ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS
According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, "any successful climate protection strategy must consider residential and commercial buildings, which are responsible for almost 40 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions."
Building emissions include both direct emissions (primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels for space and water heating and for cooking) and indirect emissions (from electricity generation attributable to the residential and commercial sectors, including electricity for lighting, cooling, and appliances). Electricity consumption accounts for roughly three-fourths of total residential and commercial CO2 emissions.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that, in 2019, fossil fuels were the source of about 63 percent of the 4.12 trillion kWh of electricity generated at utility-scale power facilities. Another 20 percent was from nuclear energy and about 18 percent was from renewable energy sources. An additional 35 billion kWh of electricity generation was from small-scale solar photovoltaic systems.
Significant reductions in these emissions can be achieved, however, by improving the energy efficiency of buildings. The technologies needed to improve building efficiency are readily available and cost-effective. Improving building efficiency can help curb U.S. emissions immediately as we work longer term to expand the country's renewable energy resources and put the country on a path to a sustainable future.
Explore the following sections to learn more about ways to promote improved energy efficiency in buildings --
- The Case for Energy Efficient Buildings
- Barriers to Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings
- Public Policies to Promote Improved Energy Efficiency in Buildings
- What Your League Can Do to Promote Improved Building Efficiency
Last updated: 3/29/2020