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Deploy Building Automation Systems

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Automate Building Systems

We define Deploy Building Automation Systems (BASs) as reducing commercial (i.e., nonresidential or industrial) building energy use and associated GHG emissions by using sensors to monitor a building in operation and control systems such as heating, cooling, ventilation, plug loads, and lighting for the purpose of saving energy. This solution does not include automated building systems that control security, safety, and other functions, and applies to existing buildings only. 

Last updated August 10, 2026

Solution Basics

square meter (m2) of commercial building space in which operational systems are controlled by a building automation system for the purpose of saving energy

t CO₂-eq (100-yr)/unit/yr
0.011
units
Current 1.0×10¹⁰ 01.7×10¹⁰3.4×10¹⁰
Achievable (Low to High)

Climate Impact

Gt CO₂-eq (100-yr)/yr
Current 0.11 0.180.36
US$ per t CO₂-eq
0
Gradual

CO₂ , CH₄, N₂O

Additional Benefits

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Overview

BASs (also referred to as building energy management systems, building management systems, or building automation control systems) use automation to optimize system performance and reduce the energy needed to operate commercial buildings. This cuts emissions generated by the energy sources, including emissions from fuels burned to provide heating as well as emissions from generating the electricity used to power air conditioners, plug loads, and lighting. Together, these contribute to an estimated 3.7 Gt of energy-related emissions associated with operating nonresidential buildings per year (International Energy Agency [IEA], 2023b). This solution reduces critical climate pollutants, primarily CO₂, but also methane and nitrous oxides. 

The energy savings from BASs are the outcome of processes such as scheduled and occupancy-based control of heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting; optimization of set-point temperatures; predictive maintenance; and fault detection and diagnostics (Akbulut et al., 2025). Some BAS include smart controls that learn from occupant behaviors to optimize performance and energy savings (O’Grady et al., 2021). 

BASs can reduce commercial energy use by an estimated 5–40% (IEA, 2025). Local climate conditions, the type of BAS and how it is operated, building type and condition, and user behaviors can affect this outcome (Fernandez et al., 2017; Morkunaite et al., 2022). For example, modeling of U.S. buildings showed an average potential 23.3% energy savings with a BAS in supermarkets but a 48.8% energy savings for secondary schools and 29% savings for commercial buildings overall (Fernandez et al., 2017). These outcomes also included measures to correct for operational faults such as miscalibrated sensors and problems with seals. 

BASs typically consist of three architectural layers (Domingues et al., 2016) (Figure 1). At the field layer, sensors monitor conditions such as temperature, air flow, humidity, and lighting levels within a space and actuators adjust equipment in response to control signals. The control layer receives and processes incoming sensor data and sends control signals to the actuators according to programmed control logic and set parameters. The management layer is where data are logged, monitored, and analyzed to track and optimize performance, identify trends, and adjust automation settings. 

Figure 1. A typical BAS has three layers: a field layer, which senses the environment and adjusts equimpment as needed; a control layer, which handles communication between the sensors and actuators; and a management layer, which logs and analyzes data to optimize performance. Modified from dos Santos et al. (2021) and Fluke (2009).

Diagram demonstrating Automated Building Systems functions of management, controllers, and devices in the field.

Sources: dos Santos, D. R., Dagrada, M., & Costante, E. (2021). Leveraging operational technology and the Internet of things to attack smart buildings. Journal of Computer Virology and Hacking Techniques, 17(1), 1–20; Fluke (2009). Troubleshooting communications problems in building control systems. Fluke Corporation. 

Impact Calculator

Adjust effectiveness and adoption using range sliders to see resulting climate impact potential.

Effectiveness

0.011
t CO2-eq (100-yr)/unit/yr

Adoption

1.0×10¹⁰
square meter (m2) of commercial building space in which operational systems are controlled by a building automation system for the purpose of saving energy
Low
1.7×10¹⁰
High
3.4×10¹⁰
1.0×10¹⁰
current
Achievable Range

Climate Impact

0.11
Gt CO₂-eq/yr (100-yr)
05
which is the equivalent of
0.19%
of global emissions

The Details

Current State

We estimate that BASs reduce GHG emissions by 0.011 t CO₂‑eq/yr (20- and 100-yr basis) for every m2 of building space (Table 1) by reducing fuels and electricity used for heating, cooling and lighting. 

BASs reduce more emissions when installed in buildings that are energy intensive (e.g., hotels) or that use highly polluting fuels (e.g., heating oil) than in buildings that have low energy intensity (e.g., educational facilities) or that use renewable energy (Zarco-Soto et al., 2025).

We assumed 21% energy savings with BASs, which represents the median from 11 estimates, models, or measurements of whole-building energy savings from installed BASs. The effectiveness value is an average that was weighted for annual energy use per m2 by commercial building type and by the mix of fuels used for energy in buildings (IEA, 2023a). The analysis assumes that the relative proportion of commercial building space by type in the U.S. (U.S. Energy Information Administration [U.S. EIA], 2022b, 2022c) is representative of the proportions globally. 

Table 1. Effectiveness at reducing emissions.

Unit: t CO₂‑eq (100-year basis)/m2 using BAS/yr

Mean 0.011

We determined that a BAS will cost US$0 per t CO₂‑eq reduced (Table 2) because the up-front cost is recovered through operational savings over the system’s lifetime. Buildings where energy savings are higher than average will show net savings because of higher operational savings, while more energy-efficient buildings may see a net cost.

The median up-front cost of the system is US$46/m2 building space but once installed, the system will save a building owner US$3.00/m2/yr in energy costs. Assuming a 15-year lifespan for the system, this results in a net cost of US$0/m2/yr. In other words, the system pays for itself in 15 years through operational savings.

The up-front cost includes the installed cost of the sensors, controllers, and networking infrastructure (Domingues et al., 2016). Operational costs consider only the cost savings from the 21% energy savings weighted by annual energy use per m2 by commercial building type, and relative building energy consumption by energy source (IEA, 2023a). The ongoing maintenance, software, and personnel costs are not included in this analysis. Additional savings may also be achieved through automated fault detection and diagnostics or other BAS features such as security. 

Table 2. Cost per unit climate impact.

Unit: US$ (2023) per t CO₂‑eq (100-year basis)

Median 0

Insufficient data exists to assess the learning rate for BASs. However, market analyses suggest prices will decline due to competition and economies of scale, especially for midsize commercial buildings (Rai, 2026).

Speed of action refers to how quickly a climate solution physically affects the atmosphere after it is deployed. This is different from speed of deployment, which is the pace at which solutions are adopted.

At Project Drawdown, we define the speed of action for each climate solution as emergency brake, gradual, or delayed.

Deploy Building Automation Systems is a GRADUAL climate solution. It has a steady, linear impact on the atmosphere. 

Adoption

We estimated that 10 billion m2 of commercial building space use BASs (Table 3). We estimated this represents 18% of total commercial floor area based on collected data (ABI research, 2025; Global Growth Insights, 2026; IEA, 2023c; U.S. EIA, 2022a). This value is comparable to ABI research (2025) estimates that 15% of global commercial building stock use BASs, with highest adoption in North America and Western Europe.

