Arlington Seeks To Expand Energy Performance Labels

Buildings in Arlington are about to become green with envy. A new county program is now installing energy performance labels in the lobby of government buildings, and Arlington officials say they want to expand the program to private buildings on a voluntary basis.

"We're trying to help people connect with the costs associated, as well as changing behavior, but really help people as they are looking at buildings... buying homes, buying commercial properties, really look at the overall cost of a building," says Adam Segel-Moss, the county's green building outreach coordinator.

Across the street from the county's government center in Courthouse, passerby Ray Stevenson says he thinks the labels are a bad idea. He says the information should be shared behind closed doors.

"Let it be done in another way," says Stevenson, who works in Courthouse. "I mean, are they really going to shame them into correcting this thing, or do you mandate them through legislation to do this thing?"

Frances Coles, who also works in the neighborhood, disagrees.

"I think it needs to be visible so people can see it, so people can know," says Coles. "If it's behind the scenes, how would I know? Like, right now, we don't know."

What is known is that buildings use about 75 percent of energy consumed in Arlington. That's why county leaders want to take action now, and end business-as-usual. The goal is to reduce energy use for each person by 80 percent.

"This is a transformative effort," says Joan Kelsch, the green building program manager. "So it's not going to happen overnight. We are not going to convince people to do it by tomorrow. But hopefully over the next 40 years, we'll convince people that this is really important, and that we are going to, as a community, do this together."

The labels have already been installed in offices and libraries, and county officials will add new labels for fire stations and community centers next month.

By: Michael Pope