Southern California Office Real Estate Blog

4 GREEN BUILDING TRENDS 4U

4 GREEN BUILDING TRENDS 4U

By Jodi Summers

Green building concepts are being embraced with as much wild abandon as kids grasping for the coolest new video game. It started pretty basic – green construction, then evolved into green renovation, and now it’s branching out in all directions. Here are 4 green building trends to watch and invest….

1 - Modular Green Homes – One of the most successful investors in history, Warren Buffett, recently expanded one of his business subsidiaries, Clayton Homes, to produces a line of green modular homes. These 750-square-foot eco homes, dubbed “i-houses,” can be purchased online for less than $75,000. It’s a good bet that if Buffet is invested in it, the area will grow. Our hero is second richest man in the United States with a net worth of $40 billion.

The i-houses are constructed as modules in a factory and then assembled in the field. I-houses are marketed as “affordable luxury in a green, energy-efficient package.”

Beyond Buffett, there are others, such as Zeta Communities and Blu Homes in the green prefabricated market. Modular home construction will be a wise choice for builders going forward because it may allow developers reduce risk, allowing the development of large sites to take place as sales come in rather than building a planned community in larger phases before the units are sold out.

2 – Energy Retrofits – California state measure AB 1103, which requires the tracking of the energy use of all nonresidential buildings for disclosure to prospective buyers and tenants, is a fine example of how critical energy retrofits will be in the future. Much of the country’s real estate is old and wastes energy…eventually these properties will need to be upgraded or replaced. Not to mention, this is a cornerstone of President Obama’s post recession job creation movement.

Energy Star, the government, and local utilities have been offering rebates for property owners on measures like energy audits, insulation and duct sealing. SBI Energy predicts that the U.S. home energy retrofit market will grow about 15 percent per year to $35 billion by 2013, up from $20.7 billion in 2007.

David Leathers, senior vice president of energy services for mechanical contractor Limbach, confides that U.S. commercial building in the U.S. five years or older can likely benefit from a retrofit with payback for most measures taken in less than five years.

3 - Smart Building Materials - Energy-efficient building materials are the frame of green building. Serious Materials recently raised a $60 million third round of venture for the manufacture of energy-saving windows and environmentally friendly substitutes for sheetrock. More good investments - high-efficiency insulation system companies, such as walls with micro-encapsulated phase change materials to stabilize the indoor temperatures in buildings. More…Electrochromic technologies can darken or lighten the tint of a window when in contact with an electrical current, thus managing the amount of sunlight that passes through…Ventilated double-skin facades (already being used in Europe), use inner and outer glass walls with a thin cavity to provide insulation in between for the exterior shell of a building.

4 - More Energy Efficient Energy Codes - The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE ) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) are both developing the latest round of “model codes”— ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC — will likely require a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency.

Congress may soon mandate that all states raise their standards to the newest codes. The American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the House this year includes a provision that would effectively create a baseline national building energy code by mandating the adoption of a standard set by the Department of Energy, who may very well call on the standards set forth by ASHRAE or IECC.

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http://earth2tech.com/2009/12/23/4-green-building-trends-to-watch-in-2010/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/Green-Modular-Homes.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Buffet

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=841

http://www.ashrae.org/

http://www.icis.com/blogs/green-chemicals/2009/01/green-building-is-still-recess.html

http://www.newenglandmetalroof.com/construction_directory/green-building.gif

http://www.charlesandhudson.com/archives/eco-friendly-building-materials.jpg

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

By Jodi Summers

More green building codes anyone? Sure, there are already several green building codes in use today - LEED, Energy Star, NAHB Green, Green Globes, BREEM and the latest, and perhaps most practical to join the crowd is ICC – the of International Code Council.

FYI, you’ve walked through hundreds of International Code Council respecting properties. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt building codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council. As the ICC already has such a huge fan base, they’ve decided to have their input into green building codes > a.k.a. IGCC.

