The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) is committed to providing the mechanical contracting and service industries with the latest and most useful information on the opportunities and issues confronting us. Green and sustainable building represents both opportunity and challenge. MCERF's fresh, new green look signifies our active inclusion of green and sustainable building in all our education and research activities going forward.

Buildings are an often overlooked solution to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in our country and in our world. The building sector is the single largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, accounting for 39% of such emissions in the U.S.

According to Peter Templeton, Vice President of Education & Research for the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), "Building green is a highly effective strategy for meeting the challenges ahead of us. The technology to make substantial reductions in energy use and CO2 emissions in buildings already exists, which means that modest investments in energy-saving and other climate-friendly technologies can yield buildings and communities that are significantly more environmentally responsible, more profitable, and healthier places to live and work."

Green buildings, such as those certified by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, use 20-50% energy and reduce CO2 emissions by 40% as compared to conventional buildings. Green buildings also conserve water, improve human health, increase productivity, and cost less to maintain and operate, making them a highly cost-effective way to immediately make dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.