Across the United States, state and local governments are implementing policies to curb carbon emissions in their communities. Twenty-four states have adopted climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Energy Solutions Center.
To achieve these goals, the state needs to focus on buildings. one third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions Two thirds In some urban areas, local emissions laws have emerged as powerful tools to drive innovation and provide an important framework for guiding cities, states, and countries toward decarbonization.
New sustainability standards
Many states and cities have enacted Building Performance Standards (BPS) to ensure new and existing buildings meet emissions limits. Each city’s regulatory landscape is different, with some, like Boston and New York, having ambitious goals and others having no regulations at all.
Boston Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance BERDO (BOSTON Energy and Water Resources Act), a citywide law, aims to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from buildings over 20,000 sq. ft. Building owners must report annual energy and water consumption and comply with increasingly strict emissions standards starting in 2025. All Boston buildings are expected to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
New York City Local Law 97 It sets ambitious carbon emissions reduction benchmarks of 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050 for buildings over 25,000 square feet.
The regulations, urgency and fines for violations vary, and include emissions caps and net-zero targets. Thirteen U.S. cities have BPSThat number will grow to 40 cities by 2026. Whether your city has enacted and enforced emissions reduction policies or not, there’s a good chance that similar policies will apply to your city.
Impact of local emissions regulations
Regulations such as BERDO and LL97 impose accountability on carbon emissions and pressure building owners to reduce consumption. Compliant with regulations will require many building owners to rethink their operational strategies, which is no easy task, especially in regions where emissions laws are soon to come into force.
While meeting compliance may seem like a daunting task, it is important for building owners to know they can achieve the emissions cap without compromising profitability or productivity – both of which will improve over time with decarbonization practices.
By applying available technologies, building owners can reduce their operational carbon footprint by up to 42%This ensures smooth operations and a payback period of less than three years. But to achieve this return on investment in your new energy strategy, it’s important to work with a specialized partner to identify and integrate existing technologies and add digital methods.
Typical building waste 30% An expert partner can help owners better understand and adjust energy consumption. Digitalization enables building owners and managers to pinpoint energy losses and quickly correct problems, saving money, improving energy efficiency, and making progress toward meeting local emissions limits.
Collaboration between industry experts and building owners shows that local emissions regulations can drive innovation and encourage stakeholders to look for ways to minimise their carbon footprint.
Decarbonization through digitalization
Compliance with these regulations allows building owners to explore new frontiers of high-tech solutions and sustainable operational practices. Updating facilities to reduce carbon emissions will spur innovation and encourage developers and stakeholders to use technology more efficiently.
Many new buildings are being designed with emissions caps and sustainability in mind. Boston University Recently, the company partnered with Schneider Electric to develop a 345,000-square-foot carbon-neutral building with 31 geothermal wells for heating and cooling, using electricity provided by a wind farm in South Dakota. Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Building As a smart management solution, the platform connects hardware, software and services to monitor and control energy usage across a facility.
One of the biggest savings opportunities comes from the existing building stock. 50% will still be in use in 2050In most cases, renovations Carbon intensive On a lifecycle emissions basis, retrofits are cheaper than new builds due to their lower carbon content. Successful retrofits require a technology-driven approach, leveraging modern digital and power management solutions that are both effective and economical.
Schneider Electric recommends a three-phase retrofit Roadmap We help building owners achieve their energy saving goals: strategize, digitize and decarbonize. Schneider’s practical service offerings and technology solutions help organizations implement this roadmap and leverage valuable new insights into energy consumption to transform buildings into energy-efficient spaces.
Reimagining the Buildings of the Future
Today’s regulatory environment makes energy efficiency no longer an option, but an essential part of a building’s operational strategy. Building owners who embrace this approach can gain a strategic competitive advantage by incorporating improved building performance, user satisfaction and long-term sustainability into their business strategy.
Local emissions laws are not just a community-level initiative: they also contribute to the global movement towards decarbonisation and the adoption of innovative energy management, setting new standards in sustainability.
As building codes evolve, industry will establish decarbonization practices as the new standard, leading to more sustainable buildings in terms of cost, lifespan and carbon footprint.
Learn more about how you can partner with Schneider Electric to reduce your building’s energy usage.
