Further Opportunities to Reduce the Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Buildings

Buildings and energy systems are shaped within many different kinds of departments and agencies throughout local governments. This article argues that further opportunities exist to reduce the energy use of buildings and their associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the existing powers and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hsu, David, Meng, Ting, Han, Albert, Suh, Daniel
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 2020
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/124152
Description
Summary:Buildings and energy systems are shaped within many different kinds of departments and agencies throughout local governments. This article argues that further opportunities exist to reduce the energy use of buildings and their associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the existing powers and jurisdiction of local governments. We use the example of New York City, where buildings produced 73 percent of all GHG emissions in 2014. By analyzing a data set of almost four thousand large buildings, we identify new opportunities for planners and other professionals to reduce energy use and GHG emissions by focusing on different mechanisms and/or collaborations. Keywords buildings; energy; microclimate; urban form; relative importance; built environment