A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Achieving rapid decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector requires a strategic approach
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6879-659X
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4507-9352
Highlights Canada does not have the resources to promote building envelope upgrades in all homes to meet our climate targets. Retrofit programs can maximize energy and emissions impacts by targeting homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Adoption of heat pumps is among the most efficient and effective measures for reducing emission from homes in Ontario. Strategies that target older homes for building envelope upgrades will also benefit households in energy poverty. Canada must adopt >100% efficiency standards for heating systems and move toward decarbonization of hour electricity supply.
Abstract Decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector in line with our Paris Agreement will be challenging. Conventional decarbonisation strategies involve deep energy efficiency upgrades to the building envelope and adoption of low carbon heating systems such as electric heat pumps. However, past retrofit programs have failed to achieve either the rate of upgrades, or the size of energy savings required for this approach. This study used a database of 38,607 home energy audits from the Waterloo Region to model the energy and emissions impacts of deep energy efficiency upgrades by date of home construction. Modeling demonstrated the greatest potential energy efficiency gains for homes built before 1940. Building envelope upgrades had diminishing returns for homes built between 1940 and 1980, with the lowest energy efficiency improvement potential found in homes built after 1980. Furthermore, directly electrifying a home with heat pumps for space and water heating is the single most impactful measure examined for reducing emissions. Policies and programs should support direct electrification of all homes and target programs for building envelope upgrades to homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Such policies can accelerate decarbonisation efforts and maximize the energy, emissions and energy poverty impacts of limited retrofit resources.
Achieving rapid decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector requires a strategic approach
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6879-659X
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4507-9352
Highlights Canada does not have the resources to promote building envelope upgrades in all homes to meet our climate targets. Retrofit programs can maximize energy and emissions impacts by targeting homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Adoption of heat pumps is among the most efficient and effective measures for reducing emission from homes in Ontario. Strategies that target older homes for building envelope upgrades will also benefit households in energy poverty. Canada must adopt >100% efficiency standards for heating systems and move toward decarbonization of hour electricity supply.
Abstract Decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector in line with our Paris Agreement will be challenging. Conventional decarbonisation strategies involve deep energy efficiency upgrades to the building envelope and adoption of low carbon heating systems such as electric heat pumps. However, past retrofit programs have failed to achieve either the rate of upgrades, or the size of energy savings required for this approach. This study used a database of 38,607 home energy audits from the Waterloo Region to model the energy and emissions impacts of deep energy efficiency upgrades by date of home construction. Modeling demonstrated the greatest potential energy efficiency gains for homes built before 1940. Building envelope upgrades had diminishing returns for homes built between 1940 and 1980, with the lowest energy efficiency improvement potential found in homes built after 1980. Furthermore, directly electrifying a home with heat pumps for space and water heating is the single most impactful measure examined for reducing emissions. Policies and programs should support direct electrification of all homes and target programs for building envelope upgrades to homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Such policies can accelerate decarbonisation efforts and maximize the energy, emissions and energy poverty impacts of limited retrofit resources.
Achieving rapid decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector requires a strategic approach
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6879-659X
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4507-9352
Highlights Canada does not have the resources to promote building envelope upgrades in all homes to meet our climate targets. Retrofit programs can maximize energy and emissions impacts by targeting homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Adoption of heat pumps is among the most efficient and effective measures for reducing emission from homes in Ontario. Strategies that target older homes for building envelope upgrades will also benefit households in energy poverty. Canada must adopt >100% efficiency standards for heating systems and move toward decarbonization of hour electricity supply.
Abstract Decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector in line with our Paris Agreement will be challenging. Conventional decarbonisation strategies involve deep energy efficiency upgrades to the building envelope and adoption of low carbon heating systems such as electric heat pumps. However, past retrofit programs have failed to achieve either the rate of upgrades, or the size of energy savings required for this approach. This study used a database of 38,607 home energy audits from the Waterloo Region to model the energy and emissions impacts of deep energy efficiency upgrades by date of home construction. Modeling demonstrated the greatest potential energy efficiency gains for homes built before 1940. Building envelope upgrades had diminishing returns for homes built between 1940 and 1980, with the lowest energy efficiency improvement potential found in homes built after 1980. Furthermore, directly electrifying a home with heat pumps for space and water heating is the single most impactful measure examined for reducing emissions. Policies and programs should support direct electrification of all homes and target programs for building envelope upgrades to homes built before 1980 and especially before 1940. Such policies can accelerate decarbonisation efforts and maximize the energy, emissions and energy poverty impacts of limited retrofit resources.
Achieving rapid decarbonisation of Canada’s residential sector requires a strategic approach
McDiarmid, Heather (author) / Bonner Septien, Andres (author) / Parker, Paul (author)
Energy and Buildings ; 308
2024-02-14
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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