Buildings and Cities: Difference between revisions

Buildings offer some of the lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to reducing GHG emissions. While the energy consumed in buildings is responsible for a quarter of global energy-related emissions,<ref>IPCC. ''Global warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty'' [V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, H. O. Portner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, Y. Chen, S. Connors, ¨ M. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, J. B. R. Matthews, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Pean, R. Pidcock, N. Reay, M. Tignor, T. ´ Waterfield, X. Zhou (eds.)]. 2018.</ref> a combination of easy-to-implement fixes and state-of-the-art strategies could reduce emissions for existing buildings by up to 90%.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Urge-Vorsatz|first=Diana|last2=Petrichenko|first2=Ksenia|last3=Staniec|first3=Maja|last4=Eom|first4=Jiyong|date=2013-06|title=Energy use in buildings in a long-term perspective|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.05.004|journal=Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability|volume=5|issue=2|pages=141–151|doi=10.1016/j.cosust.2013.05.004|issn=1877-3435}}</ref> It is possible today for buildings to consume almost no energy.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Olsthoorn|first=Mark|last2=Schleich|first2=Joachim|last3=Faure|first3=Corinne|date=2019-06|title=Exploring the diffusion of low-energy houses: An empirical study in the European Union|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.043|journal=Energy Policy|volume=129|pages=1382–1393|doi=10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.043|issn=0301-4215}}</ref> Many of these energy efficiency measures actually result in overall cost savings<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Stephenson|first=Janet|last2=Barton|first2=Barry|last3=Carrington|first3=Gerry|last4=Gnoth|first4=Daniel|last5=Lawson|first5=Rob|last6=Thorsnes|first6=Paul|date=2010-10|title=Energy cultures: A framework for understanding energy behaviours|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.05.069|journal=Energy Policy|volume=38|issue=10|pages=6120–6129|doi=10.1016/j.enpol.2010.05.069|issn=0301-4215}}</ref> and simultaneously yield other benefits, such as cleaner air for occupants. This potential can be achieved while maintaining the services that buildings provide – and even while extending them to more people, as climate change will necessitate. For example, with the changing climate, more people will need access to air conditioning in regions where deadly heat waves will become common.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mora|first=Camilo|last2=Counsell|first2=Chelsie W.W.|last3=Bielecki|first3=Coral R.|last4=Louis|first4=Leo V|date=2017-11|title=Twenty-Seven Ways a Heat Wave Can Kill You:|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/circoutcomes.117.004233|journal=Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes|volume=10|issue=11|doi=10.1161/circoutcomes.117.004233|issn=1941-7713}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mora|first=Camilo|last2=Dousset|first2=Bénédicte|last3=Caldwell|first3=Iain R.|last4=Powell|first4=Farrah E.|last5=Geronimo|first5=Rollan C.|last6=Bielecki|first6=Coral R.|last7=Counsell|first7=Chelsie W. W.|last8=Dietrich|first8=Bonnie S.|last9=Johnston|first9=Emily T.|last10=Louis|first10=Leo V.|last11=Lucas|first11=Matthew P.|date=2017-06-19|title=Global risk of deadly heat|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3322|journal=Nature Climate Change|volume=7|issue=7|pages=501–506|doi=10.1038/nclimate3322|issn=1758-678X}}</ref>

 

Two major challenges are heterogeneity and inertia. Buildings vary according to age, construction, usage, and ownership, so optimal strategies vary widely depending on the context. For instance, buildings with access to cheap, low-carbon electricity may have less need for expensive features such as intelligent light bulbs. Buildings also have very long lifespans; thus, it is necessary both to create new, energy-efficient buildings, and to retrofit old buildings to be as efficient as possible.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Creutzig|first=Felix|last2=Agoston|first2=Peter|last3=Minx|first3=Jan C.|last4=Canadell|first4=Josep G.|last5=Andrew|first5=Robbie M.|last6=Quéré|first6=Corinne Le|last7=Peters|first7=Glen P.|last8=Sharifi|first8=Ayyoob|last9=Yamagata|first9=Yoshiki|last10=Dhakal|first10=Shobhakar|date=2016-11-24|title=Urban infrastructure choices structure climate solutions|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3169|journal=Nature Climate Change|volume=6|issue=12|pages=1054–1056|doi=10.1038/nclimate3169|issn=1758-678X}}</ref> Urban planning and public policy can play a major role in reducing emissions by providing infrastructure, financial incentives, or energy standards for buildings.

 

== Readings ==