Young Kwak photo
McKinstry hopes the Catalyst Building it built near Spokane's University District in partnership with Avista Development will serve as proof that cutting-edge clean building techniques and technology don't have to come at a premium price.
E
ven before President Joe Biden announced his historic $2 trillion "American Jobs Plan" on March 31, which includes massive infrastructure investments, it was clear that his proposed solutions would include a focus on cleaner buildings.
The built environment — think office buildings, schools, hospitals, homes and businesses — is one of the largest sources of carbon emissions, largely in the form of energy wasted by inefficient appliances, insulation, lighting and more. Between those inefficiencies and the actual construction and building materials (concrete, for example, is very carbon intensive), buildings represent close to 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.