When we think of carbon emissions, what usually comes to mind are factories and cars. Yet, buildings are the hidden culprit, responsible for about 39% of global energy-related emissions, according to the World Green Building Council. But there is a lifeline to cut carbon emissions and achieve climate goals: a process known as “retrofit.”
Retrofit refers to improving a building’s energy efficiency and reducing its overall consumption. Since buildings account for a large share of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, removing barriers to retrofitting can significantly reduce emissions and help meet climate targets, according to the climate and environment platform EARTH.
The buildings and infrastructure where we live, work, shop, and interact often leak heat during winter and fail to provide natural cooling in summer. This forces us to consume more energy for heating or cooling.
The Sustainable Alternative to Demolition
الأكثر قراءة
Since 80% of the homes we will live in by 2050 already exist today, building renovation is the most sustainable option compared to demolition and new construction. Demolishing a 100-square-meter building generates as much carbon as a round-trip flight from London to Nice. This alone proves that preserving and improving what we have is far more environmentally sound.
Three Stages of “Retrofit”
The retrofitting process can be divided into three main stages:
Energy Conservation – through simple, low-cost measures such as LED lighting, sealing air leaks, regular maintenance, and smart meters.
Energy Efficiency Upgrades – involving structural improvements that reduce heat loss and enhance insulation, including roof and wall insulation, double-glazed windows, and heat pumps.
Energy Sources and Management – by shifting to clean sources like solar power, or implementing smart centralized heating and cooling systems.
An Environmental and Economic Solution
Retrofitting is not only an environmental solution but also an economic necessity. It can reduce global energy demand by 12%, create 3.2 million new jobs annually, boost employee productivity by up to $7,500 per person per year, and lower deaths caused by pollution, extreme heat, cardiovascular disease, and circulatory disorders.
Barriers to Retrofit
Despite its benefits, retrofitting faces several obstacles: high upfront costs, limited availability of affordable low-carbon materials, a shortage of skilled labor, weak public awareness of its advantages, and the lack of strong national policies to support this transition.
Examples from Around the World
Several countries have successfully implemented retrofit systems to renew their housing stock. In Italy, the “Superbonus 110%” program offered full tax exemptions on renovation costs, triggering more than 122,000 projects.
In Singapore, the Tampines district adopted a centralized cooling system that cuts emissions by 1,000 tons annually. Meanwhile, in the European Union, a mandatory plan requires the renovation of the worst-performing buildings, aiming to reduce energy consumption by 11.7% by 2026.