The objective of this new project is to develop a Green Building Code for traditional and high-performance buildings that is consistent and coordinated with the ICC family of Codes and Standards.

“Congratulations on taking such an important step to ensure the creation of such a code system. We are pleased to support this effort in any way possible,” USGBC President Richard Fedrizzi stated publicly, throwing in a compliment to the Code Council for “undertaking a collaborative approach to this important work.”

A bit of insight: the International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools.

Being the progressive state that we are, California, has already adopted a green building code, which is incorporated into the template the ICC has come up with for the rest of the country.

“California continues to lead the nation and I commend the hard work of the Building Standards Commission to adopt the first-in-the-nation statewide green building standards,” proudly observed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The objective of the ICC code will be to raise the bottom line, giving all buildings a greener baseline. LEED, in contrast, is a bolder standard, providing innovative and more challenging ways to reduce green house gas emissions, materials usage, enhance energy efficiency, and all other good green things.

An ICC green code will make politicians, building inspectors and code officials comfortable with adopting and utilizing I-Codes as the basis for building regulations. By adopting an ICC code and augmenting it with what some of the greener cities like Santa Monica, Berkeley, Sacramento and West Hollywood are doing, municipalities will not have to reinvent the code wheel when looking to implement green building practices.

Wisely, the ICC Green Building Code is an overlay that can integrate with the I-codes that already exist in most jurisdictions.

**

http://www.greenbuildinglawblog.com

http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/08/20/why-world-needs-another-green-building-standard

http://www.iccsafe.org/

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=157

http://www.iccsafe.org/news/nr/2009/0722_USGBC.pdf

THINK GREEN - REAL ESTATE IS STRONGER NEAR METROPOLITAN AREAS

By Jodi Summers

The statistics are in – properties closer to cities with thriving economies and mass transit will outperform outer-ring suburbs and “exurban areas,” where high gas prices are making long car commutes prohibitively expensive and rising energy costs mean higher utility bills. We’re thinking and spending green.

This information comes courtesy of a report released by the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The study interviewed more than 600 real estate experts, including investors, developers, lenders and real estate brokers.

The report, Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2009, projects that the worst of the national housing downturn may be over, with the bottom of the market being confirmed by the end of this year.

The report is focused on commercial real estate such as commercial, office, industrial and apartment properties, but includes an overview of housing markets and how they may be affected by macroeconomic trends and changing regional conditions. Some interesting observations:

· Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles are expected to be the top five markets for investment in commercial property in 2009.

· Wall Street layoffs and office vacancies will help Seattle and San Francisco to reclaim top rankings for commercial investment from New York.

· The thriving energy industry is expected to boost commercial investment prospects for “long-forlorn” Texas markets, but Midwest factory towns are expected to lose even more ground,

· “24 hour cities” like New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., should also benefit from mass transit systems that can free residents from car dependence.

But, gains in the attractiveness of 24-hour cities could be “squandered” if cutbacks in police, fire and sanitation result in less safe and appealing environments. Falling property values and the economic slowdown are expected to cut into tax revenues, forcing cities to reduce services.

“Nothing would undermine 24-hour dynamics more quickly than rising crime rates,” the report warned.

· “24 hour cities” like New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., should also benefit from mass transit systems that can free residents from car dependence.

But, gains in the attractiveness of 24-hour cities could be “squandered” if cutbacks in police, fire and sanitation result in less safe and appealing environments. Falling property values and the economic slowdown are expected to cut into tax revenues, forcing cities to reduce services.

