The second annual 3Keel and Kingspan Global Retrofit Index shows that carbon reduction is slowing in many European countries and is reversing in the US, with ageing built environments largely to blame
Reductions in carbon emissions from buildings are stalling in several G20 countries in Europe (UK, France, and Germany) and emissions are now rising in the USA, warns a major new study from sustainability consultancy 3Keel for Kingspan, a key player in high-performance insulation and energy-efficient building solutions.
The Global Retrofit Index interim report – a follow on from the inaugural 2022 study – examines building emissions trends and retrofitting rates to identify the gaps between current action and what is required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The report said: “If each of the six countries continues with its current GHG emissions reduction trajectory and retrofitting rates over the past ten years, by 2040 these major global economies will be some distance from achieving their respective net zero pathways.”
Retrofitting refers to the deep renovation of existing buildings with new technologies and high energy efficiency measures in order to reduce their energy consumption and remove fossil-fuel reliant systems in order to make them compatible with a zero carbon built environment.
The publication includes a deep dive analysis of building emissions data of some of the highest performing countries in last year’s inaugural study, with the addition of Ireland’s relatively young building stock this year.
While progress has been made in some EU economies – the Netherlands, France, Ireland, and Germany – the analysis finds that emission reductions in these countries are now stalling. The UK’s emissions are also beginning to plateau and in the USA, GHG emissions from buildings are increasing.
