Leopardo Joins Industry Leaders to Take Action on Green Building
Leopardo is proud to announce it has joined over 130 of the country’s most respected architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms as a signatory on a letter urging the current administration to accelerate forward momentum on building sector actions that can help achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. These recommendations will address critical economic, environmental and social issues by rebuilding with strategy and purpose. This push to build greener as we “build back better” recommends adding sustainable building strategies to the current climate agenda and environmental justice plans.
The letter recommends action across several categories. The first, to enhance federal building standard, includes a return to requirements for high-performance building along with new initiatives aimed at decarbonizing the federal building stock. Stimulation of building reuse and upgrades calls for tax code reforms and other means of promoting reuse and retrofits. The promotion of healthy housing and resilient communities suggests national guidelines for healthy housing and better resilience tools like higher-quality flood maps. Achieving a carbon-free grid through electrifying highlights opportunities like net-carbon building codes and electricity rates that incentivize grid harmonization. Through the promotion of material health and product transparency, the letter addresses cleaning products and building materials that can be harmful to human health, in addition to embodied carbon of building materials. Concepts promoting healthy schools for all include creating an office of healthy, high performance and resilient facilities within the Department of Education.
“The places that we live, work and play have a significant impact on the environment, our societies and our health,” said Leopardo Director of Sustainability Patty Lloyd. “Leopardo is pleased to join forces with other strong leaders in our industry to help push federal dollars toward the most effective solutions to reduce the impact of the built environment on the climate and communities.”
You can read the letter in full here.
As an early adopter of the green construction movement in the Midwest, Leopardo is a recognized leader in sustainable building practices with extensive project experience spanning all Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification levels, multiple LEED rating systems, as well as both versions of WELL, and is now working to help clients achieve Net Zero Energy projects. Leopardo has been engaged for well over a decade in being a leader in the green building movement and its engagement on local, regional and national levels helps to propel green building and sustainable construction forward to scale adoption. With more than 15 years and four million square feet of sustainable work under its belt, as well as Net Zero Energy building experience on staff, Leopardo has the tools, expertise and passion to build healthy and high-performing spaces.
