Can We Build Zero Emission Buildings?
Variable refrigerant flow heat pumps of an all-electric HVAC system
Story at a glance:
- By the end of 2019 11 states and 160 cities had official goals to get 100% of their electricity from clean sources by 2050.
- Current typical HVAC systems can be replaced with alternative systems that use heat pumps for heating instead of gas.
- An Exelixis building in California shows the decarbonization potential.
What is building decarbonization?
Buildings in the US account for 40% of carbon emissions. And 80% of that is from electricity use; the remainder is from the combustion of fossil fuels for heating and other uses at the building.
As many states, utilities, and large corporations are moving to get electricity from clean, carbon neutral sources, it’s clear that electricity is becoming the carbon-free choice of energy for many in the US.
Buildings that use natural gas and other fossil fuels for heating will be stuck producing carbon emissions, as electricity becomes increasingly carbon-free. Natural gas can now be replaced with electric systems that provide equivalent or better service. An all-electric building coupled with a renewable or carbon-free source of electricity is considered to be a decarbonized building.
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