Buildings
Buildings and their construction together account for 35 percent of global energy use and 38 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the United Nations Environment Program. In the United States, residential and commercial buildings accounted for 40 percent of energy consumption in 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, the most populous of the United States, the California Air Resources Board identifies the building sector as the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the state, surpassed only by transportation.
The Building sector offers great potential to reduce GHG emissions. Recognizing the GHG emissions associated with buildings, building efficiency standards and standardized building codes have been developed to reduce energy use and associated emissions. Locally mandated “stretch” or “reach” codes require even greater levels of energy efficiency than the state building code. Other local building codes place limits on the embodied energy of building materials. Together, these local codes reduce both energy use and GHG emissions from the design, construction and operation of buildings.
A number of states, including California, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Vermont, and Rhode Island allow local stretch or reach codes to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce building related GHG emissions.
Description: The California Energy Commission (CEC) has established a process which allows local adoption of energy efficiency standards that are more stringent than the statewide requirements. These more stringent standards, …
California reach codes Read More »
Description: In San Francisco, CA, 44% of citywide emissions come from buildings (2.2 million metric tonnes CO2e in 2017), and half of those emissions come from the commercial sector. Within …
Commercial building electrification Read More »
Description: San Francisco, CA passed legislation in October 2019 requiring roughly 300 existing large public parking structures and lots to provide electric vehicle (EV) charging. Parking lots with more than …
Require EV charging Read More »
Description: Of all building materials, Portland cement – one of the primary components of concrete – has a particularly intense impact on the climate. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from cement …
Reduce embodied CO2 emissions Read More »