In a groundbreaking revelation, Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management and automation, has unveiled research showcasing the potential to reduce carbon emissions in office buildings by a staggering 70% through the implementation of digital and electric solutions. The findings underscore the critical role of technology upgrades in achieving energy efficiency and decarbonization in office spaces.
Buildings currently account for approximately 37% of global carbon emissions, making it imperative to significantly reduce operational carbon emissions. Given that nearly half of today’s buildings are expected to remain in use by 2050, the research emphasizes the urgency of enhancing energy efficiency within the sector.
Schneider Electric’s research demonstrates that deploying their digital building and power management solutions in existing office buildings could lead to a remarkable reduction of up to 42% in operational carbon emissions, with a payback period of less than three years. This reduction can be further enhanced by replacing fossil fuel-powered heating systems with electric alternatives and integrating microgrids with local renewable energy sources. All-electric, all-digital buildings could potentially achieve an additional 28% reduction in operational carbon emissions, resulting in a remarkable total reduction of up to 70%.
Mike Kazmierczak, Vice President of the Digital Energy Decarbonization Office at Schneider Electric, stated, “Tackling operational emissions is the number-one lever to decarbonize existing buildings at scale and achieve net-zero emissions targets by 2050. This breakthrough research reveals that reducing carbon emissions by up to 70% is feasible if we transform our existing building stock into energy-efficient, fully-electrified, and digitized assets.”
The research, conducted in collaboration with global design firm WSP, was based on modeling the energy performance and carbon emissions of a large office building constructed in the early 2000s across various U.S. Climate Zones. This digital-centric approach to building renovations is not confined to office buildings but is applicable across various building types and climates. It emerges as the most effective and efficient strategy for building decarbonization, providing rapid results with lower upfront carbon costs.
The adoption of digital technologies for renovation not only minimizes disruptions to daily operations but also proves more sustainable from a lifecycle carbon perspective. The failure to swiftly decarbonize buildings could potentially lead to the devaluation of assets, rendering them unattractive to both investors and tenants.
In addition, recent research from the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability and the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute indicates that the transition to low-carbon buildings holds the potential to generate significant new job opportunities.
Schneider Electric, known as a leading force in decarbonization, offers connected products, software, and sustainability services aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, reducing energy waste, and providing strategies for carbon reduction across various domains, including buildings, factories, data centers, infrastructure, and homes. Their research and decarbonization scenarios provide practical, immediate solutions to assist organizations in navigating the complexities of the energy transition.
