
Obama Administration Poised to Take Immediate
Action to Help Transform America's Building Stock
April 29, 2010
The Obama Administration is authorized to play a more active and
supportive role in encouraging and progressing the energy efficiency
and sustainability of America's multifamily and commercial building
stock, according to a report released today by the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC) and other leading organizations in energy, housing,
environment and real estate.
The legal analysis, "Using Executive Authority to Achieve Greener
Buildings: A Guide for Policymakers to Enhance Sustainability and
Efficiency in Multifamily Housing and Commercial Buildings,"
concludes that under current executive authority, the Obama Administration
has the ability to use over 30 existing federal programs worth $72
billion to enhance efficiency in commercial buildings and multifamily
housing, with no new legislation.
"As an early adopter of green buildings and the LEED green
building certification system, the federal government has been a
leader in bringing green buildings to cities and towns across America,"
said Roger Platt, senior vice president, Global Policy & Law,
USGBC. "This new report unveils an even larger opportunity
for the Obama Administration to increase our nation's energy efficiency,
while creating thousands of jobs and saving taxpayers money."
The report presents an extensive menu of options, across an array
of programs, which the Obama Administration could begin implementing
immediately without having to seek new funds or authority from Congress.
Some of the options include:
- Reforming appraisal and underwriting practices at Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac;
- "Greening" federal banking regulation;
- Promoting flexible FHA insurance products, especially Section
241;
- Integrating energy efficiency and sustainability criteria into
competitive grants and funding formulas;
- Strengthening minimum property standards for federal housing
and economic development programs to reflect energy efficiency
and sustainability standards;
- Improving performance standards applicable to federal buildings
and leases;
- Refining guidance applicable to the energy-efficient commercial
buildings tax deduction and the national historic preservation
tax credit;
- Using SBA funding mechanisms to support small business energy
efficiency investments; and
- Streamlining Title 17 loan guarantees to make them suitable
for buildings.
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