scholarly journals Strategies for Practical Greenhouse Gas Reductions in the Existing Building Stock

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-145
Author(s):  
John Shiel
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Significant Contributor ◽  
Recent Project

The Stern Report found that Climate Change is the world's greatest market failure, and the United Nations concluded it is likely to be the most significant environmental challenge of our time. This paper aims to illustrate building Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and energy trends, and to provide practical strategies and best practice examples in international low- and high-rise building refurbishments to lower GHG emissions, energy use and operating costs, across building types and Australian Climate Zones. These can be adopted by policy-makers, owners, investors and occupiers. It also aims to provide examples of government policies and important stakeholder behaviour to reduce GHGs, and evaluates one recent project for strategies that proved successful and those that could be improved. The method used was to review international strategies that lower building GHG emissions in countries with more advanced building regulations than Australia, and to discover affordable and effective strategies from associations that publicise case studies. This paper shows that the operational phase of buildings is a significant contributor to global GHG emissions; that Passive building refurbishments are current best practice strategies; and that occupant behaviour is another surprisingly significant contributor to GHG emissions. The paper forms part of the author's higher research degree literature review.

scholarly journals A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector of major Canadian cities

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene A. Mohareb ◽  
Adrian K. Mohareb
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Residential Sector ◽  
Residential Building Stock

One of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada is the buildings sector, with over 30% of national energy end-use occurring in buildings. Energy use must be addressed to reduce emissions from the buildings sector, as nearly 70% of all Canada’s energy used in the residential sector comes from fossil sources. An analysis of GHG emissions from the existing residential building stock for the year 2010 has been conducted for six Canadian cities with different climates and development histories: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. Variation across these cities is seen in their 2010 GHG emissions, due to climate, characteristics of the building stock, and energy conversion technologies, with Halifax having the highest per capita emissions at 5.55 tCO2e/capita and Montreal having the lowest at 0.32 tCO2e/capita. The importance of the provincial electricity grid’s carbon intensity is emphasized, along with era of construction, occupancy, floor area, and climate. Approaches to achieving deep emissions reductions include innovative retrofit financing and city level residential energy conservation by-laws; each region should seek location-appropriate measures to reduce energy demand within its residential housing stock, as well as associated GHG emissions.

scholarly journals Review of Constructions and Materials Used in Swedish Residential Buildings during the Post-War Peak of Production

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Björn Berggren ◽  
Maria Wall
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Lightweight Concrete ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Technical Documentation ◽  
Clay Brick ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Existing Building

One of the greatest challenges for the world today is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. As buildings contribute to almost a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, reducing the energy use of the existing building stock is an important measure for climate change mitigation. In order to increase the renovation pace, there is a need for a comprehensive technical documentation that describes different types of buildings in the existing building stock. The purpose of this study is to analyse and describe existing residential buildings in Sweden. The data are based on published reports from 1967 to 1994 that have not been publicly available in a database for other researchers to study until now. Data from the reports have been transferred to a database and analysed to create a reference for buildings and/or a description of building typology in Sweden. This study found that there is a rather large homogeneity in the existing residential building stock. However, it is not possible to use a single reference building or building technique to cover the majority of the existing buildings. In Sweden, common constructions for exterior walls in multi-dwelling buildings which should be used for further studies are insulated wood infill walls with clay brick façades, lightweight concrete walls with rendered façades and concrete sandwich walls. The most common constructions for one- and two-dwelling buildings are insulated wooden walls with clay brick façades or wooden façades. Furthermore, roof constructions with insulated tie beam and roof constructions where the tie beam is a part of the interior floor slab are frequently used and should be included in further studies.

scholarly journals Further Opportunities to Reduce the Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Buildings

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hsu ◽  
Ting Meng ◽  
Albert Han ◽  
Daniel Suh
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
York City ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Data Set

