Obama’s recovery and reinvestment plan is designed to create jobs, save crumbling infrastructure, and promote future energy savings. The plan marks a long-overdue shift towards public works investment, smart economic incentives, and long-term growth. And, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers it’s not a moment too soon. In the 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure , the US received an overall grade of D. The sad fact is that we got the same grade on our 2005 Report Card and we have done little to improve our state. That is all about to change.
In addition to building new roads and infrastructure, Obama’s recovery plan makes a significant investment in energy-efficient and sustainable technologies. This is a key component to positioning the US as a future leader in the global green economy. Energy-efficient upgrades – like new HVAC systems (for heating and cooling) and LED lighting (which uses 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs) – will help lock in future energy savings in federal buildings and low-income housing. As the world’s largest energy consumer, the federal government is eager to decrease its carbon footprint and lower operating costs. It is estimated that modernizing 75% of federal building space can save taxpayers $2 billion in annual energy bills.
Obama’s commitment to efficient infrastructure will give a much needed boost to the green building industry. In addition to implementing sustainable solutions, green builders must use this opportunity to educate the public about the environmental and economic advantages of sustainable design. Social media platforms are an effective way to illustrate these benefits with animation and visualization tools. Obama has already set the stage for this type of social media discourse with weekly YouTube videos. Plus, leaders of the House and Senate just announced that Congress is now in session, on YouTube!
Check out the MediZed website to find out more about dynamic visualization tools and social media strategies to illustrate sustainable solutions and green building techniques.
Rayna Gordon-Hellman
rayna@medized.com
415-994-6549 office
205-529-5030 cell
