Joint Research Centre assesses buildings’ emission reduction potential

Citation

(2009), "Joint Research Centre assesses buildings’ emission reduction potential", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 20 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/meq.2009.08320aaf.001

Joint Research Centre assesses buildings’ emission reduction potential

Article Type: Feature From: Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Volume 20, Issue 1

Environmental improvements in the EU’s residential buildings sector could reduce their overall greenhouse gas emissions by up to seven per cent, according to a new report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Up to 95 per cent of the projected cuts could be achieved at no cost or could even generate a profit, it says.

The report is a follow-up to the commission’s 2006 EIPRO study, which found that the food and drink, transport and housing sectors account for between 70 and 80 per cent of the total environmental impact of EU consumption. The study was launched as a key element of the EU’s Integrated Product Policy (IPP).

For all building types the use phase entails the highest environmental impact, due mainly to energy demand for heating, say the authors. Reducing unwanted ventilation and improving roof and façade insulation alone could reduce lifecycle emissions from buildings by at least 20 per cent, they conclude.

The biggest improvement potential is found in single-, two-family and terraced houses, followed by multi-family apartment buildings. When applied to the sector as a whole, the emission-cutting impact of the improvement measures assessed is equal to 360Mt of CO2 equivalent per year.

A similar assessment of the environmental improvement potential of passenger cars was published in March. It found that reducing vehicle weight was among the best options for cutting emissions in the use phase. A third analysis covering meat and dairy products was published earlier this month.