The potential of energy-efficient buildings

Energy conservation methods are critical to combating the threat of climate change, and energy-efficient buildings have enormous potential as a solution to climate change.

“To be in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, final energy consumption per square metre needs to decrease by 30 percent by 2030 globally,” explained Oliver Rapf, Executive Director of the Buildings Performance Institute Europe. “Energy efficiency could achieve this target.”

Energy-efficiency in buildings

Indeed, building an energy-efficient home is among the most efficient measures in terms of CO2 efficiency. In fact, retrofitting existing buildings in Europe with energy-efficient insulation could save 660 million tons of carbon dioxide, which is twice as much as France emits in a year¹.

Insulation acts as an effective energy storage system, it can reduce the demand for heating and cooling by offering better temperature maintenance in buildings. At the same time, this provides us with more comfortable living spaces as people thrive in more optimum indoor climates.

What’s more, as energy efficiency measures reduce overall demand for fossil fuels, renewable sources can account for a greater share in our overall consumption³. For example, increased energy efficiency in the United States could lead to an additional eight percent renewable energy share by 2030 on top of what is currently considered to be feasible. In India, this grows to 12 percent².

The positive economic impact in facilitating energy efficiency through building renovation is also quite remarkable. In EU heating and cooling can amount to 16% of EU consumers’ bills, renovation and insulating properly can save up to 70% of heating needs having a huge impact on peoples ability to live a decent life³.

As demand for energy continues to grow, we need to seriously consider energy efficiency when we discuss solutions to climate change. The huge difference that energy-efficient buildings can create in terms of climate action offers us the opportunity to make significant, positive contributions by renovating our homes.