#BuildingEfficiency: Solutions for efficient, high - performance, and productive buildings
Buildings are responsible for most CO₂ emissions – at least 40 percent of global energy consumption and over a third of greenhouse gas emissions. In other words, reducing emissions from buildings is cruc ial in combating human - induced climate change.
In Germany, for example, around 84 percent of the energy consumed by domestic households is used to generate heat: 69 percent for room heating and the other 15 percent for hot water.
Insulation can reduce the primary energy requirement of existing buildings by up to 80 percent. Moreover, thermal insulation can help maximize the energy efficiency of a new building if this is taken into account in the planning phase.