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The Challenges

In the U.S. and around the globe, governments, businesses and other organizations are challenged to reduce energy demands, lower greenhouse gas emissions, cut costs and create jobs.

One area of the economy has the existing products and practices to meet these challenges today - building construction and operations. In the U.S. alone, buildings consume:

  • 40% of total energy (and produce 40% of carbon emissions)
  • 70% of electricity
  • 60% of raw materials, and
  • 12% of potable water

The Solution

High performance building materials and techniques can directly meet these challenges. One of the keys to creating high performance buildings is the building envelope.

An improved building envelope can reduce both energy use and GHG emissions by up to 40%, according to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Lifecycle costing analyses estimate that these improvements pay for themselves many times over (at current costs). Plus, investment in a program to renovate U.S. buildings can put thousands of American contractors back to work.

These benefits are particularly powerful for government agencies working to meet energy reduction mandates, reduce their environmental impact and maintain their buildings.
 

 

In the U.S., 40% of energy is consumed by buildings. Much is wasted because these structures were built in a less energy-conscious era with unsophisticated materials and techniques. In fact, nearly three-fourths of our country's 81 million buildings were constructed prior to 1979. Dramatic reductions in energy usage and carbon emissions, up to 40%, can be made with better construction products and practices to create high performance buildings.

What is a high performance building?

While definitions may vary, most experts would consider a high performance building to:

  • Be energy efficient - by optimizing energy performance and even producing on-site renewable energy, with the goal of being a net-zero energy structure.
  • Have a low impact on the environment - by assisting with water conservation and reclamation, aiding in land conservation, utilizing recycled content and diverting materials from landfills.
  • Provide a healthy atmosphere for occupants - by improving indoor air quality and allowing for natural lighting.
  • Have low life-cycle costs.

An Improved Building Envelope is Key

Currently, a large portion of energy is being lost through the building envelope of structures - the walls, roofs, floors, foundations, windows and doors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, advances in building envelope technologies are important for reducing overall building energy consumption and operating costs.

According to the Obama Administration, "innovations in energy-efficient building envelopes, equipment, lighting, daylighting, and windows, in conjunction with advances in passive solar, photovoltaic, fuel cells, advanced sensors and controls and combined heating, cooling, and power, have the potential to dramatically transform today's buildings. These technologies-coupled with a whole building design approach that optimizes the interactions among building systems and components-will enable tomorrow's buildings to use considerably less energy, while also helping to reduce emissions and increase energy security."

With the proper design, installation and maintenance of building envelope components, a multitude of environmental, financial and quality of life benefits can be achieved.

That's where RPM comes in with integrated solutions and services to improve the building envelope.