Buildings and energy systems are shaped within many different kinds of departments and agencies throughout local governments. This article argues that further opportunities exist to reduce the energy use of buildings and their associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the existing powers and jurisdiction of local governments. We use the example of New York City, where buildings produced 73 percent of all GHG emissions in 2014. By analyzing a data set of almost four thousand large buildings, we identify new opportunities for planners and other professionals to reduce energy use and GHG emissions by focusing on different mechanisms and/or collaborations.

scholarly journals Greenhouse Gas Pollution Based on Energy use and its Mitigation Potential in the City of Surakarta, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Prabang Setyono ◽  
Widhi Himawan ◽  
Cynthia Permata Sari ◽  
Totok Gunawan ◽  
Sigit Heru Murti
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Vegetation Density ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
The City

Considered as a trigger of climate change, greenhouse gas (GHG) is a global environmental issue. The City of Surakarta in Indonesia consists mainly of urban areas with high intensities of anthropogenic fossil energy consumption and, potentially, GHG emission. It is topographically a basin area and most likely prompts a Thermal Inversion, creating a risk of accumulation and entrapment of air pollutants or GHGs at low altitudes. Vegetation has been reported to mitigate the rate of increase in emissions because it acts as a natural carbon sink. This study aimed to mitigate the GHG emissions from energy consumption in Surakarta and formulate recommendations for control. It commenced with calculating the emission factors based on the IPCC formula and determining the key categories using the Level Assessment approach. It also involved computing the vegetation density according to the NDVI values of the interpretation of Sentinel 2A imagery. The estimation results showed that in 2018, the emission loads from the energy consumption in Surakarta reached 1,217,385.05 (tons of CO2e). The key categories of these emissions were electricity consumption, transportation on highways, and the domestic sector, with transportation on highways being the top priority. These loads have exceeded the local carrying capacity because they create an imbalance between emission and natural GHG sequestration by vegetations.

scholarly journals CONSUMPTION-BASED AND EMBODIED CARBON IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR APEC’S LOW-CARBON MODEL TOWN PROJECT

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-82
Author(s):  
David A. Ness ◽  
Ke Xing
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Embodied Carbon

ABSTRACT In accordance with international protocols and directions, the APEC Energy Working Group has concentrated on constraining operational energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in cities across the Asia Pacific, especially from the widespread consumption of fossil fuels. In addition to economy level policies and recognising the different characteristics within the region, APEC has sought to take action at the town/city level via the Low-Carbon Model Town (LCMT) project, including the development of self-assessment tools and indicator systems. However, the “low carbon” landscape is changing. There is increasing recognition of embodied carbon, accompanied by the emergence of methods for its measurement, while the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group has recently highlighted the significance of consumption-based carbon. Similarly, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for Cities (GPC) is likely to extend its ambit from Scope 1 GHG emissions, derived from energy use within a city boundaries, and Scope 2 emissions from grid-supplied electricity, heating and / or cooling, to Scope 3 emissions derived from materials and goods produced outside the boundaries of a city but associated with construction within that city. After describing these emerging approaches and the current landscape, the paper examines the significance and implications of these changes for APEC approaches, especially in relation to the LCMT project, its indicators and the varying characteristics of towns and cities within the Asia-Pacific region. Special attention is given to the built environment, which is known to be a major contributor to operational and embodied emissions. Consistent with the theme of the Asia-Pacific Energy Sustainable Development Forum covering “sustainable development of energy and the city,” a case is put forward for the current APEC approach to be extended to encompass both embodied and consumption-based emissions.

scholarly journals Toward a Low-Carbon Transport Sector in Mexico

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge M. Islas-Samperio ◽  
Fabio Manzini ◽  
Genice K. Grande-Acosta
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Net Benefit ◽  
Ghg Mitigation

