Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canada?s built environment is necessary to the reduction of Canada?s carbon footprint. This can be done by using less energy for heating, using energy more efficiently, and switching to electricity for heat sources where possible. Not only will these changes protect the climate, they may help Canadians save money in the long-term and improve the comfort of the spaces in which they live and work.
Canada?s built environment is a major contributor to emissions, which must be addressed. Photo by formulaone via Flickr Commons.
Residential, commercial and industrial buildings account for 17% of Canada?s GHG emissions, when the emissions associated with electricity used in buildings are included. Burning fossil fuels for space heating accounts for the largest share of these emissions. Policy measures identified by federal, provincial and territorial governments could reduce 2030 emissions by nearly 20% below 2015 levels. The Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has released a report entitled Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Canada?s Built Environment, which examines the impact of the transition to a low-carbon economy on Canada?s buildings.
Our homes and buildings deeply influence how we live; they reflect who we are, individually and collectively, and represent not only our inheritance from the past but also our legacy for the future. The choices that we make today about construction materials and he...