“Nothing would undermine 24-hour dynamics more quickly than rising crime rates,” the report warned.

http://www.ulisf.org/imgManager/1000000877/Cover%20-%20EmergingTrends2009.jpg

http://www.ulisf.org/imgManager/1000000025/maps.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ERJ3VTs4Tho/STMgbiE4PcI/AAAAAAAADOE/Os15Z_s-TBI/s400/iStock_000002504258XSmall.jpg

http://exitrealestate540.com/files/2008/12/thefutureroadsign.jpg

FINANCAL IMPACT OF WIND AND SOLAR ON YOUR BUILDINGS

FINANCAL IMPACT OF WIND AND SOLAR ON YOUR BUILDINGS

 By Ernst Diener

People are asking for hard numbers on how wind or solar energy can impact building

and business values.

Financial Impact of Wind or Solar on your Building

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Increase Earnings with Wind Power

For Office Buildings:

Each dollar invested in energy performance improvements in commercial real estate

at a 20 to 30% savings rate, is equivalent to increasing Net Operating Income by

 3 to 4% and increasing Asset Value by $2.50 to $3.75. So consider the impact if

 you produce $250,000 per year for your building, with wind power.

For Supermarkets:

A 10% reduction in energy costs for the average supermarket is equivalent to increasing net profit margins by 15%, increasing Earnings Per Share by $.06, and increasing  sales per square foot by $71. Consider what it means if you produce $250,000 per year for your super-market in power savings.

For Churches:

If your church can create $48,000 in electricity savings through wind power or renewable energy it is equal to increasing your church membership by almost 50 members. If  your church can create $250,000 in renewable energy it is equal to increasing your membership by 228 members.

For Convenience Stores:

A 10% reduction in energy costs for your store, is equal to your increasing your

 net profits by at least 15%, plus the wind turbine will drive in additional traffic,

and increase your gross sales within a range of 11% to 19%.

For Schools and Universities:

2 80 kwh wind turbines that can produce a total of $120,000 per year in energy savings

can allow you to hire additional teachers, buy books, increase educational potential.

(note: None of the above take into consideration tax credits, incentives, grants,

or carbon credits, all of which increase your financial gain with renewable energy)

For Hospitals:

Each dollar saved in energy costs is equivalent to generating new revenues of $20

for hospitals, or $10 for medical offices and nursing homes. So if you produce $250,000 per year with a wind turbine it is equal to generating $5,000,000 in new annual revenues for hospitals or $2,500,000 for medical offices and nursing homes.

For Hotels:

A 10% reduction in energy costs for the average full service hotel is equivalent

 to increasing Average Daily Rate by 2.6% and increasing Occupancy Rate by 4.3%.

 For the average limited service hotel, a 10% reduction in energy costs is equivalent

to increasing Average Daily Rate by 1% and increasing Occupancy Rate by 2.4%. Now consider, what this means to your hotel if you can produce$250,000 per year of electricity per year with a wind turbine.

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102603433038&s=4010&e=001owYh6s8MtLYbHlWEH7PlMKyKTQNgLqQKM-prqSpVCzJ14ef9r0z2UqjmCYn4KNlVeF-xSliDg5HNEaKWT8ttcAcTf_sus-uXpTw72aCyMjgga9J6Otk2YA==

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/mixerejector-wind-turbine-to-produce-50-more-power/

http://whenhistoryattacks.wordpress.com/

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-architecture-solar-powered-laboratory-in-california-makes-the-forensics-green/

http://global.kyocera.com/news/2009/0502_iuoi.html

http://oc-aerial.com/small-aerials/saddleback-church-solar-electric-panels-1-large.jpg

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/04/img/solar_church_onpage.jpg

PHOTOS OF THE WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING

Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world (2,620 ft.)

The workers on the top girders can see the earth’s rotation.

CLEANTECH L.A. AIMS TO LEAD THE GREEN DEVELOPMENT EVOLUTION

By Jodi Summers

As we move toward a more efficient world, collaborative alliances are the next wave of evolution. In the last administration, we saw the auto companies begin to share ideas. In leaner, greener times the Department of Energy created the Commercial Building Energy Alliance. Locally, our universities are pooling their knowledge through CleanTech Los Angeles, with goal of making L.A. THE city spearheading the green evolution.

