Managing emissions from local or municipal energy sources has come under scrutiny as the global perspective on emission reductions has become one of the hottest topics, both from a geopolitical perspective down to an individual one. Good engineering practices have sought to find new means to save energy and reduce carbon output for nearly 40 years, however today this is receiving more attention, raising discussions and becoming a driving metric for owners, facilities, and engineers.
Building systems have a 20-30-year useful life expectancy. Thus, the demand for immediate large-scale change is not practical or even possible. Building owners and engineers need to plan for long-term implementation of a strategy that is carefully developed, using technologies currently available while leaving open the opportunity to implement future technologies. Innovation has been the backbone of the design and construction industry in this county, and there is no reason to think innovative changes will not continue to occur.
Creating a sustainable pathway for building infrastructure and existing buildings will require organizations to take the necessary steps to increase their energy efficiency, thereby reducing the carbon footprint and improving their resiliency to weather-related issues.
This guide examines how building owners and facility staff can define a pathway to reduce operating carbon emissions, identify small changes that can be implemented, as well as a pathway to achieving larger goals or carbon neutrality. This guide does not address embodied carbon emissions associated with construction materials.
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