With buildings responsible for 39 percent of CO2 emissions in the United States, 40 percent of energy consumption, 13 percent of water consumption and 15 percent of GDP, it’s no wonder building suppliers and appliance manufacturers are touting the energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint of their products.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, greater building efficiency can meet 85 percent of future energy demands. That’s partly why it supports legislation introduced in March that will “significantly speed economic recovery and move us closer to a clean energy future.”

“By unlocking the energy efficiency potential in retrofitting multi-family and commercial buildings, this legislation will help create thousands of jobs, save energy, and save people money,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & Founding Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. The introduction of Building Star is “advancing forward-thinking policy that will drive job creation and harness the engine of green, energy efficient buildings, which represent the most cost-effective and immediate opportunity to save energy and tackle climate change,” said Fedrizzi.

Two examples of such forward thinking in building services are Dyson’s patented, polycarbonate Airblade hand dryer, which produces 50 percent less CO2 emissions than its aluminum equivalent, earning it the Carbon Reduction Label from the Carbon Trust; and Excel’s Xlerator, which has been found to reduce the carbon footprint of hand drying by 50- 70 percent.

The Carbon Reduction Label recognizes Dyson’s commitment to the further reduction of its product’s carbon footprint — the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases produced from its materials and manufacture, transport, use and end of life.

The Label, established in 2007 is based on PAS2050, the first internationally accepted product carbon footprint standard. The Carbon Trust grants their Label to companies with a ‘reduce it or lose it’ clause, where if they fail to reduce the carbon footprint of the product in two years, the Carbon Trust will withdraw the certification.

“Good design and environmental responsibility go hand in hand,” said James Dyson, chief engineer. “As an engineering company, we are constantly reviewing our machines and manufacturing to deliver better performance using less energy and materials.”

The hand dryer eliminates the power hungry heating element, drying hands faster, more hygienically while using nearly 80 percent less energy than traditional, warm-air dryers.

“More so than ever, everything we make and do today has a carbon impact,” said Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust. “We commend Dyson for their commitment to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the Airblade hand dryer and hope our recognition helps people find opportunities to tackle climate change.”

The technology is available in two versions. For heavy traffic and extreme use in places such as airports and stadiums, and a lightweight yet durable compound, ideal for standard commercial use in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and all other public restrooms.

Self-Imposed Standards

While currently there is no Energy Star or Federal Energy Management Program designated categories for energy-efficient hand dryers, Bill Gagnon, director of marketing for Excel Dryer, Inc., says his company’s high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryer meets the federal government’s guidelines for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to restore and renovate federal facilities into high-performance, green buildings.

“In this case, the federal government gives preference to products that can demonstrate a 25 percent or more increase in energy efficiency. This means that XLERATOR dryers are ARRA compliant now — and project managers can start experiencing significant cost and energy savings this year.”

With a payback of less than one year, the high-efficiency, hand dryer represents a major cost savings, is an excellent source reduction alternative and helps qualify for multiple LEED credits in the new 2009 Rating System, particularly for LEED Existing Buildings (LEED-EB).

Under LEED-EB: Operations and Management, credits can be earned for energy optimization, waste reduction, green housekeeping, and more.

Unlike conventional hand dryers, which average 30 to 45 seconds of drying time, Excel’s hand dryer completely dries hands in 10 to15 seconds, and uses 80 percent less energy than conventional hand dryers.

Because of this efficiency and proven performance, it is the first hand dryer to be GreenSpec Listed. A complete Life Cycle Assessment study of it, peer-reviewed to internationally recognized ISO 14040 standards, confirmed that the high-speed dryer can reduce the carbon footprint of hand drying by 50-70 percent.

With machines installed in a variety of busy, high traffic government restrooms, including the U.S. Green Building Council’s headquarters in Washington, DC, several facilities in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and numerous federal prisons, Excel is the first hand dryer manufacturer to be awarded a Schedule Contract by the General Services Administration, offering reduced prices to federal and state government agencies.