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Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large Buildings

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Metro Vancouver is working closely with member municipalities, the Province, key partner organizations and building associations to identify an effective approach to reduce emissions from buildings in the region. If you want to receive updates on this work sign up here.

If you would like to connect directly with staff about the challenges and opportunities to reducing emissions from buildings, email climate2050@metrovancouver.org.

Overview

Metro Vancouver is exploring a variety of approaches to reduce emissions from large buildings. Buildings are the second-highest source of regional GHG emissions, contributing approximately 25% of the total GHG emissions in the region. Proven technologies are widely available to change the way we heat space and water in buildings and reduce or eliminate GHG emissions.

Metro Vancouver’s Climate 2050 Buildings Roadmap, developed with partners through the region, sets a goal for all homes and buildings to be zero emissions and resilient by 2050. In the interim, the target is to reduce GHG emissions from buildings by 35% below 2010 levels by 2030. Reducing emissions from large buildings will make a significant contribution to achieving this target.

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Buildings and climate changeBuildings and climate change<div class="ExternalClass551F2145478243FC8595F083CFF1F347"><p>Buildings in Metro Vancouver produce a significant share of the region’s total GHG emissions, second only to transportation. Buildings last a long time, and decisions made today are key to decreasing GHG emissions over the long-term. </p><ul><li>Building GHG emissions come primarily from burning natural gas, a fossil fuel, for space and water heating.</li><li>Buildings that use only electricity for space and water heating are very low carbon<br></li><li>Most existing buildings will eventually need retrofits to reduce their GHG emissions to low or zero emissions. </li><li>Buildings that burn natural gas are a major contributor of other health-harming air emissions. For example, buildings in the region contribute about 12% of total <a href="/services/air-quality-climate-action/documents/nitrogen-oxides-fact-sheet.pdf" target="_blank" title="nitrogen oxides (NOx) fact sheet">nitrogen oxides (NOx)</a> emissions, which are harmful to cardiac and respiratory health even at low concentrations.<br></li></ul></div>
Co-benefits of reducing building-related GHG emissionsCo-benefits of reducing building-related GHG emissions<div class="ExternalClass62F3F3B01A9F4D45871ABA1186209121"><p>Investments in energy-efficient, low-carbon building systems have several demonstrated benefits that are increasingly valued by occupants, tenants, and investors, include improvements to: </p><ul><li>local air quality</li><li>occupant comfort and safety, especially where low-carbon systems such as electric heat pumps (which provide both heating and cooling) are installed </li><li>occupant health, when improvements to ventilation systems are made in conjunction with emission reduction measures and energy efficiency improvements </li><li>the resilience of buildings to power outages and extreme weather events if, energy efficiency upgrades are paired with on-site renewable energy systems and energy storage</li></ul>​<span id="ms-rterangecursor-start"></span><span id="ms-rterangecursor-end"></span><br></div>

 Resources

 

 

Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings - Discussion Paper Summaryhttps://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/Documents/managing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-large-buldings-discussion-paper-summary.pdf, Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings - Discussion Paper SummaryManaging Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings - Discussion Paper Summary
July 19 2022 Webinar slides: Buildings Emissions Actionhttps://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/Documents/buildings-emissions-actions-webinar-slides-2022.pdf, July 19 2022 Webinar slides: Buildings Emissions ActionJuly 19 2022 Webinar slides: Buildings Emissions Action
Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings In Metro Vancouverhttps://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/Documents/managing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-large-buildings-discussion-paper.pdf, Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings In Metro VancouverManaging Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Large Buildings In Metro Vancouver
Introductory Video to Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large Buildingshttps://vimeo.com/723137248, Introductory Video to Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large BuildingsIntroductory Video to Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large Buildings

 Related links

 

 

Climate 2050 Buildings Roadmaphttps://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/climate-2050/regional-priorities/buildings, Climate 2050 Buildings RoadmapClimate 2050 Buildings Roadmap
Clean Air Planhttps://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/clean-air-plan, Clean Air PlanClean Air Plan
Climate 2050https://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/climate-2050, Climate 2050Climate 2050

Contact


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  • 604-432-6200​​​​

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