Considering that the world transport sector is the second largest contributor of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to energy use and the least decarbonized sector, it is highly recommended that all countries implement ambitious public policies to decarbonize this sector. In Mexico the transport sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions, in 2014 it contributed with 31.3% of net emissions. Two original scenarios for the Mexican transport sector, a no-policy baseline scenario (BLS) and a low carbon scenario (LCS) were constructed. In the LCS were applied 21 GHG mitigation measures, which far exceeds the proposals for reducing transport sector GHG emissions that Mexico submitted in its National Determined Contributions (NDC). As a result, the proposed LCS describes a sector transformation path characterized by structural changes in freight and passenger mobility, new motor technologies for mobility, introduction of biofuels, price signals, transportation practices and regulations, as well as urban planning strategies, which altogether achieve an accumulated reduction of 3166 MtCO2e in a 25 year period, producing a global net benefit of 240,772 MUSD and a GHG emissions’ reduction of 56% in 2035 in relation to the BLS.

scholarly journals The Electrification of Cooking Methods in Korea—Impact on Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunji Im ◽  
Yunsoung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Cooking Methods ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Housing Complex ◽  
The Impact

The electrification of cooking methods in Korea was investigated to understand the impact of different cooking methods on energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the building sector. Annual household cooking energy consumption was compared for the Nowon Energy Zero House Project, a zero-energy housing complex using induction cooktops, and a sample of households that used natural gas for cooking. The results showed that the former consumed less calories (a difference of 2.2 times) and emitted less GHGs (a difference of 2.6 times) compared to gas cooking households. A countrywide scenario analysis was conducted by combining the share of electric cooking households with the projected power generation mix in 2030. Under the 2030 Policy scenario for power generation, and with an electricity cooking share of 20%, cooking-related GHG emissions were projected to be 3.79 million t CO2/year; 3.8% (150,000 t CO2/year) lower than those in the present day, despite a total population increase. The electrification of cooking methods in Korea has the potential to reduce both the energy demand of the building sector and GHG emissions, in synergy with the decarbonization of the power generation sector.

scholarly journals Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture, with Particular Emphasis on Emissions from Energy Used

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3784
Author(s):  
Piotr Gołasa ◽  
Marcin Wysokiński ◽  
Wioletta Bieńkowska-Gołasa ◽  
Piotr Gradziuk ◽  
Magdalena Golonko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Emission Volume

The relationship between agriculture and climate change is two-sided. Agriculture is the branch of the economy most affected by the ongoing processes. It is also a large emitter of greenhouse gases and there are more and more voices about the need to reduce emissions. The purpose of the study was, based on FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) data, to determine the structure of greenhouse gas emissions in farms and to identify types of farms where it is possible to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions through better energy use. The emission volume was determined on the basis of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) methodology modified for the FADN data. The emissions related to the production of energy were found to be of minor importance compared to other emission sources. Only in the horticultural crop type is the emission from the Energy section the dominant stream of GHG emission. The greatest emissions come from livestock production. Therefore, the emphasis on reducing emissions should not be placed on the Energy sector because, except for the type of horticultural farm, there is not much potential for reduction. The introduction of taxes for GHG emissions at the level of 27.31 EUR/t would reduce farm income from 21% for the type of field crops to 40% for the type of herbivorous animals. The exception is low-emission permanent crops, where the decrease in income would be only 3.85%.

scholarly journals Modelling the Impacts of Climate Change on Building Heating and Cooling Energy Use in Toronto

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pouriya Jafarpur
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Dynamical Downscaling ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
Average Decrease ◽  
The Future

The study describes the results of climate change impact assessment on building energy use in Toronto, Canada. Accordingly, three future weather data sets are generated and applied to the energy simulation of 16 building prototypes. Both statistical and dynamical downscaling techniques are used to generate the future weather files. The results indicate an average decrease for the future in the range of 18-33% in heating EUI, and an average increase of 16-126% in cooling EUI, depending on the baseline climate and building type. In addition, the GHG emissions for each building model are presented. It is concluded that the application of future weather files for building performance simulation leads to a better quantification of building energy demand in the future than a historical weather file. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the need to modify and adapt existing building modelling regulations and to plan future building according to the future climate.

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