Buildings are the largest energy consuming sector in the world, and account for over one-third of total final energy consumption and an equally important source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Achieving significant energy and emissions reduction in the buildings sector is a challenging but achievable policy goal.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Transition to Sustainable Buildings presents detailed scenarios and strategies to 2050, and demonstrates how to reach deep energy and emissions reduction through a combination of best available technologies and intelligent public policy.

This IEA study is a guide for decision makers, providing informative insights on: „

• cost-effective options, key technologies and opportunities in the buildings sector; „
• solutions for reducing electricity demand growth and flattening peak demand; „
• effective energy efficiency policies and lessons learned from different countries; „
• future trends and priorities for ASEAN, Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United States; „
• implementing a systems approach using innovative products in a cost effective manner; „
• pursuing whole-building (e.g. zero energy buildings) and advanced component policies to initiate a fundamental shift in the way energy is consumed.

Key near-term recommendations for the buildings sector include:

• Aggressive measures and policies to encourage renovation and energy efficiency improvements need to be implemented to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings.
• Moving to a secure and sustainable energy system will require the widespread deployment of existing, fully commercial technologies and the further development of a range of new technologies, which are currently at different stages of maturity.
• Achieving significant energy and CO2 emissions reduction is a challenging policy goal. Ensuring that all available options are tapped will require unprecedented effort and co-ordination among a diverse set of stakeholders, including policy makers, technology developers and household consumers, with often conflicting goals.

This publication is part of the Energy Technology Perspectives series and one of three end-use studies, together with industry and transport, which looks at the role of technologies and policies in transforming the way energy is used.

Read the full Transition to Sustainable Buildings report here.

Visit the IEA website for interactive tools and more extensive data coverage www.iea.org/etp/buildings