Buildings and Product uses
Buildings and product uses accounted for over 20% of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. Most of this, around 65%, was from residential fossil fuel use – primarily gas, coal and oil – so emissions resulting from activities such as heating and cooking. Commercial sector buildings accounted for 17% and public sector buildings 11%. Emissions related to electricity use in buildings, including for heating, are attributable to power stations which are the source of these emissions. These are therefore included in the electricity supply sector.
From the early 2000s to 2014, despite year-on-year fluctuations the general trend in emissions was downwards. From 2014 to 2021 however, emissions remained around the same level. Emissions from buildings in particular are heavily influenced by external temperatures, meaning that particularly colder years such as 2010 saw higher levels of emissions due to greater use of gas for heating in both homes and commercial properties. In both 2022 and 2023, emissions were noticeably lower, and this will at least partly have been due to the fact that both were relatively warm years. In 2023, higher energy costs are also likely to have been a factor in reducing energy consumption.
It’s worth noting that emissions of F-gases from the use of fluorinated compounds, particularly in refrigeration and air-conditioning, are not insignificant. These emissions particularly increased during the 1990s and 2000s, with hydrofluorcarbons (HFCs) being used to replace other, ozone depleting, substances which were previously used as refrigerants. Emissions reached a peak in 2012, and the introduction of new F-gas regulations by the EU in 2014 has resulted in a gradual decline in these emissions in more recent years.
The additional end-user emissions are mainly emissions from the electricity supply sector which have been re-allocated to the buildings and product uses sector. This effectively represents emissions associated with electricity consumption in homes, commercial properties and public sector buildings. These emissions have gradually decreased since 1990, but particularly since 2012, in line with the decrease in emissions from the electricity supply sector as that sector has decarbonised.
From the early 2000s to 2014, despite year-on-year fluctuations the general trend in emissions was downwards. From 2014 to 2021 however, emissions remained around the same level. Emissions from buildings in particular are heavily influenced by external temperatures, meaning that particularly colder years such as 2010 saw higher levels of emissions due to greater use of gas for heating in both homes and commercial properties. In both 2022 and 2023, emissions were noticeably lower, and this will at least partly have been due to the fact that both were relatively warm years. In 2023, higher energy costs are also likely to have been a factor in reducing energy consumption.
It’s worth noting that emissions of F-gases from the use of fluorinated compounds, particularly in refrigeration and air-conditioning, are not insignificant. These emissions particularly increased during the 1990s and 2000s, with hydrofluorcarbons (HFCs) being used to replace other, ozone depleting, substances which were previously used as refrigerants. Emissions reached a peak in 2012, and the introduction of new F-gas regulations by the EU in 2014 has resulted in a gradual decline in these emissions in more recent years.
The additional end-user emissions are mainly emissions from the electricity supply sector which have been re-allocated to the buildings and product uses sector. This effectively represents emissions associated with electricity consumption in homes, commercial properties and public sector buildings. These emissions have gradually decreased since 1990, but particularly since 2012, in line with the decrease in emissions from the electricity supply sector as that sector has decarbonised.
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Residential buildings are the most significant source of emissions in this sector, accounting for around 13% of total UK emissions in 2023. The trend in these emissions reflects the same trend as for the sector as a whole. With emissions having remained fairly static from 2014 to 2021, both 2022 and 2023 have now seen noticeable reductions. Both years were relatively warm, and combined with higher energy costs in 2023 in particular, this is likely to have led to lower energy consumption.
The additional end-user emissions, which essentially represent emissions from electricity supply to homes, also reflect the same trend as for the sector overall. These have reduced in line with the decarbonisation of the electricity supply sector more generally.
It is worth noting that households were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the same way as some other sectors were in 2020 and 2021. There was no noticeable fall in emissions, with many people working from home for much of the year. We would expect this to result in greater household energy consumption and therefore higher emissions, so it may be the case that emissions in 2020 and 2021 would have been lower without the impact of the pandemic.
The additional end-user emissions, which essentially represent emissions from electricity supply to homes, also reflect the same trend as for the sector overall. These have reduced in line with the decarbonisation of the electricity supply sector more generally.
It is worth noting that households were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the same way as some other sectors were in 2020 and 2021. There was no noticeable fall in emissions, with many people working from home for much of the year. We would expect this to result in greater household energy consumption and therefore higher emissions, so it may be the case that emissions in 2020 and 2021 would have been lower without the impact of the pandemic.
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Commercial buildings accounted for over 3% of total UK emissions in 2023. The trend in these emissions differs from that for the sector as a whole, with emissions having seen very little change over the entire period since 1990, including 2023.
However, the additional end-user emissions, which mainly represent emissions from electricity supply to businesses, do reflect the same downward trend as for the sector overall. As the electricity supply sector has decarbonised over time, these emissions have also gradually decreased in line with that.
However, the additional end-user emissions, which mainly represent emissions from electricity supply to businesses, do reflect the same downward trend as for the sector overall. As the electricity supply sector has decarbonised over time, these emissions have also gradually decreased in line with that.
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Public sector buildings were responsible for around 2% of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. Between 1990 and 2014, there was a steady decrease in these emissions, with an overall decrease of around 45%. This was largely driven by reductions in the use of oil and natural gas. As with commercial buildings however, these emissions have seen very little change since 2014, including in 2023.
As with commercial buildings though, the additional end-user emissions, which mainly represent emissions from electricity consumption in public sector buildings, do reflect the same downward trend as for the sector overall, with that sector having gradually decarbonised.
As with commercial buildings though, the additional end-user emissions, which mainly represent emissions from electricity consumption in public sector buildings, do reflect the same downward trend as for the sector overall, with that sector having gradually decarbonised.
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What needs to be done to reach net-zero?
The priority for the UK will be to reduce the use of fossil fuels in homes, particularly from gas boilers for heating. Energy efficiency improvements to much of the UK’s existing housing stock will need to be a priority, particularly by way of retrofitting for better insulation. Heat pumps will need to be part of the solution, and solar PV will also need to become more attractive. New housing developments will need to be built to higher energy efficient standards.
Commercial businesses will also need to move away from a reliance on fossil fuels. That could mean making business premises more energy efficient, or changing from gas to electricity for energy.
Public sector buildings will also need to become more energy efficient, switching to renewable sources for power and heating. That could be solar PV for electricity or heat pumps for heat.
The priority for the UK will be to reduce the use of fossil fuels in homes, particularly from gas boilers for heating. Energy efficiency improvements to much of the UK’s existing housing stock will need to be a priority, particularly by way of retrofitting for better insulation. Heat pumps will need to be part of the solution, and solar PV will also need to become more attractive. New housing developments will need to be built to higher energy efficient standards.
Commercial businesses will also need to move away from a reliance on fossil fuels. That could mean making business premises more energy efficient, or changing from gas to electricity for energy.
Public sector buildings will also need to become more energy efficient, switching to renewable sources for power and heating. That could be solar PV for electricity or heat pumps for heat.