These estimates were based on market reports from 2025 plus U.S. statistics from 2018 (ABI research, 2025; Global Growth Insights, 2026; U.S. EIA, 2022a). Market reports may overestimate BAS adoption as we defined it because they include BASs that focus on security and other applications. We expected most BASs to be ones that control the energy use of equipment. Adoption rates in the market reports are also expressed as a percentage of commercial buildings with BASs. We used this as a proxy for percentage of floor area, although this may be an underestimate because large buildings are more likely than small ones to use BASs (Trenbath et al., 2022).

Common barriers to BAS adoption are largely economic and technical ones such as high up-front costs, challenges with estimating savings, system complexity, and lack of interoperability (Trenbath et al., 2022). In low-income countries, there can be additional barriers such as power supply issues, limited access to technology, lack of awareness, and lack of trained workers (Ayorinde & Kekana, 2025). 

Table 3. Current adoption level (2025).

Unit: m2 using BASs

Mean 10,000,000,000

We estimate that commercial building spaces add BASs at a rate of 730 million m2/yr (Table 4). This is based on a single market research report that estimated the percent of the global commercial buildings with BASs in 2024 and projected values for 2030 (ABI research, 2025). 

This value may not be an accurate indicator of the actual adoption trend for three reasons. First, it is based on a market report used to project future adoption. Second, we assume the percentage of the number of commercial buildings with BASs is a proxy for the percentage of building space with BASs, although larger commercial buildings may be more likely to adopt BASs. Finally, the market analysis did not differentiate between BASs that focus on energy savings and those that serve other purposes such as security. 

Market research groups are generally optimistic that BAS sales will see strong growth in the foreseeable future, especially in North America and Europe (Backman, 2021; Global Growth Insights, 2026).

Table 4. Adoption trend (2024–2030).

Unit: m2 BASs installed per year

Estimate 730,000,000

If all existing commercial building space used BASs, they would serve 55 billion m2 of floor space globally (Table 5). This is based on the IEA’s estimate of total floor area for nonresidential buildings in 2022 (IEA, 2023d). 

Table 5. Adoption ceiling: upper limit for adoption level. 

Unit: m2 using BASs 

Estimate 55,000,000,000

We estimate that 17 to 34 billion m2 of existing commercial building space could be served by BASs (see Table 6). 

For the low achievable value, we applied Global Growth Insights’ (2026) estimate that 66% of U.S. commercial building stock use BASs to all high-income countries and applied ABI Research’s (2025) estimate that 12% of Asia Pacific buildings use BASs to all low- and middle-income countries. We used the percent of buildings with BASs as a proxy for the percent of commercial building area with BASs. The estimated low achievable adoption for BASs is consistent with our adoption trend applied over 10 years. 

For the high achievable value, we assumed all building space in high-income countries use BASs and applied the reported U.S. 2018 adoption rate of BASs for heating, cooling and ventilation to low- and middle-income countries (U.S. EIA, 2022a). The European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires all commercial buildings above a threshold output for heating and cooling to install BASs by the end of 2029 (European Parliament & Council of the European Union, 2024).

The high achievable adoption for BASs is consistent with an accelerated adoption trend, similar to that projected by market research (Backman, 2021; Global Growth Insights, 2026).

Table 6. Range of achievable adoption levels.

Unit: m2 using BASs

Current adoption 10,000,000,000
Achievable – low 17,000,000,000
Achievable – high 34,000,000,000
Adoption ceiling 55,000,000,000

Impacts

Current use of BASs reduces emissions by an estimated 0.11 Gt CO₂‑eq/yr (100- and 20-year basis, Table 7). If all existing commercial building space were served by BASs, it would reduce emissions by 0.58 Gt CO₂‑eq/yr (100- and 20-year basis). The estimated achievable range for existing buildings is 0.18–0.36 Gt CO₂‑eq/yr (100- and 20-year basis).

Table 7. Climate impact at different levels of adoption. 

Unit: Gt CO₂‑eq (100-year basis)/yr

Current adoption 0.11
Achievable – low 0.18
Achievable – high 0.36
Adoption ceiling 0.58

Health

Reducing energy use may lower air pollution and limit exposure to pollutants such as lead and fine particulate matter generated by fossil fuels, thereby improving the health of nearby communities (Henneman et al., 2023; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [U.S. EPA], 2026). There is limited evidence that building automation systems can improve visual and thermal comfort, leading to a better employee experience and increased productivity (Garzia et al., 2023; Trenbath et al., 2022). 

Air Quality

Reducing energy use can reduce climate and air pollutants associated with burning fossil fuels, such as CO₂, nitrogen oxides, methane, lead, and fine particulate matter (U.S. EPA, 2026).

Other

Energy savings outcomes can differ based on whether they are derived from real world measurements or models, with modeled values often overestimating energy savings (Van Thillo et al., 2022; Vandenbogaerde et al., 2023). Model assumptions and simplifications, occupant behavior, real world conditions, and other factors contribute to the discrepancy (Van Thillo et al., 2022). Due to a lack of observed data, this analysis relies heavily on modeled energy savings. 

There can be very significant differences between building types in terms of total energy usage and energy savings potential. A U.S. study of BAS savings in commercial buildings modeled 4% energy savings in an efficient retail strip mall and 59% for an inefficient secondary school, with an aggregated average of 29% for all building types (Fernandez et al., 2017). Some building types, such as health-care facilities and technology centres, are underrepresented in studies of energy consumption in buildings (Zarco-Soto et al., 2025). 

Installing a BAS is no guarantee that the system will be used optimally. The complexity of BASs means that facility managers may not have the skills to realize the potential of the system (Mulayim et al., 2025). Occupant behavior is also a well-documented reason for why BASs fail to achieve energy savings. Occupant overrides of thermostats, opening of windows and blinds, etc., can significantly increase energy use (Ebuy et al., 2023). 

Interoperability is a major challenge for BASs. New subsystems and controls are not always able to interact with existing BASs due to lack of universal standards. This can leave building owners locked into a single vendor for projects and services and can increase system complexity (Taboada-Orozco et al., 2024; Van Roosmale et al., 2024). 

Existing buildings risk seeing their BASs becoming obsolete as the technology advances and technical support for legacy equipment disappears (Van Roosmale et al., 2024). In addition, the reliance of BASs on data collection and communication leaves systems vulnerable to reliability and security issues (Van Roosmale et al., 2024).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analytic tools are increasingly being combined with BAS to improve performance. However, AI and associated data centers are energy intensive and, because emissions associated with AI computing are higher than emissions associated with rule-based automation tools, emissions savings at the building may not overcome the significant emissions from AI data centers (Oliveira et al., 2026). 

BASs add complexity and new costs to building management even while overall saving operational costs and emissions. Operating BASs effectively to maximize savings requires competencies in both the technical aspects of building operation and also data management and even programming, skill sets that often require ongoing training (Abuimara et al., 2021). Many BASs are internet connected which increases vulnerability to cyberattacks (Li et al., 2023). Depending on the priorities of the owners and operators and the characteristics of the building, investments in alternative energy efficiency measures such as building envelope upgrades and improved windows could provide a better return on investment.

