Coalition backs energy efficient infrastructure investments

A group of businesses, trade associations, environmental organizations, and energy efficiency advocates have forwarded correspondence to Congress encouraging energy efficient infrastructure investments.

The Alliance for Industrial Efficiency, along with the Alliance to Save Energy were among the entities advocating the action, espousing the benefits of embedding energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is our nation’s most abundant energy resource,” the groups wrote in their message to House and Senate members. “Without the gains in energy efficiency made since 1973, the U.S. economy would today require at least 70 percent more energy than we currently consume. Between then and today, gross domestic product has tripled while energy consumption has only risen by about 30 percent.”

The organizations maintain improving energy efficiency is one of the most effective policy strategies for addressing the threat of climate change while also representing an extraordinary opportunity to boost economic growth.

“The federal government should show leadership by addressing critical buildings and energy infrastructure upgrades through public-private partnerships that leverage private funds to implement resilience-enhancing energy- and water-conservation measures,” the advocacy groups wrote.

The groups noted that any infrastructure package should encourage performance contracting and other financing mechanisms at all levels of government to address the backlog of $165 billion in deferred maintenance projects in federal facilities.