Building Electrification Goes Global

Global Effort to Decarbonize Buildings Is Accelerating

Matt Flaherty, August 21. 2019 (Natural Resources Defense Council)

Momentum is growing in the global effort to eliminate carbon emissions in buildings, especially from fuel burned for space and water heating…[C]ountries like the Netherlands and Ireland, as well as municipal coalitions, are already leading with ambitious plans to achieve net-zero emissions buildings sectors—meaning all the energy running them comes from emissions-free renewable resources—by 2050 at the latest…[Buildings] often accounting for around 50 percent of a city’s greenhouse gas emissions...from burning fossil fuels on site primarily for space and water heating, and from generating electricity for lighting, air conditioning, appliances, or space and water heating…

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We can eliminate emissions by electrifying heating and hot water with super-high efficiency heat pump technology and ensuring our electricity increasingly comes from renewable resources...[T]o reach zero emissions in the most cost-effective and practical way, it’s crucial that we also lower energy demand...[through] weatherization, high-efficiency appliances, and LED light bulbs...It’s easier to avoid emissions in new buildings through such tools as energy codes that require more insulation or fully electric appliances. Building all-electric often costs less than connecting to gas and avoids the need for infrastructure that would likely become under-utilized or unused before the end of its life…Retrofitting existing buildings can be more difficult, but decarbonization is still achievable. The European Union (EU) estimates that 80 percent of its 2050 buildings are already built, highlighting the importance of retrofits…” click here for more

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