“Los Angeles is leading the world with its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and this collaboration will undoubtedly stimulate innovation in our region and provide opportunities to create and attract clean tech companies who wish to capitalize on the region’s enormous public demand for their innovative solutions,” said Bill Allen, CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.

CleanTech Los Angeles, it is an alliance featuring prominent leaders from the City’s premier academic institutions, business community and local government. The big picture is to establish Los Angeles as a global capital of clean technology by leveraging the City’s strongest assets.

Publicly, the CleanTech L.A. Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, California Institute of Technology President Jean-Lou Chameau, University of California Los Angeles Chancellor Gene Block, University of Southern California President Steven Sample, Los Angeles County Economic Development President Bill Allen, Los Angeles Business Council President Mary Leslie, and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Toebben.

“Broader recognition of Los Angeles as a global regional center of science and engineering research and clean technology development bodes well for its economic competitiveness in a rapidly changing world,” added Dr. Jean-Lou Chameau, President of the California Institute of Technology.

CleanTech LA will focus on four key areas: Testing, R&D, and Commercialization; Advocacy for Funds; Education and Outreach; and Economic Development Strategy. The partnership is currently working together on initiatives such as www.cleantechla.org, the California Climate Change Institute, the CleanTech Manufacturing Center, and theClean Technology Research Center. Planned future programs include the CleanTech Corridor, advocacy for federal and state funding, and greater collaborations and partnerships.

PARTNERS:

* City of Los Angeles

* University of California, Los Angeles

* University of Southern California

* California Institute of Technology

* Los Angeles Business Council

* Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

* Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

“Clean technology is one of the bright spots in our future economy,” said Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. “The L.A. Area Chamber is pleased to work with the City of Los Angeles and other partners to help make Southern California the hub of the emerging clean tech sector and the jobs and economic growth associated with it.”

For more information visit www.CleantechLA.org.

http://www.ioe.ucla.edu/news/article.asp?parentid=3347

http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/la-to-become-the-capital-of-green-88893.aspx

http://cleantechlosangeles.org/

http://preaprez.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/villaraigosa-latimes-blog.jpg

http://valuecarpetonline.com/ucla-ar.jpg

http://blog.ingamenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/hot-usc-cheerleaderspcc3.jpg

THE CITY OF L.A. WANTS TO STIMULATE SMALL BUSINESS

By Jodi Summers

This excerpt from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s State of the City Address intends to be a boon to small business owners in Los Angeles…is it merely election time promises or the real deal?….

“Here in Los Angeles, we know that our ultimate prosperity is going to be determined on the laptops of small business owners. From Van Nuys to Venice, from Brentwood to Boyle Heights, these entrepreneurs are the true engines of our recovery. They represent the backbone and the building blocks of new industries and new markets.

“And in Los Angeles, we are working to attract, retain, and offer assistance to small businesses at every turn. After a record setting first term in new development. After bringing $17 billion of new construction into L.A. and creating 140,000 well-paying jobs in the process. It is now time to change our tune and focus our time, resources, and energy on our City’s start-ups and smaller enterprises.

“And it’s time to take our game to a higher level.

“In the next year, our Business Team will assist over 1,000 local, small businesses throughout our City. In the coming months, we will build on the success of our Minority Business Opportunity Center to create a broader “Office of Small, Local, and Disadvantaged Business,” whose sole purpose is to use federal funds to help businesses succeed across L.A. Businesses that employ local workers and recycle dollars back into local communities.

“Last month, I approved a $15 million loan fund to increase credit opportunities for small businesses. And starting on July 1t, we will direct the Community Development Department to make an additional $15 million available to loan out to business owners, to help them reinforce their bottom line, and allow them to continue providing essential jobs, products, and services to our residents.”

http://mayor.lacity.org/pressroom/stateofthecity/index.htm

CHINA’S OFFICE PROPERTY MARKETS ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE!

CHINA’S OFFICE PROPERTY MARKETS ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE!

