AGC Hosts Building Design and Construction Industry Meeting on Climate Change

On May 27, AGC pulled a broad cross-section of the many associations that represent the real estate, design and construction industries together for a meeting at the National Building Museum on the regulatory and legislative efforts to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. During the meeting, both AGC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce updated everyone on the regulatory efforts underway at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act - and how badly such an approach could damage all of the represented industries. AGC also briefed the group on the proposed "cap and trade" legislation. The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently approved a bill that aims to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.  A staff member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee also addressed the group on the possible reaction to the House bill and any potential new legislation.  The Senate has yet to propose climate change legislation. AGC will now work to identify areas of consensus among the real estate, design and construction industries on both the threats and the opportunities that may be embedded in the larger effort to address GHG emissions. For more information contact Melinda Tomaino at (703) 837-5415 or tomainom@agc.org.