ASHRAE Journal - February 2023 - 32

FEATURE
buildings as we go forward.
Decarbonization can have different meanings
depending on the perspective and goals of the project or
person in question. For some, it can simply be thought of
as reducing or eliminating the GHG emissions associated
with the energy consumption of the building. Thus the
trend toward a transition to all-electric buildings, which
assumes that the electrical grid is moving toward the use
of renewables (solar, wind, etc.) for power generation.
Others may be looking at the larger picture of the carbon
emissions associated with all aspects of the building's
lifetime-from construction and embodied energy
(carbon) to demolition and reuse. For now,
the one area that ASHRAE members have
the largest control over is in the design of
building systems and their operational phase.
However, we have only minimal control
on the embodied carbon of the building
materials and the construction process, while
future deconstruction and reuse is difficult to
predict or control.
In 2018, ASHRAE released a position document
on climate change that stated that HVAC&R
contributes to GHG emissions, and that the Society
has the potential for a significant leadership role
and guidance through mitigation and adaptation.7
According to the International Energy Agency,
buildings contribute to roughly one-third of the total
CO2 emissions globally, although that percentage can
vary widely between countries.8 The International
Green Construction Code that uses ASHRAE
Standard 189.1 as its technical basis has included in
its requirements a consideration for the maximum
CO2e emissions from a building due to its energy
consumption.9 Recently, ASHRAE also created a
Task Force that is working to direct the focus of the
various technical groups within the Society toward
the concept of building decarbonization. Also, the
ASHRAE Board of Directors committed to several
building decarbonization initiatives during the 2022
Annual Conference. ASHRAE also organized the first
International Building Decarbonization Conference in
October 2022, which was held in Athens, Greece.10
A Look to the Future
We must recognize that there is not one solution
to the complex and challenging climate crisis.
32
ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.o rg
F E B R U A RY 2023
Moreover, decarbonization does not mean that
every building will have zero GHG emissions, and
the electrical grid will not be 100% green in the near
future, even in countries or areas aggressively pushing
for zero-carbon generation sources. The concept
of decarbonization also varies, with some focusing
mostly on the emissions from energy consumption
and others considering the entire carbon
footprint (construction-related embodied carbon,
transportation effects to and from the building, etc.).
Thus, calculating a building's carbon footprint really
starts with asking the question as to how big we should
define the " control volume " for a structure.
It is now evident that our global society needs to
aggressively continue its efforts to manage and mitigate
the effects of the ongoing climate crisis. However,
a " one size fits all " approach will not work globally.
What solutions and remedies are used must be finetuned
to the local economy, social networks and political
landscapes. This will not happen overnight. It will
be a gradual evolution. This is especially true since an
estimated 60% or more of buildings that will exist in
2050 and beyond have already been built. The concept
of building decarbonization is a complicated issue, and
solutions may vary based on country, type of building,
usage patterns and even the local energy market.
References
1. Boissoneault, L. 2019. " The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at
Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969. " https://tinyurl.
com/3nde8r26
2. Matthews, S.A. 1976. " What is happening to our climate? "
National Geographic Magazine, November 1976. 150(5):576-620.
3. Morell, V. 2004. " Now What? " in issue titled " Global Warming:
Bulletins from a Warmer World. " National Geographic Magazine,
September 2004. pages 56-75.
4. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
" The Paris Agreement. " https://tinyurl.com/bd92ewks
5. Economidou, M., Todeschi, V., Bertoldi, P., D'Agostino, D.,
Zangheri, P., and Castellazzi, L. 2020. Review of 50 years of EU
energy efficiency policies for buildings, Energy & Buildings 225
110322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110322
6. European Commission, Climate Action. 2050 long-term strategy.
https://tinyurl.com/2wy8n6a8
7. ASHRAE 2018. " ASHRAE Position Document on Climate
Change. " https://tinyurl.com/3azy845z
8. International Energy Agency (IEA). World Energy Outlook
2021. https://tinyurl.com/ewtf498c
9. ASHRAE 2020. " Standard for the Design of High-Performance
Green Buildings. " ANSI/ASHRAE/ICC/USGBC/IES Standard 189.12020.
ASHRAE Atlanta Georgia.
10. ASHRAE 2022. International Buildings Decarbonization Conference.
https://tinyurl.com/bdekd77p
https://tinyurl.com/3nder8r26 https://tinyurl.com/3nder8r26 https://tinyurl.com/bd92ewks https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110322 https://tinyurl.com/2wy8n6a8 https://tinyurl.com/3azy845z https://tinyurl.com/ewtf498c https://tinyurl.com/bdekd77p http://www.ashrae.org
ASHRAE Journal - February 2023

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