Figure 3

CO

2

Emmissions  

from U.S. Residential and Commercial Buildings,

by Energy Source, 2002 

       C

2%

om

2%

9%

b

1%

u

10%

ased Electricity

Purchased E

s

h

t

l

bustion

e

i

rc

o

c

m

t

u

n

o

r

P

i

C

c

17%

i

56%

23%

t

64%

y

5%

9%

313 MMTC

264 MMTC

Residential Buildings

Commercial Buildings

Carbon in coal

Carbon in petroleum

Carbon in natural gas

Source: Based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2004. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990 2002. p. 3 4, 3 7,

3 17, tables 3 3, 3 6, and 3 10. Note: units are in million metric tons of carbon (MMTC).

heaters) accounts for about 23 percent of emissions in residential buildings, while it emits slightly less

+

CO

2

in commercial buildings (17 percent of emissions). Direct combustion of petroleum, mostly from fuel

oil heating in the Northeast and Midwest, is also more significant in the residential sector (9 percent of

residential building emissions) than in the commercial sector (where it represents only 5 percent of

commercial building emissions).

Additional CO

2

emissions from the following sources can be attributed to the building sector and

need to be considered when evaluating GHG reduction opportunities:

  The energy used in industrial buildings (only residential and commercial buildings are included

+

in EIA and EPA statistics on the building sector);

  The energy used to produce building materials such as brick and steel and building products such

as appliances and furniture (this  embodied energy  is included in EIA's industrial sector statistics); 

  The fuel used to transport construction and demolition materials (this is included in EIA's

transportation sector statistics); and

7

Towards a Climate Friendly  

Built Environment

+