Buildings and Cities

By 2030 buildings will account for an estimated 12.6 Gt of energy-related emissions. The good news is that some 70 per cent of the urban infrastructure that will be needed to accommodate a fast-growing world is yet to be built.

By mandating that the cities and homes of tomorrow be fit for a low-carbon age – and by updating existing infrastructure – the world can reduce emissions by 5.9 Gt.

Actions are required at every level: government, private sector and the public.

  • Retrofit public buildings
  • Promote the installation of heat pumps, solar cells and heat storage technology
  • Incentivize the installation of central cooling and heating and the use of energy efficient lighting and appliances
  • Set carbon-neutral building standards for new construction
  • Mainstream sustainable building within urban and rural planning
  • Incentivize mini-grid solutions, district heating and cooling and waste to energy systems
  • Plan cities for strategic density and mixed use of buildings and urban fabric, so that neighborhoods have the services they need at the local scale
  • Integrate grey, blue and green infrastructure to manage resources and runoff with minimal impact to the environment
  • Invest in physical and market infrastructure to better link rural and urban producers and consumers
  • Develop smart systems to integrate buildings, mobility and energy systems, including traffic management, distributed EV-charging and integrated planning processes
  • Assess and reduce your energy use and carbon footprint
  • Make long-term sustainability a core facet of your business and investment practices
  • Capitalize on government incentives designed to lower carbon emissions
  • Be a leader in sustainable and low-carbon practices
  • Educate your consumers and clients about sustainability
  • Urge your politicians to propose carbon-neutral building standards and retrofitting
  • Push for and support carbon-neutral building standards and retrofitting policies
  • Speak up at work to make carbon neutral buildings a collective issue
  • Advocate for carbon neutral buildings in your community
  • Talk to friends about the need for carbon neutral buildings and cities
  • Attend or arrange events or communities for carbon neutral buildings and cities
  • Understand a home’s energy efficiency before you buy or rent
  • Find out where your home loses energy and take steps to address it
  • Seal windows and doors, stop thermal bridges through insulation, install double-glazed doors and invest in heat pumps
  • Regulate temperature by adding verandas, green roofs, high-inertia walls and bio-based insulation made from renewable or recyclable materials
  • Use curtains and blinds to keep homes cooler and reduce the need for air conditioning
  • Switch to LED lighting and understand efficiency performance when buying new appliances, especially air conditioners.

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