Net Zero Carbon: How Do We Get There?
The push to reduce carbon emissions is in full flight and will be critical in order to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. According to the World Green Building Council, real estate accounts for 39% of global greenhouse gas emissions, including 28% in operational emissions and 11% in building materials and construction.
While the decarbonization challenges for real estate are substantial, various cost-effective technology solutions have become available to assist in reducing emissions and energy usage while providing a significant benefit to local communities and jurisdictions.
According to the World Economic Forum, there are four vital trends driving net zero carbon buildings:
- Decarbonization
- Electrification
- Efficiency
- Digitalization
By understanding the impact and importance of these trends, and how they work together, buildings can begin to reduce their emissions and overall cost of building operations and infrastructure.
In addition to major macro trends driving new carbon emissions initiatives, it is crucial to understand the main drivers behind energy consumption at the asset level.
It is important for managers to adopt a hands-on approach when it comes to energy efficiency within their buildings. Employing a smart solution that provides for advanced sensing and controls, system integration, data analytics, and energy optimization is the key to staying ahead of the curve.
Energy Saving Methods:
- Basic automated building controls: 10-15% savings
- Demand-controlled ventilation: 5-10% savings
- Building system integration: 8-10% savings over basic HVAC and lighting control
- Real-time energy management systems: 2-3% savings
- Automated fault detection and diagnostics: 8-9% savings
Implementing some of these methods might seem like a cumbersome task without the correct systems in place. A simple, cost-effective, IoT-based solution can help capture these initiatives while providing a significant impact to savings and carbon emissions.
If you are interested in learning more about TBL’s solution, or real-time monitoring and control in general, TBL is here to help.
