Aluminum Association Statement on New Federal Building Efficiency Standards

ARLINGTON, VA -- The Aluminum Association released the following statement on a new White House plan to reduce energy use at federal buildings by 2.5 percent per year between 2015 and 2025. A number of private companies that are major suppliers to the federal government – including IBM, GE and Honeywell – also announced voluntary emissions targets.

Aluminum Association President & CEO Heidi Brock remarked:

“Driving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in buildings is a goal everyone can agree on. The aluminum industry supports efforts – from both the public and private sector – to improve building efficiency. This new policy incentivizes the selection of ‘environmentally preferable’ products in federal buildings. The use of aluminum in buildings has long been a key component of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in building design and construction.

Aluminum is lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant and widely recycled. It maximizes building efficiency by balancing the functions of heating, cooling, lighting, shading and ventilation. In addition, aluminum in buildings has been proven to last for multiple decades with minimal maintenance, lowering the lifecycle footprint of a building.

And last year, the aluminum industry was among the first to release certified ‘Environmental Product Declarations’ – essentially environmental nutrition labels enabling builders to make informed choices about the use of aluminum compared to other material options. We remain committed to helping educate both public and private sector stakeholders about the benefits of aluminum as they work to meet new efficiency goals and targets."

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About the Aluminum Association
The Aluminum Association represents U.S. and foreign-based companies and their suppliers throughout the value chain, from primary production to value added products to recycling.  The Association is the industry’s leading voice, providing global standards, business intelligence, sustainability research and industry expertise to member companies, policymakers and the general public. The aluminum industry helps manufacturers produce sustainable and innovative products, including more fuel efficient vehicles, recyclable packaging, greener buildings and modern electronics.  In the U.S., the aluminum industry creates $152 billion in economic activity. For more information visit www.Aluminum.org, on Twitter @AluminumNews or at Facebook.com/AluminumAssociation.