With passage in the House of the Waxman Markey Climate Bill, we are about halfway to the “most ambitious energy and climate change legislation ever,” according to The New York Times . While watered down in many areas such as renewable energy requirements and free pollution credits for the energy sector, the sections that affect buildings, both new and existing, remain some of the strongest parts of the bill. The requirements for new buildings to be 30% more efficient by 2010 (that’s next year, although likely to be delayed until 2011 or 2012!) and 50% more efficient by 2016 came through intact. On top of that, there is $1 billion for energy-related jobs, job training, and energy efficiency in public housing. Finally, there are significantly improved incentives for energy upgrades to existing homes. Details are available on the Efficiency First website. We now have to wait and see if it makes it through the Senate without sustaining too much damage.

Who’s happy now?

While many environmental groups were disappointed with the watered-down renewable energy standard and carbon emissions requirements, those of us in the green building industry should be pleased with the combination of new efficiency requirements and incentives in the bill. I’m sure that NAHB is not happy that the efficiency standards made it through intact, and I’m also sure that it will ramp up its fight against them when Senate debate on the bill starts. So, once again, the building community is split between those who support energy legislation and those who insist that everything be voluntary.

As I said in my last blog on this subject, I believe that NAHB is being shortsighted in its opposition to this bill. The organization opposes almost all regulation as a matter of course. What it fails to realize is that regulated industries historically do better than unregulated ones. Look at airlines and trucking companies: They were very profitable during their regulated years; once they were deregulated, much of their profits evaporated. Drug companies are tightly regulated and astoundingly profitable.

We should be happy now

Stronger energy efficiency requirements in buildings will not be the end of the construction industry. They will likely make it more difficult for unqualified contractors to remain profitable. Setting strong baselines will help weed out people who shouldn’t be in the business anyway and allow those that are interested and capable of building better buildings to flourish. The big fear is the increased cost of higher efficiency. I contend that if you build a high-quality building, then you are building green, so improving your processes to meet the new energy standards will not be much of a stretch. Some smart professionals will even figure out ways to lower their costs while increasing efficiency. Add to this the legions of happier clients with healthier, more comfortable homes that cost less to operate, and these companies’ phones will be ringing off the hook when banks finally ease up and start lending again (but sensibly, this time, we can only hope).

Get on the phone

Call your senators now. Ask them to support the bill as it is, and maybe even suggest that they make it stronger. Those opposing it have offered no reasonable alternative–they are simply obstructionists. Let’s work together to make this happen. We will all benefit in the long run.