We lead off this week in buildings, land and industry decarbonization news with a report from TheWashington Post on how the home builder lobby is organizing against energy efficient building codes, a campaign that could lock in practices that lead to more emissions for decades. Builders argue that while efficient homes can be cheaper over their lifetime, the higher upfront costs can drive away consumer interest.  

The New York Times has a guest essay on the tension between humanity’s desire for gadgets and the need to address climate change. LED lights, for example, are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but that has encouraged many to just use more and more of them. This paradox was first documented by 19th-century English economist William Stanley Jevons, who noticed demand for coal climbing as steam engines became more efficient. 

Another opinion piece in Maryland Matters by the head of the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative argues that the state must  update its energy efficiency programs to focus more on electrification and helping low-income consumers who spend a much higher share of their total funds on energy. 

 TheCornell Daily Sun provides a status report on decarbonization efforts in Ithaca, N.Y,, where 10 places of worship, cultural organizations and businesses are being electrified at a cost of $1.9 million. Although $1.4 million of the spending was subsidized, community activists worry that state and federal incentives will run out, forcing costs onto renters.  

See details on all that and more in this week’s Intelligence Report: