Following the commitments of governments, corporations, and institutions, billions in funding have been allocated to build a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. In the U.S., the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) alone includes an estimated $369 billion in energy and climate provisions. These commitments represent an enormous challenge and opportunity to target critical barriers to meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions, which means we must not overlook our existing buildings.
While many sectors of the U.S. economy are reducing emissions, the buildings sector is a major exception, largely due to aging existing buildings. Homes and buildings account for 40% of U.S. energy consumption and at least 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions–more than any other sector of the economy.
