Carbon dioxide emissions

One can chart the evolution of the high performance façade, by first examining the older, more conventional façade. Until recently, it was most common for a building to have single- or double-glazing, moderate to large window or glass areas, little or no sun shading, and little or no capture of daylight for interior use. Instead, energy-intense HVAC systems moderated temperatures and fresh air, while artificial lighting blanketed interiors with required light levels. Emphasis was typically on minimal code compliance.

As a direct result, solar panels began sprouting on the roof tops of stores, car dealerships, office buildings and other commercial enterprises. The lesson? In our contemporary energy economy, promise finally leads to practice – when the financing is right. By the EU implementing market driven mechanisms that give a price on carbon emissions, it allowed private investors, government bodies and industries to allocate funds and factor the cost as part of the costs of operating.

The key to change is, much like supply and demand in Economics, understanding the needs and wants of the variable that needs modification. In this case, we are looking at the manufacturers; the simple truth is that all these factory owners see are dollar signs. And at the moment, asking them to invest large sums of money from an already recession-damaged cash drawer on expensive machinery to replace machines that already work is, in their eyes, riddled with red flags. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? And if it ain't broke, definitely don't fix it for twice the cost!

By placing an economic value, and price on carbon emissions some evidence suggests that the implementation of carbon trading has resulted in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the first trading period or phase 1 (January 2005–December 2007). What type of market-driven mechanisms were employed? Could the North American economy adopt a similar scheme effectively?

Bringing two-way "Smart Grid" communications and monitoring capabilities that enable electric utilities to route power in more efficient ways, including remote energy management and control of appliances and other networked devices, support for bidirectional power sharing for new alternative energy sources and, through smart metering, more efficient energy use in residential and commercial buildings.

To create a high performance building, architects and engineers select from among these sustainability practices those that are best suited to the particular building’s intended use, occupancy, design, siting, configuration, and expected life cycle.