Biden Administration Releases First National Blueprint For Building Decarbonization

Biden officials have released a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050.

The plan, released last week, marks the first national blueprint for decarbonizing the U.S. building sectors, which account for more than a third of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings is essential to reaching the Biden Administration's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a news release. Real estate is responsible for about 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the United Nations has said urgent action is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. 

The report details actions the federal government can take to reduce building emissions, but also calls for states, local governments and tribes to help with funding, reforming policy and setting new codes and standards, Smart Cities Dive reported. 

Reducing the building sector’s greenhouse gas emissions would save consumers more than $100B in annual energy costs and avoid $17B in annual health costs, the release states. The blueprint also seeks to fortify communities against power outages and climate change-fueled extreme weather events with solutions like insulation and air sealing to reduce overall energy demand.

“As part of a whole-of-government approach, DOE is outlining for the first time ever a comprehensive federal plan to reduce energy in our homes, schools, and workplaces—lowering utility bills and creating healthier communities while combating the climate crisis,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the news release.

Strategic objectives listed in the blueprint include:

• Reducing on-site energy use intensity in buildings 35% by 2035 and 50% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels
• Reducing on-site greenhouse gas emissions from buildings 25% by 2035 and 75% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels
• Reducing electrical infrastructure costs by tripling demand flexibility potential by 2050 compared to 2005 levels
• Reducing embodied emissions from building materials and construction 90% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels

The Department of Energy led the blueprint’s development, joined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies. 

The DOE expects 60B SF of commercial space to be constructed between now and 2050, Smart Cities Dive reported. This is in addition to the nearly 130 million buildings that already exist in the U.S. and the 40 million homes that will be built by 2050, the article states. 

The blueprint recommends stronger local codes, such as requirements for electric-ready buildings and standards that would shift builders toward using lower-carbon materials, according to the article.

Municipalities have previously faced challenges in trying to limit fossil fuel use for new buildings. In April 2023, a U.S. appeals court overturned Berkeley, California’s rule banning gas in new construction. 

“We’re going to see cities going for strengthened ordinances that focus on emissions and energy performance rather than fuel source directly,” Olivia Walker, equitable building decarbonization advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Smart Cities Dive.

“As gas appliances just can’t keep up with their electric counterparts in those respects, these policy paths alongside preferential funding opportunities for electric appliances will ultimately reach the same outcome.”