Building green is way forward, concludes UNECE/FAO workshop

Worldwide, 40 to 50 per cent of all primary energy is used in buildings. Buildings also account for up to 40 per cent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. According to current trends, the impact of the building sector is unlikely to decrease, and could grow to 70 per cent by 2050. In addition to direct emissions, another 8 per cent of CO2 emissions are due to combustion of fossil fuels and biomass for heating and cooling. While unsustainable land-use patterns make urban areas even more carbon unfriendly, it is the building sector that holds the key to reducing emissions. The International Panel on Climate Change estimates that there is a potential to reduce approximately 29 per cent of the projected baseline emissions by 2020 in the residential and commercial sectors. This is the highest potential gain amongst all sectors.