Green Options » Center on Wisconsin Strategy http://greenoptions.com/tag/center-on-wisconsin-strategy Posts tagged 'Center on Wisconsin Strategy' Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:29:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Retrofitting Buildings Shows Promise for the Environment and the Economy http://sustainablog.org/2008/03/30/retrofitting-buildings-shows-promise-for-the-environment-and-the-economy/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/03/30/retrofitting-buildings-shows-promise-for-the-environment-and-the-economy/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:29:57 +0000 Carol McClelland http://sustainablog.org/2008/03/30/retrofitting-buildings-shows-promise-for-the-environment-and-the-economy/ house made of handsCOWS – Center on Wisconsin Strategy – Based at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, this national policy center and laboratory works with business, government, labor and communities to develop and test new ideas.

Motivated by the statistic that 43% of all carbon dioxide is emitted from buildings (21% residential, 17% commercial, 5% industrial), COWS is working on the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency Initiative (pdf presentation) that builds a unique alliance to reduce this source of greenhouse gases.

Their mission looks promising. In terms of investments, retrofitting buildings is a low risk investment that has a high annual return of 22%. The other benefits include improving the environment, better worker/residents/student health and productivity, financial savings for property owners and tenants, and higher property values. An additional benefit is that these jobs cannot be outsourced.

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