Tackling Climate Change At Home: Trends and Challenges in Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Buildings

A significant percentage of greenhouse gas emissions results from the need to heat and cool buildings and to provide power to household appliances. The potential for energy savings in this sector is considerable with estimates that energy use could be cut by almost a third simply by implementing currently cost-effective measures. The gains are particularly large in the former transition economies of eastern Europe, as energy costs there used to be subsidized and the inefficiencies inherent in central planning led to a poorly designed housing stock. In addition, in a number of these economies, even buildings currently being constructed are inadequately designed for energy efficiency. The benefits of increasing efficiency do not just translate into social objectives such as reducing carbon emissions but accrue directly to households by lowering their energy bills. Housing policy also has an indirect impact on emissions by affecting land-use decisions which can lead to deforestation and increased transport. Often there are major losses in just getting the energy from the power plants to the buildings.