A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy finds that “energy-related building emissions are declining even as the stock of homes and commercial buildings is slated to increase.” The Energy Department attributes this good news, in significant part, to increased building envelope efficiency.
An efficient building envelope allows homes, offices, and other buildings to more easily retain heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. The Energy Department found that this increased efficiency, alongside equipment electrification, is offsetting emissions growth that we’d normally expect with more buildings. The report also found that the decline in emissions is expected to continue in the coming years, as more and more buildings are retrofitted with energy efficiency measures.
Compounding the good news is that homeowners and businesses can access tax incentives available for those energy efficiency retrofits and upgrades. There are a number of modern building materials that can help improve the building envelope, like spray polyurethane foam insulation. By making these upgrades, we can continue to reduce energy-related building emissions, help consumers lower their energy costs, and protect the environment for future generations.