资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

The buildings sector, which includes residential and commercial buildings, contributes about 12.5 percent of total US greenhouse gas emissions (Figure 1) through the direct use of fossil fuels for heating, cooling, and cooking. When electricity use in buildings is included (emissions from electricity generation typically are included in a separate category; see “Federal Climate Policy 103: The Power Sector”), energy consumption in buildings contributes over 30 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from buildings have been on the rise in recent years and reached a new high in 2019.

This explainer provides an overview of the tools available for policymakers to reduce emissions from buildings.