By Jodi Summers

China’s secondary and tertiary markets are beginning to play a greater and greater role in the country’s real estate market, and analysts are speculating that China’s property market could quadruple in size by 2020.

The information comes courtesy of a report from at Jones Lang LaSalle titled China40: The Rising Urban Stars report.

“China’s Tier II and Tier III cities are dynamic centers of economic development and continued growth,” says Michael Klibaner, head of research Shanghai. “Massive infrastructure investment makes these markets increasingly accessible at a time when interest in China has shifted from being export oriented towards a focus on the domestic market.”

Analyzed in the report were the 40 top Tier II and Tier III cities which will be a strong future investment value. Each city was further analyzed for it real estate strengths. For office, Tianjon, Chongqing and Nanjong made the list; in retail Changsha, Wuhan and Wenzhou; and in Logistics Chengdu, Qingdao and Zhengzhou.

“The future evolution of China’s cities and their real estate markets will be driven by a rich combination of factors that are strongly influenced by government policy,” the report states. These policies focus on urbanization, with plans in place to see the city population explode to 850 million people by 2020. “The government’s ideal end vision of the urbanization process is a country wide network of environmentally sensitive cities each with their own unique competitive advantages and strong trading connections.”

China’s grade A office supply is roughly the size of Washington, DC’s entire supply, averaging 39.4 million square feet by the end of the year. But by 2011, that supply is expected to expand to 68.9 million square feet, with half the increase due to development projects in the Tier II and Tier III cities. The demand in these cities is being created by real estate advisors, insurance services and the banking sector.

JLL lists Dalian, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan, Tianjin, Nanjing and Chongqing as having the greatest potential to become robust office hubs.

Info courtesy of

http://www.globest.com/news/1366_1366/asia/177432-1.html

http://travel.aolcdn.com/travdestguide/Tianjin-China_02-360a032407.jpg

http://www.visit-southampton.co.uk/xsdbimgs/May%20Breeze%20square.jpg

http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/chengdu/imatges/01.jpg

WHY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE BUYING INTO GREEN

WHY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE BUYING INTO GREEN

Now that we’re living in a green age, we know that buildings are responsible for 40% of emissions - and the upside of this statistics is that it presents an enormous opportunity for builders. Even though the construction sector continues to struggle, sustainable building is growing at a 30% annual rate, hands down the fastest-growing sector in the building industry, noted David Gottfried, CEO of Berkeley, CA-based Regenerative Ventures and a founder of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The growth in this world right now is green.”

The latest reports confirm this trend, as California total nonresidential construction activity continued to slide in October with permit values declining by -35.5% to $1.3 billion (year-over-year), according to the Construction Industry Research Board. During the ten-month period of 2008, nonresidential permit values totaled $16.9 billion – a decline of -10.2% from the comparable period in 2007.

While commercial sectors such as industrial and office are greening to cut costs and attract hipper clients, retailers have an added benefit. Retailers are strongly adopting green commercial, because it results in net profits, observed Joseph Feldman, managing director and senior research analyst Telsey Advisory Group, noting that the pioneering ‘green’ Wal-Mart in Lawrence, KS, posted higher-than-average sales for the chain. Target has started placing motion sensors in their stores that will dim lights in unoccupied aisles. The Gap and the Limited also are making efforts at energy efficiency, with the latter replacing roofs at three distribution centers to make them more energy efficient.

Even comparatively small efforts, such as Lowes’ decision to replace all of the lights in its stores with energy-efficient models, add up over time. “It’s relatively easy to become green,” Feldman said, noting that “green” retailers “mostly are the leaders in their spaces.” But the extra interest could be a double-edged sword.

That is supported by the growth of the USGBC, and the soaring interest in LEED certification or equivalents worldwide, Gottfried said. LEED is now developing a specific designation for retail; currently retail stores and shopping center developers can apply under the new construction or existing building standards. The standard will be up for member ballot this month, with a market launch expected in spring 2009.