Reinforcing

BASs can be used to increase or decrease electricity demand during critical times to facilitate integration of renewable energy and minimize grid peak events (Fernandez et al., 2017).

Competing

There are diminishing returns when solutions that reduce building heating and cooling energy use are combined. Thus the climate impact of these solutions will be reduced when combined with BASs. 

Consensus of effectiveness in reducing GHG emissions: High. 

The IEA (2025)’s report on energy efficiency highlighted the importance of digital optimization using automation to boost efficiency gains in commercial buildings worldwide. 

O’Grady et al. (2021)’s review showed consistent energy and peak power savings plus improved human comfort with BASs. Most studies relied on models and there was a noted lack of field case studies to understand discrepancies between measured and modeled values. 

Fernandez et al. (2017) modeled the energy savings potential with advanced building control systems focussing on heating, cooling, and ventilation across 14 commercial building types and 16 U.S. climate regions. They reported an aggregated average of 29% annual energy savings with building control systems. 

Taboada-Orozco et al. (2024)’s comprehensive review of BAS studies noted discrepancies between model predictions and real world measures due to occupant behaviors. They highlighted emerging applications of BASs such as health-care assistance, indoor navigation, and improving indoor air quality. 

Poyyamozhi et al. (2024) profiled how the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in BASs has the potential to enhance its energy savings through machine learning and adjustments based on real-time data.

The results presented in this document summarize findings from two reviews and meta-analyses, five original studies, six technical reports, four market reports, eight product information webpages, and four databases reflecting current evidence from the U.S. and for the world as a whole. We recognize this limited geographic scope creates bias, and hope this work inspires research and data sharing on this topic in underrepresented regions.

Take Action

Looking to get involved? Below are some key actions for this solution that can get you started, arranged according to different roles you may play in your professional or personal life.

These actions are meant to be starting points for involvement and are not intended to be prescriptive or necessarily suggest they are the most important or impactful actions to take. We encourage you to explore and get creative!

