What Will It Take to Bring All New and Existing Construction to Net Zero?

A new report by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative looks at the scale of action needed and the level of urgency required to reach climate goals that would bring all new and existing construction to net zero carbon.

The report, titled "Accelerating Residential Building Decarbonization," offers analysis and expertise to guide industry stakeholders—product manufacturers, contractors, installers, design professionals, owners, and developers—by providing both technical insights and cost guidance for zero-carbon-aligned (ZCA) new-construction methods and retrofit solutions across various U.S. climate zones.

Key New Construction Findings:

• 28 million new homes are projected to be built between 2023 and 2050, with more than 10 million expected by 2030.
• Voluntary building performance programs and standards support cost-effective ZCA new construction.
• ZCA new construction is already cost competitive in some segments, and industrialized construction approaches can accelerate the pace of cost-effective ZCA new construction.

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