Built Environment
Introduction
The built environment encompasses everything that is human-made. Every day, we live, work, and play within the built environment, which includes buildings, infrastructure, parks and open spaces, and more. Most humans spend much of their time in buildings, whether it be at home, at work, or during their leisure time. Consequently, buildings hold a special significance in human experience and offer numerous advantages when improved, including greater comfort, positive health outcomes (i.e. better indoor air quality), increased building resiliency, and reduced operational expenses associated with heating and cooling systems.
In order to keep buildings comfortable and livable, they must use heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. Fossil fuel combustion is the predominant method employed by buildings to operate these systems (NREL 2023), resulting in the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Due to this, buildings contribute approximately one-third of global emissions, designating them as a critical sector that requires attention in efforts to mitigate GHG emissions (as outlined in the Carbon-Free Regions Handbook).
Local governments can influence building energy use by adopting energy efficient building and energy codes, promoting renewable energy, and promoting green building practices. By adopting newer, greener, and more energy efficient codes today, we can prevent the need for costly retrofits and policy updates in the future to reduce GHG emissions and meet regional climate goals.
Adopting more efficient building and energy codes can also have a positive impact on disadvantaged communities. Living in buildings with inefficient heating and cooling systems and minimal building weatherization can increase energy costs. In addition to higher energy costs, disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected by poor indoor and outdoor air quality, which can lead to poor health outcomes such as respiratory diseases. Providing equitable access to clean energy can ensure everyone experiences the environmental, health, and financial benefits of the region’s transition to cleaner energy.
In 2017, Albuquerque conducted an analysis of its citywide GHG emissions, in which it found that about 55% of the city’s emissions came from buildings (City of Albuquerque, 2020). More recently, the Albuquerque GHG emissions inventory determined that the building energy sector was responsible for approximately 43% of the total Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) GHG emissions. In 2023, this amounted to more than 4.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The vast majority of emissions came from building natural gas and electricity use. These results can be seen in Figures 1 and 2 below.
This graph displays the total greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors in 2023, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Transportation: Over 4 million metric tons.
Building Energy: 4,304,242 metric tons.
Industrial Processes and Product Use: Moderate contributor, shown below Building Energy and Transportation.
Waste and Wastewater: 593,835 metric tons.
Agriculture: Net reduction of -133,293 metric tons, indicating carbon sequestration.
This graph illustrates emissions from building energy use by specific energy sources, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Natural Gas: The largest contributor with 2,522,093 metric tons.
Electricity: Second largest at 1,751,482 metric tons.
Propane: 30,564 metric tons.
Wood: Minimal contribution of 103 metric tons.
Bright spots
The City of Albuquerque adopted a Climate Action Plan in 2021, which aims to reduce the City’s emissions and prepare the community for a changing climate through the implementation of 50 wide-ranging strategies.
Albuquerque is a home rule city, which means the City has the autonomy to adopt and implement even more progressive policies than the state.
New Mexico offers a variety of resources for energy efficiency upgrades of homes and businesses including tax credits, rebates, incentives, and technical assistance.
What you can do
Interested in helping out the community in reducing carbon pollution from buildings? Here are some ideas to get you started!
Avoid unnecessary energy use:
Turn off lights, electronics, and appliances when you are not home or not using them.
Avoid using lighting when it is light outside.
Turn thermostats down when no one is home.
Reduce energy use:
Upgrade to more efficient appliances and LED lighting.
Invest in smart technologies such as smart thermostats for space heating and cooling.
Seal air leaks around the house.
Invest in green building technology such as green roofs or solar panels.
Invest in heat pump technology.
Advocate for energy efficiency:
Advocate for stronger building and energy codes in your community.
Encourage your local government to adopt policies that incentivize energy efficiency upgrades.
Support programs and organizations that advocate for energy efficiency and provide resources, especially for low-income households.