Increasing Energy Efficiency in Buildings Can Have Positive Climate and Health Impacts
September 11, 2023
Boston, MA—Increasing energy efficiency in buildings can save money—and it can also decrease the carbon emissions and air pollution that lead to climate change and health harms. But the climate and health benefits of reducing buildings’ energy consumption are rarely quantified.
Now, researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston University, and Oregon State University have developed a new method for calculating the health and climate impacts of these energy savings.
The new methodology, described in a September 8 paper in the journal Building and Environment, is part of a four-year project called “Co-benefits of the Built Environment” (CoBE). Initial work with CoBE focused on calculating country-level health and climate benefits of energy savings in buildings; the newly developed method can be used to assess those benefits on a regional, municipal, or individual-building scale.
The Importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal 13: Climate Action
- Goal 15: Life on Land
“The decisions we make regarding our buildings are directly impacting our climate and our health,” said Joseph Allen, associate professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard Chan School and senior author of the study. “CoBE is an important advancement for two reasons: It adds a health lens to what has largely just been a carbon conversation, and it allows us to peer into the future so we can optimize decision-making today regarding the impact of energy-efficiency measures in buildings.”
The new methodology—available for public use via a tool on the CoBE website—enables building owners, operators, and investors to easily make future projections, through the year 2050, about the climate and health co-benefits of their energy decisions. The CoBE website explains how the tool works and includes a blog, FAQs, case studies, and videos to help guide users.
To use the online tool, building owners or operators input key information about a particular building or set of buildings—such as location, size, energy sources, and energy consumption. The tool calculates the building’s energy and emissions footprints, as well as climate and health impacts in dollar values. Users can then use the tool to estimate co-benefits under different energy use scenarios.
Methodology and Data Sources
- The CoBE tool uses energy and emissions projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to project emissions reductions from energy savings.
- The Social Cost of Carbon, a tool developed by the U.S. government Interagency Working Group, is used to quantify climate impacts in monetary terms.
- CoBE estimates premature deaths caused by exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and their associated health costs to quantify health impacts.
“Health benefits often go unvalued in decisions around energy strategy, carbon offsets, and other carbon emissions reduction measures,” said co-author and CoBE project co-PI Jonathan Buonocore, assistant professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health. “The CoBE tool can put a monetary value on the health benefits of emissions reductions.”
To demonstrate the utility of the CoBE tool, the co-authors designed a case study modeling the effect of a hypothetical reduction in electricity use among buildings across the U.S. from 2018 to 2050. They found that a building’s geographic location would play an important role in determining the health and climate impacts from reductions in energy use. For example, for every dollar of electricity savings in 2018, one region in Wisconsin and Michigan would see $0.52-$0.70 in health and climate co-benefits due to the reduced use of energy supplied by fossil fuels. Overall, in the year 2050, for every dollar of electricity savings, there would be another $0.02-$0.81 of additional savings in health and climate co-benefits.
“The CoBE tool provides a user-friendly way for decision-makers and other stakeholders to assess their current performance and to quantify health and climate co-benefits of different energy conservation scenarios, to improve the health and well-being of people and our planet,” said lead author and CoBE project co-PI Parichehr Salimifard, assistant professor of architectural engineering in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University.
Harvard Chan School co-authors of the paper include Marissa Rainbolt, Mahala Lahvis, and Brian Sousa.
The study was supported by Login5 Foundation.
For more information:
Maya Brownstein
mbrownstein@hsph.harvard.edu
Top image: iStock/ArtShotPhoto
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people’s lives—not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America’s oldest professional training program in public health.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article discusses the importance of increasing energy efficiency in buildings to decrease carbon emissions, air pollution, and climate change. It also highlights the health benefits of reducing buildings’ energy consumption. These issues are directly connected to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
- SDG 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
- SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination
The targets identified in the article align with these SDGs. The focus is on improving energy efficiency in buildings to achieve global improvement rates, reduce environmental impacts in cities, integrate climate change measures into policies, and reduce deaths and illnesses caused by air pollution.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Energy savings in buildings
- Reduction in carbon emissions
- Reduction in air pollution, specifically fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5)
- Monetary valuation of climate impacts
- Monetary valuation of health impacts, including premature deaths and associated health costs
The article mentions several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include energy savings in buildings, reduction in carbon emissions, reduction in fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5), and monetary valuations of climate and health impacts.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency | – Energy savings in buildings – Reduction in carbon emissions |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management | – Reduction in air pollution, specifically fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) – Monetary valuation of health impacts |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | – Reduction in carbon emissions – Monetary valuation of climate impacts |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination | – Reduction in air pollution, specifically fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) – Monetary valuation of health impacts, including premature deaths and associated health costs |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: hsph.harvard.edu
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