, said the goal is to create new energy efficiency programs that will help the private sector test what works and what doesn't. "We're just really focused on using this money now to not only create jobs in energy efficiency but really catalyzing good models going forward,” he said. “I think that what we'll likely see is a lot of these programs, some of them ending up in the city, some of them continuing in the private sector, some of them continuing perhaps in a nonprofit fashion.”
Portions of the program were originally recommended by the Seattle Green Building Task Force which looked at ways to make Seattle buildings 20 percent more efficient by 2020. There are different programs for each building sector. The first phase was launched last week. It focuses on hospitals and large commercial and municipal buildings, and will use about $4.2 million of the funds. The second phase launches in early March and will allocate the rest of the money and expand the program to houses, small commercial and multifamily.
According to the Times, Ted Klainer, capital projects manager for Harborview Medical Center, said the hospital is already pursuing energy improvements but this program allows it to expand that effort dramatically. Work involves HVAC, Seattle Steam-fed heating systems, and equipment. The cost will be in the millions, he said. Harborview is a state institution so cash is tight. “Getting those funds just allow you to get more traction quickly to get these things done,” Klainer said. “At the end of the day, when we get systems upgraded, they will even save the taxpayers' dollars, especially over the long term. It's a win-win.”
Yes, responsible development, even in recession, can be a win-win.