The interest in standards also is expanding worldwide, with 13 countries–including India, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and Australia–now having green building councils. Another 50 nations are creating councils.

“It’s a United Nations of councils,” Gottfried said. Even the Chinese government is trying to impose more green regulations on its manufacturers, Feldman reported.

Info courtesy of

http://www.globest.com/news/1296_1296/insider/175575-1.html

http://laedc.org/eedge/index.html#4

WAYS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WILL BUILD A GREEN ECONOMIC SECTOR

WAYS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WILL BUILD A GREEN ECONOMIC SECTOR

Allow us to share with you a collection of green initiatives proposed by President-elect Barack Obama. The quotes come from the President-elect’s website @

www.barackobama.com and information has yet to be offered as to how these initiatives will be implemented and funded. Nonetheless, we like to concept.

BUILDING EFFICIENCY

* Weatherize 1 million homes annually. “Obama will make a national commitment to weatherize at least one million low-income homes each year for the next decade, which can reduce energy usage across the economy and help moderate energy prices for all.”

* Set building efficiency goals. “Obama will establish a goal of making all new buildings carbon neutral, or produce zero emissions, by 2030. He’ll also establish a national goal of improving new building efficiency by 50 percent and existing building efficiency by 25 percent over the next decade to help us meet the 2030 goal.”

* Establish a grant program for early adopters. “Obama will create a competitive grant program to award those states and localities that take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency, and provide a federal match for those states with leading-edge public benefits funds that support energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings.”

* Expand federal efficiency grants. “Obama will also expand federal grant programs to help states and localities build more efficient public buildings, including libraries, schools, and police stations that adopt aggressive green building provisions like those provided by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Green Buildings Council.”

UTILITIES AND ELECTRIC GRID

* Flip incentives to energy utilities. “An Obama administration will ‘flip’ incentives to utility companies by requiring states to conduct proceedings to implement incentive changes and offering them targeted technical assistance. These measures will benefit utilities for improving energy efficiency, rather than just from supporting higher energy consumption. This ‘regulatory equity’ starts with the decoupling of profits from increased energy usage, which will incentivize utilities to partner with consumers and the federal and state governments to reduce monthly energy bills for families and businesses.”

APPLIANCE/PRODUCT EFFICIENCY

* Overhaul federal efficiency standards. “The current Department of Energy has missed 34 deadlines for setting updated appliance efficiency standards, which has cost American consumers millions of dollars in unrealized energy savings. Obama will overhaul this process for appliances and provide more resources to his Department of Energy so it implements regular updates for efficiency standards. He will also work with Congress to ensure that it continues to play a key role in improving our national efficiency codes.”

* Phase out incandescents. “Obama supports the effort led by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to update federal lighting efficiency standards to ensure that new lighting technologies are phased into the marketplace. As president, Obama will implement legislation that phases out traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2014.”

RENEWABLE ENERGY

* Increase share of government electricity from renewable sources. “As president, Obama will ensure that at least 30 percent of the federal government’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.”

* Require 25% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025. “Obama will establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind, and geothermal by 2025.”

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

* Build neighborhoods around alternative transportation. “Obama believes that we must devote substantial resources to repairing our roads and bridges. He also believes that we must devote significantly more attention to investments that will make it easier for us to walk, bicycle, and access other transportation alternatives. Obama is committed to reforming the federal transportation funding and leveling employer incentives for driving and public transit.”

CARBON EMISSIONS

* Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. “Obama’s cap-and-trade policy will require all pollution credits to be auctioned, and proceeds will go to investments in a clean energy future, habitat protections, and rebates and other transition relief for families.”

GREEN JOBS

* Invest in clean energy. “The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will help create 5 million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next 10 years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.”

Info courtesy of

http://www.barackobama.com

http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/news/obama-wins-green-movement-wins.aspx