In the US, as in other parts of the world, there is a race to decarbonize. One of the places that the country is looking to decarbonize over the next decade most aggressively is commercial buildings. This offers significant potential in carbon intensity reduction and, according to experts, has the potential to pay early dividends.
Experts estimate that upgrading to high-efficiency heating appliances alone could eliminate seven percent of US greenhouse gas emissions if approached correctly.
This is a sizable impact and one that can be attained sooner and with comparatively less effort than other pathways to carbon neutrality. The approach can be further expanded to other existing commercial buildings and installations, helping the US meet its decarbonization goal.
Embodied Carbon
When discussing decarbonizing infrastructure and buildings, it is worth highlighting two emissions categories. The first is referred to as embodied carbon. This means carbon from buildings, including emissions from construction materials, the construction process, and fittings within the structure.
Embodied carbon also covers emissions from the structure’s demolition and, consequently, debris disposal. All of which account for an estimated 12 percent of carbon emissions.
The second category is carbon emissions. It is primarily carbon that relates to the amount emitted when the building is operational. This operational carbon is responsible for between 28 and 30 percent of emissions.
Given that around 80% of the buildings we see now in the US will be around in 2050, the net-zero strategies that we use now and in upcoming buildings will make them more sustainable over decades. To understand the scale we are talking about, it’s important to note that commercial buildings rose by 40% with a 70% increase in floor space.