The Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) recently released a new report exploring pathways to decarbonisation in the buildings sector, which contributed a third of global greenhouse gas emissions (12.3 GtCO2) in 2022.
While the report, Achieving Zero-Carbon Buildings: Electric, Efficient and Flexible, is not a ‘one-size-fits-all solution for decarbonisation‘, given the disparities between different building types, countries and climates, it presents a number of solutions around electrification, energy efficiency, and sustainable construction practices.
Its three key priority areas include:
1. Electrification replacing fossil fuels
According to the report, heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, and the construction of residential and commercial buildings are responsible for significant carbon emissions – gas and oil heating alone accounts for 8% of global emissions, or 3 GtCO2.
Switching to more cost-effective technologies, such as heat pumps and electric hobs, is key, and must be accompanied by the continued decarbonisation of electricity generation. ‘By 2050, 80% of the energy used in buildings could be electricity; this would bring annual emissions from building use close to zero if electricity supply is decarbonised by then,’ the report notes.
2. Dramatically improving energy efficiency
The growing use of air conditioning units and the electrification of heating and cooking would result in electricity demand for buildings almost tripling, from 12,800 TWh to around 35,000 TWh by 2050.
However, this could be reduced to around 18,500 TWh as a result of improved technical efficiency of heat pumps, air conditioners, and other appliances; improvements to the energy efficiency of both new and existing buildings; the use of passive heating and cooling building design techniques; and smart building management systems.
‘These improvements, together with the deployment of building-level batteries and other energy storage, smart building control systems, and rooftop solar generation, are particularly important for reducing the growth of peak electricity demand, which is a crucial driver of electricity system costs,’ the report states.
3. Constructing efficient and low-carbon buildings
Global building floor area is expected to increase by 55% by 2050, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America. Construction of new buildings accounts for 7% of global emissions a year, or 2.5 GtCO2. If construction practices remain unchanged, this growth could result in 75 GtCO₂ of emissions by mid-century.
To reduce this impact, measures including decarbonising the production of steel and cement, optimising material use through lightweight design and modular construction, and increasing the use of lower-carbon materials such as timber could be employed, as well as better utilisation of existing buildings via extended building lifetimes and shared working spaces.
“Decarbonising the buildings sector is a story of many transitions,” commented Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transitions Commission. “It’s vital for our climate goals and it’s an opportunity to improve living standards and reduce energy costs.
“Electric heating and cooking technologies will significantly improve air quality and have lower running costs than gas heating and traditional use of biomass. Cooling is essential to quality of life, especially as global warming intensifies due to man-made emissions. It is possible to achieve zero-emissions, efficient, and flexible homes with low-carbon building design techniques and technology that runs on clean electricity.” Read more here.
