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Buildings: a climate problem or a climate solution?

Buildings: a climate problem or a climate solution?

Nearly a third of global greenhouse gases come from buildings. Discover the ways we can turn buildings from part of the problem into part of the solution.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.

Think about the following questions as you watch the video


  1. The year 2019 set a record for the most emissions from buildings. What was a major contributor to this record, and why is it significant?
  2. Why are most buildings inefficient when it comes to heating and cooling? How do these problems tend to compound each other?
  3. What is the most readily available Solution for existing buildings? At what point do these changes become particularly powerful?
  4. We must electrify everything possible in buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What innovation must come in tandem with this change, and how can it be achieved?
  5. In your own words, why is the Montreal Protocol significant?
  6. In what ways can construction be part of the building-emissions Solution?
  7. Why is it important to design climate-friendly building policies that take into account the way improvements are implemented?