Buildings are among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases. Figures released by the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises the government on climate policies, show they contributed 17% of UK emissions in 2019, third only to energy generation and transport.
Background. Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings were 87 Mt CO2e in 2019, accountingfor 17% of UK GHG emissions. These emissions are mainly the result of burning fossil fuels for heating. Emissions from electricity use –known as indirect emissions –are caused primarily by the use of lighting and appliances, and are also covered in our assessment of the electricity sector.*Buildings emissions are primarily CO2, with 1.4 Mt of methane and 0.8 Mt CO2e of emissions from fuel combustion processes and nitrous oxide in hospitals.
The cheapest energy is the energy we don’t consume,
We know that on average retrofit could cut household energy demand by about a quarter. A 25% reduction on a £3,000 bill is a chunky saving.