It’s a widely accepted scientific fact that building operations and construction account for 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
On February 12, President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin will “formalize the recision of” the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a section of the Clean Air Act which states greenhouse gases are a threat to public health.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt recently said rescinding the Endangerment Finding amounts to the “largest deregulatory action in American history.”
“Removing restrictions on carbon emissions will only exacerbate climate-related disasters,” University of Michigan environmental engineering professor Ann Jeffers said in a statement, in response to the EPA’s decision. “If you think America has a wildfire problem now, just wait.”
.@PressSec: “[The recission of the 2009 Obama-era Endangerment Finding] will be the largest deregulatory action in American history and it will save the American people $1.3 TRILLION in crushing regulation.” https://t.co/KfoIWIyMa6 pic.twitter.com/p1SXD2AqDX
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) February 10, 2026
A lot of the EPA’s language to date about rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding has had to do with its impact on the automotive industry, however, the legislative action will surely impact the AEC industry. The AIA and individual architects have already weighed in.
On September 25, 2025, the AIA submitted formal comments to the EPA “in opposition to its proposed rule to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding and repeal all associated GHG vehicle standards,” AIA said in a statement. AIA called the EPA’s decision to rescind the Endangerment Finding “a direct assault on the economic progress and stability of the built environment.”
“The proposed rule is dangerously shortsighted, jeopardizing the substantial investments in sustainable design that have resulted in billions in operational savings, higher property values, and a more productive workforce. AIA’s comments highlight that high-performance, carbon-neutral design is both a viable and profitable business model, emphasizing the importance of predictable, science-based regulations for long-term economic planning,” AIA elaborated.
Arathi Gowda, a principal at ZGF, said on behalf of the AIA in testimony submitted to the EPA: “The EPA’s claim that the 2009 finding was based on ‘uncertainties in science’ is factually incorrect,” and that the “consensus from authoritative bodies is that climate change is already causing widespread adverse impacts.”
“By acting on this consensus,” Gowda continued, “the federal government provides market predictability that encourages investment in sustainable infrastructure, advanced technologies, and resilient building practices—all of which are essential for the future of our industry.”
The decision to rescind the Endangerment Finding is based on a report issued last summer by a “Climate Working Group” commissioned by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright, a Trump appointee. The 5-person working group is comprised of climate change deniers and their report has been “thoroughly discredited by the scientific community.”
The EPA under Zeldin’s tutelage first announced it was questioning the “the legality and continuing applicability” of the Endangerment Finding in July at a commercial truck dealership in Indiana. Zeldin said rolling back what he called the “green new scam” could save American tax payers $54 billion annually.
Zeldin has also announced plans to roll back the Energy Star program, and he canceled over 400 grants that would have funded climate research projects.
In December, the EPA terminated the national definition established in 2024 of what constitutes a net-zero building. This rescinding was signed off on by Audrey Robertson, a DOE employee hired by Trump who had previously worked for oil and gas companies; Robertson also has a board seat at Liberty Energy, a fracking services company that DOE Secretary Wright previously led.
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