Lawmakers and Policymakers
  • Set clear and measurable targets for building efficiency, emissions reduction, and the deployment of BASs.
  • Ensure public procurement standards require BASs for new commercial construction; require retrofits for existing public buildings.
  • Focus broader policies on energy efficiency through the use of intelligent control.
  • Create building codes that incentivize, facilitate, and/or phase in requirements for installing BASs in commercial buildings, in consultation with stakeholders and key actors; ensure building codes are consistent, offer clear guidelines, and are enforced; offer additional incentives for buildings that exceed requirements.
  • Create data security and privacy protection regulations for software and hardware; legally require periodic review to keep pace with technological advances and update policies as necessary; ensure legal liabilities are placed on equipment manufacturers and data managers, not building managers.
  • Work with international scientific bodies to establish standards for protocols, universal compatibility, data security, and privacy protection; align domestic with international standards.
  • Create regulations to discourage planned obsolescence and lock-in contracts for BAS maintenance, incentivize increased longevity for BAS hardware, and ensure data sharing between BAS operators and building owners.
  • Consider offering subsidies, tax breaks, or other financial incentives for the deployment of BASs; ensure financial incentives cover both new installations and retrofits.
  • Create regulatory frameworks that encourage the use of recycled materials for necessary hardware; require or encourage future models to be recyclable and/or modular to facilitate upgrades and reduce e-waste.
  • Simultaneously invest in energy and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate connectivity; create backup power supplies and surge protection measures for electricity networks.
  • Create workforce training programs; create certification programs for retailers and installers; require periodic retraining to keep pace with technological developments.
  • Offer one-stop educational resources for BASs; offer demonstrations for installation and programming, and clear instructions on how to integrate the necessary components through online videos and in-person demos; offer building managers simplified recommendations for BAS hardware and software with comparisons to alternatives; clearly state benefits of BASs, highlighting the cost savings, social benefits, and environmental impacts.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Practitioners
  • Adhere to – and endeavor to exceed – minimum building code requirements for integrating BASs into commercial building design, where available.
  • Properly train facility managers and offer free, easy-to-read instructional material; provide ongoing support, maintenance, and retraining when necessary; ensure training offers ample instruction on maintaining security and data privacy.
  • Help make systems interoperable and, when possible, universally compatible with other BASs.
  • Offer pay-as-you-go (PAYG) services to reduce initial financial burdens of BASs.
  • Offer recommendations or bundled services to increase capacity of a building's network infrastructure, ensuring it can accommodate a large number of devices.
  • Ensure data management protocols offer top-of-the-line security measures; identify appropriate data storage solutions, allowing for considerable data expansion; share building data with building owners and operators. 
  • Ensure technicians and employees are well versed in the complexity of integrating the different components of BASs and can offer accurate quotes for services.
  • Create workforce training programs; create certification programs for retailers and installers; require periodic retraining to keep pace with technological developments.
  • Work with other vendors and industry leaders to standardize terminology to improve customer service and increase adoption. Use open data formats and open data protocols to control costs and avoid vendor lock-in.
  • Offer digital displays that provide real-time feedback for automated operations and take into account manual overrides, showing managers the impacts of overrides such as adjusting thermostats.
  • Offer trade-in programs for old equipment and work with recycling facilities to recover as much material as possible; work with manufacturers to incorporate as much recycled material as possible into new products.
  • Offer one-stop educational resources for BASs; offer demonstrations for installation and programming, and clear instructions on how to integrate the necessary components through online videos and in-person demos; offer building managers simplified recommendations for BAS hardware and software with comparisons to alternatives; clearly state benefits of BASs highlighting the cost savings, social benefits, and environmental impacts.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Business Leaders
  • Ensure corporate building and indoor spaces use BASs; take advantage of public incentives such as subsidies or tax credits for installation.
  • Refrain from overriding the system by addressing the needs of the building’s occupants and ensure facility managers are well trained to optimize energy and cost savings while maintaining comfort.
  • Help socialize the importance of BASs by incorporating these systems and related green building practices into corporate net zero strategies; highlight the use of BASs in public communications.
  • Invest in research and development to determine optimal user interfaces, protocols, compatibility, and/or algorithms for BASs.
  • Offer employees information on BASs and how to work with them to optimize cost and energy savings while preserving comfort.
  • Offer company grants to suppliers to improve energy use in their operations with BASs and related equipment.
  • Provide professional development opportunities to building management employees for training in BASs and other related fields.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Nonprofit Leaders
  • Ensure operations use BASs; take advantage of public incentives such as subsidies or tax credits for installation.
  • Refrain from overriding the system by addressing the needs of the building’s occupants and ensure facility managers are well trained to optimize energy and cost savings while maintaining comfort.
  • Help policymakers set clear and measurable targets for building efficiency, emissions reduction, and the deployment of BASs.
  • Help shift the focus of policymakers to broader policies on energy efficiency through the use of intelligent control.
  • Help create building codes that incentivize, facilitate, and/or phase in requirements for installing BASs in commercial buildings; help ensure building codes are enforced, are consistent, and offer clear guidelines; recommend additional incentives for buildings that exceed requirements.
  • Help design data security and privacy protection regulations for software and hardware; advocate for legal requirements for periodic reviews to keep pace with technological advances and require updates to policies as necessary; help ensure legal liabilities are placed on equipment manufacturers and data managers, not building managers.
  • Work with international scientific bodies to establish standards for protocols, universal compatibility, data security, and privacy protection; help align domestic with international standards.
  • Advocate for regulatory frameworks that discourage business practices that reduce adoption such as planned obsolescence; help create regulatory standards that incentivize increasing the longevity of the hardware required for BASs.
  • Advocate for subsidies, tax breaks, or other financial incentives for the deployment of BASs; help target subsidies to low- and middle-income communities and recommend policymakers simultaneously offer incentives for broadband and digital connectivity; help ensure financial incentives cover both new installations and retrofits.
  • Help create regulatory frameworks that encourage the use of recycled materials for necessary hardware; advocate for requirements or incentives for future models to be recyclable and/or modular to facilitate upgrades and reduce e-waste.
  • Simultaneously advocate for investments in energy and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate connectivity; help policymakers plan and create backup power supplies and surge protection measures for electricity networks.
  • Create workforce training programs; create certification programs for retailers and installers; offer periodic retraining to keep pace with technological developments.
  • Offer one-stop educational resources for BASs; offer demonstrations for installation and programming, and clear instructions on how to integrate the necessary components through online videos and in-person demos; offer building managers simplified recommendations for BAS hardware and software with comparisons to alternatives; clearly state benefits of BASs highlighting the cost savings, social benefits, and environmental impacts.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Investors
  • Finance only new commercial construction and retrofits that use BASs as well as other green building practices.
  • Invest in research and development to improve BAS hardware and software compatibility and user experience for building managers.
  • Invest in start-ups seeking to deploy BASs; offer preferential loan agreements for developers using BASs, energy efficient building practices, and other related climate solutions.
  • Invest in businesses seeking to improve the longevity of BAS hardware and equipment; invest in companies improving the recyclability of hardware and/or incorporating recycled materials into new products; invest in projects seeking to make BAS hardware more resilient to climatic conditions such as high heat and humidity.
  • Invest in companies seeking to improve data security and privacy protection measures for BAS hardware and/or software; invest in companies seeking to simplify software to create a better user experience for building managers.
  • Issue or buy green bonds to deploy capital to projects that use BASs and integrate other green building practices.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Philanthropists and International Aid Agencies
  • Ensure operations use BASs; take advantage of public incentives such as subsidies or tax credits for installation.
  • Refrain from overriding the system by addressing the needs of the building’s occupants and ensure facility managers are well trained to optimize energy and cost savings while maintaining comfort.
  • Finance only new commercial construction and retrofits that use BASs as well as other green building practices.
  • Offer grants or preferential loan agreements for commercial developers using BASs, energy efficient building practices, and other related climate solutions.
  • Offer grants or invest in businesses seeking to improve the longevity of BAS hardware and equipment; offer financing for companies improving the recyclability of hardware and/or incorporating recycled materials into new products; invest in projects seeking to make BAS hardware more resilient to climatic conditions such as high heat and humidity.
  • Offer financing to companies seeking to improve data security and privacy protection measures for BAS hardware and/or software; provide grants or invest in companies seeking to simplify software to create a better user experience for building managers. Support the development of open data standards and control protocols.
  • Issue or buy green bonds to deploy capital to projects that use BASs and integrate other green building practices.
  • Help policymakers set clear and measurable targets for building efficiency, emissions reduction, and the deployment of BASs in commercial buildings.
  • Help shift the focus of policymakers to broader policies on energy efficiency through the use of intelligent control.
  • Help create building codes that incentivize, facilitate, and/or phase in requirements for installing BASs in commercial buildings; help ensure building codes are enforced, are consistent, and offer clear guidelines; recommend additional incentives for buildings that exceed requirements.
  • Help design data security and privacy protection regulations for software and hardware; advocate for legal requirements for periodic reviews to keep pace with technological advances and require updates to policies as necessary; help ensure legal liabilities are placed on equipment manufacturers and data managers, not building managers.
  • Work with international scientific bodies to establish standards for protocols, universal compatibility, data security, and privacy protection; help align domestic with international standards.
  • Advocate for regulatory frameworks that discourage business practices that reduce adoption, such as planned obsolescence; help create regulatory standards that incentivize increasing the longevity of the hardware required for BASs.
  • Advocate for subsidies, tax breaks or other financial incentives for the deployment of BASs in commercial buildings; help target subsidies to low- and middle-income communities and recommend policymakers simultaneously offer incentives for broadband and digital connectivity; help ensure financial incentives cover both new installations and retrofits.
  • Help create regulatory frameworks that encourage the use of recycled materials for necessary hardware; advocate for requirements or incentives for future models to be recyclable and/or modular to facilitate upgrades and reduce e-waste.
  • Simultaneously advocate for investments in energy and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate connectivity; help policymakers plan and create backup power supplies and surge protection measures for electricity networks.
  • Create workforce training programs; create certification programs for retailers and installers; offer periodic retraining to keep pace with technological developments.
  • Offer one-stop educational resources for BASs; offer demonstrations for installation and programming, and clear instructions on how to integrate the necessary components through online videos and in-person demos; offer building managers simplified recommendations for BAS hardware and software with comparisons to alternatives; clearly state benefits of BASs highlighting the cost savings, social benefits, and environmental impacts.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Thought Leaders
  • Help policymakers set clear and measurable targets for building efficiency, emissions reduction, and BAS deployment in commercial buildings.
  • Help shift the focus of policymakers to broader energy efficiency policies through the use of intelligent control.
  • Help create building codes that incentivize, facilitate, and/or phase in requirements for installing BASs in commercial buildings; help ensure building codes are enforced, are consistent, and offer clear guidelines; recommend additional incentives for buildings that exceed requirements.
  • Help design data security and privacy protection regulations for software and hardware; advocate for legal requirements for periodic reviews to keep pace with technological advances and require updates to policies as necessary; help ensure legal liabilities are placed on equipment manufacturers and data managers, not building managers.
  • Work with international scientific bodies to establish standards for protocols, universal compatibility, data security, and privacy protection; help align domestic and international standards.
  • Advocate for regulatory frameworks that discourage business practices that reduce adoption such as planned obsolescence; help create regulatory standards that incentivize increasing the longevity of the hardware required for BASs.
  • Advocate for subsidies, tax breaks or other financial incentives for the deployment of BASs in commercial buildings; help target subsidies to low- and middle-income communities and recommend policymakers simultaneously offer incentives for broadband and digital connectivity; help ensure financial incentives cover both new installations and retrofits.
  • Help create regulatory frameworks that encourage the use of recycled materials for necessary hardware; advocate for requirements or incentives for future models to be recyclable and/or modular to facilitate upgrades and reduce e-waste.
  • Simultaneously advocate for investments in energy and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate connectivity; help policymakers plan and create backup power supplies and surge protection measures for electricity networks.
  • Create workforce training programs; create certification programs for retailers and installers; offer periodic retraining to keep pace with technological developments.
  • Offer one-stop educational resources for BASs; offer demonstrations for installation and programming, and clear instructions on how to integrate the necessary components through online videos and in-person demos; offer building managers simplified recommendations for BAS hardware and software with comparisons to alternatives; clearly state benefits of BASs highlighting the cost savings, social benefits, and environmental impacts.
  • Create or join green building certification schemes, green building councils, and/or public-private partnerships that offer information, training, and general support for BASs.

