Challenge or Chewing gum on the Titanic

OK, I'm going to lay my cards on the table; I like President Obama, I may even go so far as to say I admire him - But man, he frustrates the hell out of me.

So to day the White House issued the "Better Buildings Initiative". (http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/02/03/winning-future-through-innovat...) This is an important sector of the economy that needs to be addressed. Buildings consume 60 to 70% of our energy. This consumption is fueled primarily through coal, and this gives off most of the CO2 that is damaging our planet. So if we can address reducing our building's consumption of energy is going to pay big dividends on cutting coal consumption, ergo CO2 production. The goal of retrofitting existing buildings to increase efficiency, power production, and improve livability will generate jobs, local ones that can not be outsourced. The goals in this initiative are Good Policy.

But it's not a directive, it is a suggestion to congress and to industry to meet this challenge. And that is where I get frustrated. As an architect I will say the policy hits a lot great points, good technological solutions, and addresses that local codes are key to enforcement. But that is it, as a political creature this is simply not enough, The house will do nothing on their part subsidize retrofits or give tax credits - because while the President suggests a course, the Coal Lobby will demand these suggestions are ignored. Local bodies have enough on their plates dealing with anemic revenue because of the recession, they probably will not act to study changes. Many communities have had so little construction they have let much of their inspection and building review people go.

This initiative needs teeth, not honey. There needs to be tax penalty if a building doesn't meet an established efficiency standard - like not being able to write off interest on the mortgage, or when it's sold it's taxed higher than normal. That's beyond the President's scope, but that's what we need if we are going to make things turn around. Look around us, We know climate change is accelerating, and most educated people know it too, but those who can make the policy changes, investment changes, and development choices will not act unless their tax shelter is threatened.