In July of 2008 the California Building Standards Commission voted unanimously to adopt green building standards for all new construction in California.  These standards are voluntary for now but will become mandatory in 2010.  This move puts the state on track to compel all new buildings to become more energy efficient. The standards will require that all new residential construction generate its own energy by 2020, and all new commercial construction will have to do the same by 2030.  This move is in part driven by mandates in the European Union that all buildings post their energy efficiency rating and that this information must be disclosed before any transaction can occur.    

We’re going to begin seeing closer tracking of energy use and emissions across industries. Wal-Mart is moving towards providing information on products similar to a nutrition label that will let consumers know how much CO2 emissions were generated during the manufacturing and distribution process. While Wal-Mart may never be a truly sustainable company (see comment from CEO), providing this information is critical to building more mainstream awareness.

Check out Patagonia’s Footprint Chronicles.