“The Build Back Better plan has the potential to determine how billions of dollars in construction will be spent. As leaders in the AEC industry we’re looking at an opportunity to change not just how we build but the massive impact of construction on climate change. The buildings we create will last a generation, but the environmental impact of both their operational and embodied carbon will be epochal.” says Daniel Jaconetti, National Sustainable Design Leader of HED, "Our coalition requests, through a letter containing concrete and actionable suggestions, that the federal government use its extraordinary regulatory authority, purchasing power, and position as a building owner to shift the industry’s baseline, making sustainable building no longer the exception, but the rule."

The letter’s recommendations are focused on expanding agency rule-making, making sure the federal government’s own buildings are sustainable, investing in existing buildings and infrastructure, and developing comprehensive sustainability standards. The AEC industry is looking for leadership on climate, but perhaps more importantly, they are looking for clear and consistent standards and guidelines.