Building Codes Assistance Project

From a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) press release:

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Total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 7,053 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2008, a decrease of 2.2 percent from the 2007 level, according to Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2008 , a report released today by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Since 1990, U.S. GHG emissions have grown at an average annual rate of 0.7 percent.

ASHRAE's proposed high-performance building standard and a stricter version of Standard 90.1 will be released next year. Together, they can help local and state governments looking to set building code requirements to reduce energy use. Proposed Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is being developed by ASHRAE in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ASHRAE and IES also are working to strengthen the requirements in Standard 90.1.