Guide to Reducing Carbon Emissions at Home: Comprehensive Steps Towards a Greener Life
In a concerted global effort to combat climate change, the focus on retrofitting buildings has emerged as a strategic pillar of the energy transition. This article explores the various levels of action involved in retrofitting, its benefits, and the initiatives undertaken by several nations.
Retrofitting is divided into three levels of action: conservation, structural interventions, and energy origin and management. The first level involves simple and low-cost measures such as changing light bulbs to energy-efficient LEDs and installing weatherstripping. The second level requires structural interventions like roof and wall insulation, heat pump installation, or double glazing. The third level focuses on energy origin and management, integrating renewable sources, shared climate networks, and intelligent management software.
Buildings account for a staggering 39% of global emissions, making retrofitting an indispensable condition for climate survival. Recognizing this, numerous countries have incorporated energy renovation into their national energy transition plans. For instance, Malaysia has included it in its National Energy Transition Roadmap (2023), while Beijing launched a support fund in 2023 to modernize public and private buildings.
Canada allocated 2,000 million dollars to a large-scale renovation plan in 2020, and the Italian Superbonus 110% allowed citizens to fully finance improvements to their homes, approving over 122,000 projects and creating 410,000 jobs. Singapore has also made strides with initiatives like the Tampines neighborhood's shared cooling system, which serves multiple buildings from a central plant, reducing 1,000 tons of CO2 annually and saving enough energy for 710 homes each year.
However, obstacles to retrofitting include high initial costs, lack of consistent policies, absence of qualified labor, and general lack of awareness of its advantages. Demolishing buildings emits an average of 4.67 kg of CO2e per square meter, making retrofitting a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective option in the long run.
Retrofitting offers numerous benefits beyond reducing emissions. It allows for energy savings and material reuse, contributing to a more sustainable future. Moreover, it has health benefits, including fewer pollution-related deaths, fewer deadly heatwaves, and fewer circulatory diseases.
The European Union is also taking significant steps towards retrofitting. The new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2024) requires member states to renovate their least efficient buildings by 2026. The German government has launched ambitious retrofitting plans as part of a 500 billion euro investment fund aimed at modernizing public infrastructure and achieving climate neutrality by 2045.
Countries like Colombia have drawn up their national roadmaps for carbon-neutral buildings, demonstrating a global commitment to this crucial undertaking. Retrofitting existing homes and buildings is not just a strategic pillar for climate survival; it's a global movement towards a more sustainable, efficient, and healthier future.
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