U.S. homes and commercial buildings consume roughly two-fifths of the country’s overall energy and three-fourths of all electricity, and account for most of the peak electricity demand that drives generation and power grid infrastructure costs. Each of these statistics points to different solutions for reducing buildings’ carbon footprint.
Shifting heating from fossil fuels to electricity can cut direct emissions. More efficient building design, materials and appliances can cut electricity consumption. And managing electricity use to match grid needs can help utilities control the costliest part of decarbonizing their systems — reducing reliance on dispatchable fossil-fueled power.