Further information:

Technologists and Researchers
  • Help create building automation protocols; make systems interoperable and, when possible, universally compatible with other BASs; help ensure product lines don’t lock facility managers into single vendor products and services; help resolve discrepancies in data formats and architectures to facilitate data exchange, integration, and efficiency.
  • Design BASs to facilitate upgrades in both software and hardware; create long-lasting products that are widely compatible with other necessary technology to decrease e-waste.
  • Help design BASs to be recyclable, use recycled materials, and require low amounts of raw materials.
  • Help create security measures for necessary software and hardware to protect privacy and data.
  • Create open-source platforms to allow for development and improve integration of BAS software.
  • Help design environmentally resilient hardware that can operate effectively in high temperatures and humidity. 
  • Help create more accurate models for building managers to determine energy and cost savings compared to initial costs for transitioning to BASs.
  • Help create simplified processes for software updates to allow building managers to carry out updates without needing a professional technician to assist.
  • Incorporate charging for electric vehicles into BASs to optimize energy and cost savings.

Further information:

Communities, Households, and Individuals
  • Inquire about the use of BASs in local public buildings and facilities and at your place of employment; encourage building owners and managers to adopt them.
  • Advocate for regulatory frameworks that discourage business practices that reduce adoption such as planned obsolescence; help create regulatory standards that incentivize increasing the longevity of the hardware required for BASs.
  • Advocate for subsidies, tax breaks, or other financial incentives to deploy BASs in commercial buildings; help ensure financial incentives cover both new installations and retrofits.
  • Simultaneously advocate for investments in energy and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate connectivity; help policymakers plan and create backup power supplies and surge protection measures for electricity networks.

Further information:

“Take Action” Sources

References

ABI Research. (2025). Number of commercial buildings with automation systems by region [Report]. Link to source: https://www.abiresearch.com/news-resources/chart-data/forecast-number-of-automated-commercial-buildings-by-region 

Abuimara, T., Hobson, B. W., Gunay, B., O’Brien, W., & Kane, M. (2021). Current state and future challenges in building management: Practitioner interviews and a literature review. Journal of Building Engineering, 41, Article 102803. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.102803 

Akbulut, L., Taşdelen, K., Atılgan, A., Malinowski, M., Coşgun, A., Şenol, R., Akbulut, A., & Petryk, A. (2025). A systematic review of building energy management systems (BEMSs): Sensors, IoT, and AI integration. Energies, 18(24), Article 6522. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246522 

Ayorinde, E., & Kekana, L. I. (2025). Exploring the barriers facing the adoption of building automation systems for energy efficiency in a developing economy. Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation, 15(2), 40–47. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.36615/jcpmi.v15i2.4371 

Backman, M. (2021). The commercial building automation market [Report]. Berg Insight. Link to source: https://media.berginsight.com/2021/02/07173719/bi-buildingautomation2-ps.pdf 

Domingues, P., Carreira, P., Vieira, R., & Kastner, W. (2016). Building automation systems: Concepts and technology review. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 45, 1–12. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csi.2015.11.005 

dos Santos, D. R., Dagrada, M., & Costante, E. (2021). Leveraging operational technology and the Internet of things to attack smart buildings. Journal of Computer Virology and Hacking Techniques, 17(1), 1–20. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11416-020-00358-8 

Ebuy, H. T., Bril El Haouzi, H., Benelmir, R., & Pannequin, R. (2023). Occupant behavior impact on building sustainability performance: A literature review. Sustainability, 15(3), Article 2440. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032440 

European Parliament, & Council of the European Union. (2024). Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European parliament and of the council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (Document No. 32024L1275). Official Journal of the European Union. Link to source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401275 

Fernandez, N., Xie, Y., Katipamula, S., Zhao, M., Wang, W., & Corbin, C. (2017). Impacts of commercial building controls on energy savings and peak load reduction (Report No. PNNL-25985). Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Link to source: https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-25985.pdf 

Fluke Coporation. (2009). Troubleshooting communications problems in building control systems. Fluke Corporation. Retrieved April 7, 2026, from Link to source: http://www.wecl.com.hk/Fluke/solutions/building-control-systems.pdf 

Garzia, F., Verbeke, S., Pozza, C., & Audenaert, A. (2023). Meeting user needs through building automation and control systems: A review of impacts and benefits in office environments. Buildings, 13(10), Article 2530. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102530 

Global Growth Insights. (2026). Building automation and control system market size, share, growth and industry analysis, by types (access control, electronic security and safety, energy management systems, fire and life safety, heating ventilation & air conditioning, other products), by applications (commercial, government, hospitality, industrial, institutional, IT/ITEs, residential, retail), regional insights and forecast to 2035 [Report GGI109442]. Retrieved February 12, 2026, from Link to source: https://www.globalgrowthinsights.com/market-reports/building-automation-and-control-system-market-109442 

Henneman, L., Choirat, C., Dedoussi, I., Dominici, F., Roberts, J., & Zigler, C. (2023). Mortality risk from United States coal electricity generation. Science, 382(6673), 941–946. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf4915 

International Energy Agency. (2023a). Energy consumption in buildings by fuel in the net zero scenario, 2010-2030. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/energy-consumption-in-buildings-by-fuel-in-the-net-zero-scenario-2010-2030-2 

International Energy Agency. (2023b). Global CO2 emissions from the operation of buildings in the net zero scenario, 2010-2030. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/global-co2-emissions-from-the-operation-of-buildings-in-the-net-zero-scenario-2010-2030 

International Energy Agency. (2023c). Global floor area and buildings energy intensity in the net zero scenario, 2010-2030. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/global-floor-area-and-buildings-energy-intensity-in-the-net-zero-scenario-2010-2030 

International Energy Agency. (2023d). Total floor area by use in the net zero scenario, 2010-2030. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/total-floor-area-by-use-in-the-net-zero-scenario-2010-2030-2 

International Energy Agency. (2025). Energy efficiency 2025. Link to source: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/23a80bb2-6985-4507-ab99-c1d700f6548b/EnergyEfficiency2025.pdf 

Li, G., Ren, L., Fu, Y., Yang, Z., Adetola, V., Wen, J., Zhu, Q., Wu, T., Candan, K. S., & O’Neill, Z. (2023). A critical review of cyber-physical security for building automation systems. Annual Reviews in Control, 55, 237–254. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcontrol.2023.02.004 

Morkunaite, L., Pupeikis, D., Jurelionis, A., Fokaides, P. A., & Papadopoulos, A. (2022). An analytical model for the impact of building control and automation upgrade on space heating energy efficiency. Buildings, 12(8), Article 1074. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12081074 

Mulayim, O. B., Prakash, A. K., Paul, L., & Pritoni, M. (2025). Extraction and analysis of time series data from building automation systems using large language models. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.20357/B73W4C 

O’Grady, T., Chong, H.-Y., & Morrison, G. M. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of building automation systems. Building and Environment, 195, Article 107770. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107770 

