Buildings: consumption, tools, challenges

JC  Martel    School  of  Public  Affairs  

University  of  Colorado  Denver      

May  8,  2014  

WHY AND HOW SUSTAINABLY DEVELOPING AND RETROFITTING

BUILDINGS IS CRITICAL TO REDUCE OVERALL ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Agenda

•  Why •  How •  Challenges

40% of global energy is used in buildings

Barker, et. al. 2007. Technical Summary. In: Climate Change 2007: Mitigation. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York City, New York, USA. Page 53.

Carbon dioxide from buildings (GtCO2)

Policy tools are used to encourage energy reduction in buildings.

U.S. goal is 30-50% less energy consumption in new buildings above 2006 levels.

China has strong codes for large buildings only; ~50% new bldg in world.

Sweden has the most stringent energy efficiency requirements in the world.

Japan has very good labeling program but does not inspect for efficiency.

India has voluntary code for large buildings only since 2007.

#1 USA #2 Canada #3 India #4 China

Voluntary programs prove technical feasibility and prepare market for regulation.

Diffusion of Innovation

Note: this is just my observation

Sustainably developing and retrofitting buildings is critical to reduce overall

energy consumption.

But we face many challenges.

Unprecedented growth

Disasters and climate change

Market and technical challenges

due to the amount of energy that buildings consume and we reduce energy using regulation and voluntary programs against challenges of rapid urban development, disasters and climate change, and market and technical challenges.

Sustainably developing and retrofitting buildings is critical to reduce overall

energy consumption

Thank You

JC Martel - jc.martel@ucdenver.edu

References

•  New Buildings Institute (2012). Getting to Zero 2012 Status Update: A First Look at the Costs and Features of Zero Energy Commercial Buildings.

•  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (2009). Shaping the Energy Efficiency in New Buildings: A Comparison of Building Energy Codes in the Asia-Pacific Region.