Biden Administration Sets Roadmap For Building Decarbonization

The U.S. Department of Energy recently released the first federal blueprint to decarbonize the building sector, which accounts for over a third of the nation's planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. This plan, developed by the DOE, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, lays out actions the government can take to meet the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

This plan, announced on April 2, 2024, is not surprising given that the European Union targets to reduce greenhouse emissions by 55% by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. "As part of a whole-of-government approach, DOE is outlining for the first time ever a comprehensive federal plan to reduce energy in our homes, schools, and workplaces-lowering utility bills and creating healthier communities while combating the climate crises," U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the news release.