Oliveira, A. P., Carraquico, T., & Martinez-Perez, C. (2026). Beyond efficiency: A systematic review of energy consumption and carbon footprint across the AI lifecycle. Sustainability, 18(3), Article 1359. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031359 

Poyyamozhi, M., Murugesan, B., Rajamanickam, N., Shorfuzzaman, M., & Aboelmagd, Y. (2024). IoT—A promising solution to energy management in smart buildings: A systematic review, applications, barriers, and future scope. Buildings, 14(11), Article 3446. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113446 

Rai, A. (2026). Building automation systems market analysis & forecast: 2026-2033. Coherent Market Insights. Retrieved February 12, 2026, from Link to source: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/building-automation-systems-market-1350 

Taboada-Orozco, A., Yetongnon, K., & Nicolle, C. (2024). Smart buildings: A comprehensive systematic literature review on data-driven building management systems. Sensors, 24(13), Article 4405. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.3390/s24134405 

Trenbath, K., Meyer, R., Woldekidan, K., Maisha, K., & Harris, M. (2022). Commercial building sensors and control systems—Barriers, drivers, and costs [Technical report NREL/TP-6A50-82117]. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Link to source: https://docs.nlr.gov/docs/fy22osti/82117.pdf 

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2022a). Table B7. Building size, floorspace, 2018 [Data set]. Link to source: https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/bc/pdf/b7.pdf 

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2022b). Table B12. Selected principal building activity: Part 1, floorspace, 2018 [Data set]. Link to source: https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/bc/pdf/b12.pdf 

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2022c). Table B14. Selected principal building activity: Part 2, floorspace, 2018 [Data set]. Link to source: https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/bc/pdf/b14.pdf 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2026). Power sector programs—Progress report. Link to source: https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/progress-report 

van Roosmale, S., Audenaert, A., & Meysman, J. (2024). Understanding the opportunities and challenges of building automation and control systems to support facility management – An extensive literature review. Facilities, 42(7-8), 677–693. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1108/F-05-2023-0042 

Van Thillo, L., Verbeke, S., & Audenaert, A. (2022). The potential of building automation and control systems to lower the energy demand in residential buildings: A review of their performance and influencing parameters. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 158, Article 112099. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112099 

Vandenbogaerde, L., Verbeke, S., & Audenaert, A. (2023). Optimizing building energy consumption in office buildings: A review of building automation and control systems and factors influencing energy savings. Journal of Building Engineering, 76, Article 107233. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.107233 

Zarco-Soto, F. J., Zarco-Soto, I. M., Ali, S. S. S., & Zarco-Periñán, P. J. (2025). Energy consumption in buildings: A compilation of current studies. Energy Reports, 13, 1293–1307. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2024.12.069 

Credits

Lead Fellow

  • Heather McDiarmid Ph.D

Contributors

  • Ruthie Burrows, Ph.D.

  • James Gerber, Ph.D.

  • Daniel Jasper

  • Alex Sweeney

Internal Reviewers

  • Henry Igugu, Ph.D.

  • Amanda D. Smith, Ph.D.

  • Christina Swanson, Ph. D.

Methods and Supporting Data

Methods and Supporting Data

Comments / Questions

  • Greenhouse gas quantity expressed relative to CO₂ with the same warming impact over 100 years, calculated by multiplying emissions by the 100-yr GWP for the emitted gases.

  • Greenhouse gas quantity expressed relative to CO₂ with the same warming impact over 20 years, calculated by multiplying emissions by the 20-yr GWP for the emitted gases.

  • 8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture

  • Reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by preventing or reducing emissions.

  • A liquid with a low pH (below 7).

  • The process of increasing acidity.

  • The extent to which emissions reduction or carbon removal is above and beyond what would have occurred without implementing a particular action or solution.

  • An upper limit on solution adoption based on physical or technical constraints, not including economic or policy barriers. This level is unlikely to be reached and will not be exceeded.

  • The quantity and metric to measure implementation for a particular solution that is used as the reference unit for calculations within that solution.

  • A composting method in which organic waste is processed in freestanding piles that can be aerated actively with forced air or passively by internal convection.

  • The interactions of aerodynamic forces and flexible structures, often including the stucture's control system.

  • A process in which microbes break down organic materials in the presence of oxygen. This process converts food and green waste into nutrient-rich compost.

  • Establishment of new forests in areas that did not historically support forests.

  • Farming practices that work to create socially and ecologically sustainable food production.

  • Addition of trees and shrubs to crop or animal farming systems.

  • Artificial intelligence

  • Spread out the cost of an asset over its useful lifetime.

  • A process in which microorganisms break down organic material in the absence of oxygen. Methane and CO₂ are the main byproducts.

  • A crop that live one year or less from planting to harvest; also called annual.

  • Lacking dissolved oxygen but containing other sources of oxygen bound within molecules that can be stripped and used by microorganisms.

  • aerated static piles

  • Hardware required to support PV modules and arrays, including racking and mounting structures, wires, and other physical components.

  • Building automation system

  • Electric power delivered at a steady, around-the-clock rate, to cover power demand that exists at all times. Baseload power is typically supplied by high availability, low operating-cost plants, such as nuclear or geothermal.

  • A liquid with a high pH (above 7).

  • black carbon

  • Solar panels that generate electricity from sunlight captured on both sides, increasing energy output by reflecting light from the ground and surroundings.

  • Made from material of biological origin, such as plants, animals, or other organisms.

  • A renewable energy source generated from organic matter from plants and/or algae.

  • An energy source composed primarily of methane and CO₂ that is produced by microorganisms when organic matter decomposes in the absence of oxygen.

  • Carbon stored in biological matter, including soil, plants, fungi, and plant products (e.g., wood, paper, biofuels). This carbon is sequestered from the atmosphere but can be released through decomposition or burning.

  • Living or dead renewable matter from plants or animals, not including organic material transformed into fossil fuels. Peat, in early decay stages, is partially renewable biomass.

  • Biogas refined to the same quality as natural gas. CO₂ and impurities are removed, and the biomethane can be distributed and used in existing natural gas technologies.
     

  • A type of carbon sequestration that captures carbon from CO₂ via photosynthesis and stores it in soils, sediments, and biomass, distinct from sequestration through chemical or industrial pathways.

  • A synthetic organic compound used to make a type of hard, clear plastic for food and drink packaging and many consumer goods.

  • A climate pollutant, also called soot, produced from incomplete combustion of organic matter, either naturally (wildfires) or from human activities (biomass or fossil fuel burning).

  • A secure, decentralized way of digitally tracking transactions that could be used to improve the transparency and efficiency of carbon markets. 

  • Fixed income debt instruments focused on sustainable ocean projects. Blue bonds work in the same manner as traditional bonds and may be issued by corporations, financial institutions, and governments.

  • A global initiative launched by Germany and the IUCN in 2011 to restore 150 Mha of land by 2020 and 350 Mha by 2030.

  • High-latitude (>50°N or >50°S) climate regions characterized by short growing seasons and cold temperatures.

