Gina,
While I agree with your first few sentences, I disagree with your last statement-- "That will only change if the public demands it." (It might be one way--- but would probably take many years, with inequitable results, depending on quorums of persistent advocates in any locale.) We the public, have been demanding climate action for years, and many experts have been working for years on improving the energy codes, and still, although there recently has been breakthrough progress --hooray!-- implementation can't happen fast enough.
Why is it up to the "public" to take time out of their day jobs to demand that government officials take responsibility to perform their own jobs in an excellent manner, enforce the energy code, and be held accountable ?!
I'd like to suggest that executive leadership in our governmental bodies, such as Building Departments, who have the most power to control Municipal direction, policy, competency-professional development/training , and activities of their own internal staff, be the change in proper enforcement of the energy code, as many, many of us practitioners have wanted for many, many years.
Perhaps you can tell us what you, as Chief Sustainability Officer of the NYC Dept. of Buildings, is doing about this issue? If you are successful in this change model, please share it with all other Building Departments/ governmental leaders. There may also be other ways to achieve the change we want to see in the world. Feel free to share some practical strategies for others in your position. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Alice Sung, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, ISSP-SA
Principal, Greenbank Associates