By Darryll Fortune, Johnson Controls

The old saw, “when it rains it pours” was never truer than it was last week in Washington, D.C., where Johnson Controls proudly co-sponsored the 20th edition of the Energy Efficiency Forum. The weather was fine – cloudy and cool – but there was an absolute downpour of news about energy efficiency, both at the Forum and elsewhere in the nation’s capitol.

We kicked off the event by inducting the first honorees into the Energy Efficiency Forum Hall of Fame –two dozen leaders who have made phenomenal contributions to energy efficiency policy over the past two decades from their positions in government, private industry, non-profit organizations and the news media. It was a real privilege to see so many deserving people get a little credit for their hard work and leadership.

The following day, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson keynoted the Forum, calling energy efficiency critical to our nation’s future. “We know that we will not reach that future with a business-as-usual approach,” said Jackson. “One of the best things we can do for our economy and our environment is to focus on energy efficiency.”

Under Secretary of Energy Kristina Johnson made her first public appearance at the Forum and said the Department of Energy believes energy use in buildings can ultimately be reduced by up to 70%, with renewable resources such as solar and wind power providing the balance of electricity needed. “It’s a very exciting time at DOE,” said Johnson. “It’s a very exciting time for the country.”

The National Press Club, where we hosted the Forum, wasn’t the only place in Washington where excitement about energy efficiency was being generated last week. On the same day she delivered her keynote address at the Forum, EPA Administrator Jackson appeared on Capitol Hill with the Secretaries of Transportation and Housing to announce a joint government initiative called the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

The Partnership will work to provide communities across the country with more safe, reliable and economical transportation options, while promoting affordable housing, protecting the environment and addressing climate change.

And speaking of climate change, on the same day the Forum was taking place, the U.S. Global Change Research Program – the organization that “coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications on society” – released a very significant new report.

Called “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States,” the report was two years in the making, its research and preparation spanning two presidential administrations. It is the combined effort of experts in 13 U.S. government science agencies and several major universities and research institutes. The report lists among its key findings:

• Global warming is undeniable and primarily caused by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases
• Heat waves will become more frequent and intense
• Increased heavy downpours will lead to more flooding
• Rising sea levels will threaten homes and coastal land will be increasingly lost
• Insect infestations and wildfires are already increasing and projected to continue doing so

The report is intended to help all Americans take steps to limit climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adopting strategies to either avoid or adapt to the harmful impacts of climate change.

The report does not favor one approach over another. It is apparent, however, that decreasing fossil fuel emissions by increasing energy efficiency is critical to addressing the clear and present danger that climate change presents.

With its theme of “Efficiency First: Transforming America’s Energy Future,” this year’s Forum – bringing together policymakers, business leaders, non-governmental organizations and others in our nation’s capitol – couldn’t have taken place at a better time or in a more appropriate location.

Efficiency Now. It’s never been more important.