  • Balance-of-system

  • bisphenol A

  • Revenue from carbon credits reserved for payout to land- and rights-holders in the event of a disturbance such as a fire; similar to insurance scheme.

  • The components of a building that physically separate the indoors from the outdoor environment.

  • Businesses involved in the sale and/or distribution of solution-related equipment and technology, and businesses that want to support adoption of the solution.

  • Compound annual growth rate

  • A chemical reaction involving heating a solid to a high temperature; to make cement clinker, limestone is calcined into lime in a process that requires high heat and produces CO₂.

  • The ratio of the actual electricity an energy technology generates over a period of time to the maximum it could have produced if it operated continuously at full capacity.

  • A four-wheeled passenger vehicle.

  • Average number of people traveling in a car per trip.

  • Technologies that collect CO₂ before it enters the atmosphere, preventing emissions at their source. Collected CO₂ can be used onsite or in new products, or stored long term to prevent release.

  • A greenhouse gas that is naturally found in the atmosphere. Its atmospheric concentration has been increasing due to human activities, leading to warming and climate impacts.

  • Total GHG emissions resulting from a particular action, material, technology, or sector.

  • Amount of GHG emissions released per activity or unit of production. 

  • A marketplace where carbon credits are purchased and sold. One carbon credit represents activities that avoid, reduce, or remove one metric ton of GHG emissions.

  • A colorless, odorless gas released during the incomplete combustion of fuels containing carbon. Carbon monoxide can harm health and be fatal at high concentrations.

  • The time it takes for the emissions reduction from a measure to equal the emissions invested in implementing the measure.

  • Activities or technologies that pull CO₂ out of the atmosphere, including enhancing natural carbon sinks and deploying engineered sinks.

  • Long-term storage of carbon in soils, sediment, biomass, oceans, and geologic formations after removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere or CO₂ capture from industrial and power generation processes.

  • The interconnected pool of dissolved inorganic carbon forms in water. Composed of dissolved CO₂, carbonic acid, bicarbonate ions, and carbonate ions.

  • The stocking rate a pasture can sustain without degrading forage supply or vegetation condition.

  • carbon capture and storage

  • carbon capture, utilization, and storage

  • Cooling degree days

  • A binding ingredient in concrete responsible for most of concrete’s life-cycle emissions. Cement is made primarily of clinker mixed with other mineral components.

  • chlorofluorocarbon

  • Processes that use chemical reactions or heat to break down plastic waste into basic molecular components or feedstocks that can then be used to make new plastic products.

  • Process that uses chemical reactions or heat to break down plastic waste into basic molecular components that can be used to make new plastic products.

  • methane

  • A system in which resources, materials, and products are used for as long as possible through reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling.

  • Energy sources that have little to no negative environmental or climate impacts during operation relative to fossil fuel–based energy sources.

  • A factor that warms or cools the planet.

  • Gases or particles that have a planet-warming effect when released to the atmosphere. Some climate pollutants also cause other forms of environmental damage.

  • Areas that have natural buffers from local climate change impacts, offering safe havens for species and ecosystems.

  • A binding ingredient in cement responsible for most of the life-cycle emissions from cement and concrete production.

  • A waste management process where waste is made into the same original product, preserving quality and value so materials can be reused multiple times while keeping resources in continuous use.

  • A system that encompasses both forward supply chains (from producer to consumer) and reverse logistics for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal.

  • Neighbors, volunteer organizations, hobbyists and interest groups, online communities, early adopters, individuals sharing a home, and private citizens seeking to support the solution.

  • A solution that potentially lowers the benefit of another solution through reduced effectiveness, higher costs, reduced or delayed adoption, or diminished global climate impact.

  • The average annual rate at which a value grows over a specified period, assuming profits are reinvested and growth occurs steadily each year.

  • Funding with substantially more generous terms than market loans (typically due to lower interest rates, longer repayment periods, or partial grants) used to support projects with public or development benefits.

  • A farming system that combines reduced tillage, cover crops, and crop rotations.

  • The proportion of water used or applied that is evaporated, transpired, or incorporated into a product and therefore is not returned to the local hydrological system through runoff or leaching.

  • Risk-sharing financial agreements in which two parties (e.g., renewable generator, government) guarantee a fixed price (e.g., electricity price). If market prices fluctuate, one party pays the other the difference.

  • Persistent long, thin clouds that form behind aircraft when water vapor in the exhaust condenses, then freezes into ice crystals at high altitudes. 

  • A measure of the total space cooling demand to maintain an indoor temperature below 24 °C

  • carbon dioxide

  • A  measure standardizing the warming effects of greenhouse gases relative to CO₂. CO₂-eq is calculated as quantity (metric tons) of a particular gas multiplied by its GWP.

  • carbon dioxide equivalent

  • Plant materials left over after a harvest, such as stalks, leaves, and seed husks.

  • A granular material made by crushing broken or waste glass.

  • direct air capture

  • Financial agreements in which government creditors forgive a portion of debt in exchange for specific conservation commitments.

  • The process of cutting greenhouse gas emissions (primarily CO₂) from a particular sector or activity.

  • An industrial process that removes printing ink from used or waste paper fibers, creating clean pulp that can be turned into new paper products.

  • A solution that works slower than gradual solutions and is expected to take longer to reach its full potential.

  • Microbial conversion of nitrate into inert nitrogen gas under low-oxygen conditions, which produces the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide as an intermediate compound.

  • Electronic document that verifies whether a product has been manufactured according to environmental and social standards and/or material origins, environmental impact, and disposal recommendations.

  • Electronic documents that verify whether or not a product has been manufactured according to environmental and social standards and/or material origins, environmental impact, and disposal recommendations.

  • Greenhouse gas emissions produced as a direct result of the use of a technology or practice.

  • Electric power that can be increased, decreased, or turned on/off to match real-time fluctuations in grid conditions. Typically supplied by fast-responding plants such as natural gas, hydroelectric, or battery storage.

  • The inorganic forms of carbon dissolved in seawater. Composed of dissolved CO₂, carbonic acid, bicarbonate ions, and carbonate ions.

  • A system of underground distribution pipes that supply heat from centralized sources to a large number of buildings for space and water heating or industrial use.

  • A window consisting of two glass panes separated by a sealed gap and typically filled with air or an inert gas to improve the heat flow resistance.

  • A waste management system that transforms waste into different products of lower quality and value, making materials harder to recycle again and limiting reuse.

  • A measure of how long removed carbon stays out of the atmosphere.

  • Flexible benchmarks derived from independent, publicly available, frequently updated data sets.

  • European Energy Agency

  • Ability of a solution to reduce emissions or remove carbon, expressed in CO₂-eq per installed adoption unit. Effectiveness is quantified per year when the adoption unit is cumulative over time.

  • Enhanced geothermal system

  • Exajoule (one quintillion joules)

  • A process that uses electric current to drive a reaction, such as using electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

  • Produced by electrolysis.

  • Greenhouse gas emissions accrued over the lifetime of a material or product, including as it is produced, transported, used, and disposed of.

  • Solutions that work faster than gradual solutions, front-loading their impact in the near term.

  • Methane produced by microbes in the digestive tracts of ruminant livestock, such as cattle, sheep and goats.

