8th DISTRICT

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​Jen Schultz

Democratic

U.S. House, Minnesota 8

1.         WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS THAT CONGRESS CAN HELP TO REDUCE THE ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION OF BUILDINGS TO HELP MAKE THEM MORE SUSTAINABLE?

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Congress can support legislation to provide incentives for developers to implement space utilization and optimization, promote strategies to maximize demand flexibility through smart, grid-integrated controls, equipment, and devices, and improve energy efficiency of on-site data centers. Congress can support the Federal Buildings Performance Standards and Climate Smart Buildings Initiative,  provide incentives for building electrification and replacement of fossil-fuel consuming equipment with technologies that use carbon pollution-free electricity and use of on-site generation of carbon pollution-free energy and storage.

2. WHICH SUSTAINABLE BUILDING POLICIES DO YOU SUPPORT AND WOULD WORK TO ENACT IF ELECTED?

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b. Provide rebates to homeowners who invest in energy efficiency improvements

c. Provide incentives to states and localities to adopt the most up-to-date energy building codes

d. Renew and expand tax incentives for energy efficient buildings

f. Provide support to states and localities to make buildings more resilient from natural hazards and disasters

h. Conduct research into the most promising technologies, products and materials that improve occupant health and reduce transmission of contagious disease while saving energy

i. Support programs or incentives to accelerate the electrification of buildings.

3.         IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO ENSURE THAT ALL AMERICANS, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?

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Integrate equity into planning, evaluation, and assessment of investment benefits for underserved communities through all Federal efforts taken to achieve the goal of reaching net-zero emissions buildings by 2045.

4.         IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO TRAIN AND PREPARE PEOPLE FOR CLEAN ENERGY JOBS THAT ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING COMPONENTS?

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I support training and preparing individuals for clean energy jobs. We need to be prepared for a future where clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels.

5.         ARE YOU WILLING TO WORK WITH THE BUILDING SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT TRANSFORMING BUILDINGS IS PART OF THE POLICY DEBATE IN CONGRESS, INCLUDING JOINING CAUCUSES THAT ADVOCATE FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILDING POLICIES? IF YES, HOW WILL YOU DO THAT?

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Yes. I am willing to meet with building sector representatives to learn about these initiatives and to be active in promoting legislation to assist our building sector, particularly since we have significant shortages of affordable housing.

6.         DO YOU HAVE ANY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES RELATED TO SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS (E.G., SUPPORTING LEGISLATION IN ELECTED OFFICE, MADE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS TO A HOME, OFFICE, COMMUNITY-WIDE, ETC.)?

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I served as a state legislator & Great Lakes Commissioner for 8 years. I am very interested in energy efficiency improvements as a way to reduce living costs for working families. As an economist, I support policies to improve our economy and strengthen working families