The Obamas have announced that they will seek LEED certification for the White House, which is a green building rating system that has been developed by the US Green Building Council.  This is presumably in an effort to prove that improving energy efficiency is a goal that can be attained, and to demonstrate that retrofitting even old (even a very old) building can be done without interrupting the home’s historic value.  As then-President-elect Obama said in an interview with Barbara Walters nearly a year ago, “Each of us have a role to play in not being wasteful when it comes to energy… Part of what I want to do is to show the American people it’s not that hard.”

We’ve written extensively about the controversy about the LEED label within the building science community.  Part of that controversy stems from the multiple routes to LEED certification, from using sustainably harvested wood, to installing waterless urinals, to seriously taking on energy consumption, which we would argue is the heart of the matter.

The big question here will be what LEED for the White House means.  Because of the incredibly unique security and historical aspects of the building, limits on what can be done will be very real.  It will probably not be a candidate for a deep energy retrofit that strips the building back to the studs, Abe Lincoln’s bed probably won’t be replaced with one made from bamboo, and presumably there are one or two electricity-consuming devices in the house running constantly.  So with all these obvious limitations - from national security to historical integrity - the question of how to green such a building becomes both poignant and potentially instructive.

So far, what we’re hearing from the Obamas is smart, and inherently practical.  The Obamas plan on installing more efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems, automatic light sensors , and low flow water fixtures.  While the windows, both historical and presumably bullet-proof, won’t be replaced (and probably don’t need to be, anyway), they will be retrofitted with insulating films.  What’s most interesting about all of these measures is that while effective, they don’t require a Presidential Budget.  What this project demonstrates is that, no matter how great the constraints, there are steps that anyone can take.

This is a far cry from President Carter’s cardigan. Technological advancements and increased knowledge of building science over the last 30 years have spurred a wholesale shift from “conservation” to “efficiency” - what that means for the President, and for Americans, is that energy can be saved without significant lifestyle changes: new low flow shower heads give as satisfying a shower as the old ones; new, high-quality energy efficient lighting is just as pleasant as old-style lighting; and we now know that we can save as much heating energy with air sealing and insulation as we can by turning the thermostat down. So it really isn’t that hard.  And suffering - or even wardrobe errors - need not be part of the effort.

The Obamas are making a great move, and we’re excited about it.  The gesture will demonstrate that even a building as historic as the White House can undergo a significant energy retrofit without losing any of its charm or historic significance.  We’ll look forward to seeing what steps, in addition to those already announced, they decide to take.  Right now, there’s one sure bet: after this process is complete, we’ll wind up with a healthier and more comfortable first family.  Everyone wins.

Peter Frost, The Energy Collective