List of Interesting Facts about Energy Efficiency & Sustainability in Buildings

The building sector accounts for nearly 40% of global final energy consumption directly or indirectly. Hence there will be a considerable impact created by buildings on energy demand and climate change. Sometimes knowing a few facts about the same may trigger some action in some or other ways to reduce the impact created. Here is a list of few interesting facts about building energy efficiency & Sustainability

• CO2 emissions from buildings rose to an all-time high of 9.6 Gt in 2018
• The building sector is responsible for around 28% of global energy-related emissions
• From 2010 -2018, increase in energy use escalated around 8.5% whereas a decrease in the use of fossil fuels is only 2% 
• Although the largest energy efficiency expenditures are still in buildings, growth in incremental energy efficiency investments decreased by 3% in 2018
• In 2018 alone nearly 3 billion sq mtr was built without following mandatory building codes
• Between 1990 and 2018 energy consumption due to cooling in buildings has tripled almost
• In the faster transition scenario, it is estimated that deep energy renovations are capable of reducing sectors energy demand by almost 30% by 2050, despite doubling in floor area
• The share of electricity in energy use in buildings jumps from 33% in 2017 to nearly 55% in 2050
• Windows alone are responsible for nearly 5 - 10% of total energy consumed in buildings
• New electrical energy demand for buildings is due to 1.6 billion Air conditioner units are in operation around the world in buildings 
• Delayed measures in building envelope by ten years would increase expenditures by USD 2500 billion to 2050, which is more than 2.5 times operational expenditures for heating and cooling in 2017

*Data Sourced from IEA