  • The unintended capture of organisms in intake flows.

  • Environmental Protection Agency

  • Extended Producer Responsibility

  • expanded polystyrene

  • Environmental Research & Education Foundation

  • environmental, social, and governance

  • exchange-traded fund

  • A process triggered by an overabundance of nutrients in water, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, that stimulates excessive plant and algae growth and can harm aquatic organisms.

  • Electric vehicle

  • The movement of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere directly from land or water surfaces (evaporation) and through plant tissues (transpiration).

     

  • The scientific literature that supports our assessment of a solution's effectiveness.

  • A policy framework that assigns responsibility to producers for the end-of-life servicing of their products.

  • A group of human-made molecules that contain fluorine atoms. They are potent greenhouse gases with GWPs that can be hundreds to thousands times higher than CO₂.

  • Food, agriculture, land, and ocean

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

  • feed conversion ratio

  • The efficiency with which an animal converts feed into increased body mass, measured as the ratio of the weight of the feed given to weight gain. Lower FCR means less feed for the same growth.

  • A policy mechanism that incentivizes renewables through contracts that guarantee a set price for the electricity generated.

  • Raw material inputs for manufacturing, processing, and managing waste.

  • Containing or consisting of iron.

  • A measure of fishing activity over time and area, commonly measured by number of trips, vessel time, or gear deployed.

  • A solar PV system with panels mounted at a constant angle.

  • Glass is manufactured by floating molten glass on a molten tin bath, producing a smooth, flat product with high optical clarity, often used for window applications.

  • food loss and waste

  • Food discarded during pre-consumer supply chain stages, including production, harvest, and processing.

  • Food discarded during pre-consumer supply chain stages, including production, harvest, and processing, along with food discarded wt the retail and consumer stages of the supply chain.

  • Food discarded at the retail and consumer stages of the supply chain.

  • Combustible materials found in Earth's crust that can be burned for energy, including oil, natural gas, and coal. They are formed from decayed organisms through prehistoric geological processes.

  • Free, prior, and informed consent

  • A principled process of working with Indigenous communities that requires consent from Indigenous peoples for any decision, action, or activity that impacts their community and/or lands.

  • Unintentional leaks of gases or vapor into the atmosphere.

  • A group of countries representing the majority of the world's population, trade, and GDP. There are 19 member countries plus the European Union and the African Union

  • Gas collection and control system

  • A design or approach to policy, programs, or activities that addresses the different situations, roles, needs, and interests of women, men, girls, and boys.

  • Manipulating the environment to influence the quantities or impact of climate pollutants in the atmosphere.

  • A heavy-duty, low-permeability liner made mostly from synthetic plastics or rubber, used to block the movement of liquids or gases in engineered storage sites.

  • greenhouse gas

  • Global horizontal irradiance

  • gigajoule or billion joules

  • The glass layers or panes in a window.

  • The intensity of all solar radiant energy on a horizontal surface over a specific time frame, which limits PV power output. Measured as energy per area per year (kWh/m2/yr).

  • A measure of how effectively a gas traps heat in the atmosphere relative to CO₂. GWP converts greenhouse gases into CO₂-eq emissions based on their 20- or 100-year impacts.

  • A solution that has a steady impact on the atmosphere. Effectiveness is expected to be constant over time rather than having a higher impact in the near or long term.

  • A system that uses the slope of a field and furrows, borders, or flooding to apply water without pumping.

  • Hydrogen produced from natural gas, most commonly by combining heated steam with methane. Producing grey hydrogen emits CO₂ and leaks methane. Most hydrogen made today is grey.

  • A fixed income debt instrument focused on sustainable projects. Green bonds work in the same manner as traditional bonds and may be issued by corporations, financial institutions, and governments.

  • A fixed income debt instrument focused on sustainable projects. They work in the same manner as traditional bonds and may be issued by corporations, financial institutions, and governments.

  • Hydrogen gas made through electrolysis using electricity produced onsite using renewable energy sources.

  • The practice of charging more for renewable energy than for conventional energy to cover added costs .

  • Roofs that are designed to be partially or completely covered in vegetation.

  • Biomass discarded during landscaping and gardening.

  • A gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

  • The makeup of electricity generation on a power grid, showing the share contributed by various energy sources (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, hydro) relative to total electricity production.

  • A process by which GHGs dissolved in groundwater are released to the atmosphere when the groundwater is extracted from the aquifer.

  • metric gigatons or billion metric tons

  • global warming potential

  • A low-carbon steel-making technology that uses hydrogen from water, direct reduction of iron, and electric arc furnaces. 

  • hectare

  • household air pollution

  • A sector or process that is exceptionally challenging to decarbonize, often because of a lack of mature technology options.  

  • hydrochlorofluorocarbon

  • Number of years a person is expected to live without disability or other limitations that restrict basic functioning and activity.

  • A measure of the total space heating demand to maintain an indoor temperature above 18 °C

  • A unit of land area comprising 10,000 square meters, roughly equal to 2.5 acres.

  • Hybrid electric car

  • hydrofluorocarbon

  • hydrofluoroolefin

  • hydrofluoroolefin

  • high-income countries

  • Metal waste that is produced at a mill or foundry during the metal production process and recycled internally.

  • Particles and gases released from use of polluting fuels and technologies such as biomass cookstoves that cause poor air quality in and around the home.

  • heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration

  • Organic compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon.

  • Human-made F-gases that contain hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. They typically have short atmospheric lifetimes and GWPs hundreds or thousands times higher than CO₂. 

  • Human-made F-gases that contain hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon, with at least one double bond. They have low GWPs and can be climate-friendly alternatives to HFC refrigerants.

  • A recycling process that separates fibers from contaminants for reuse. Paper or cardboard is mixed with water to break down fibrous materials into pulp.

  • internal combustion engine

  • International Energy Agency

  • Aerobic decomposition of organic waste in a sealed container or bin/bay system. 

  • Greenhouse gas emissions produced as a result of a technology or practice but not directly from its use.

  • A solid block of purified silicon formed by melting and crystallizing raw silicon; it serves as the base material for slicing into wafers used in solar cells.

  • Device used to power vehicles by the intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust of fuel that drives moving parts.

  • The annual discount rate that balances net cash flows for a project over time. Also called IRR, internal rate of return is used to estimate profitability of potential investments.

  • Individuals or institutions willing to lend money in search of a return on their investment.

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

  • Indigenous peoples’ land

  • Integrated pest management.

  • internal rate of return

  • The timing and amount of irrigation water applied.

  • International Union for Conservation of Nature

  • The most comprehensive global list of species threatened with extinction, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

  • International agreement adopted in 2016 to phase down the use of high-GWP HFC F-gases over the time frame 2019–2047.

  • A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by 1,000 watts of power over one hour.

  • kiloton or one thousand metric tons

  • kilowatt-hour

  • The intentional or unintentional act of property use crossing ownership boundaries without permission.

  • A land-holding system, e.g. ownership, leasing, or renting. Secure land tenure means farmers or other land users will maintain access to and use of the land in future years.

  • Gases, mainly methane and CO₂, created by the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.

  • levelized cost of electricity

  • leak detection and repair

  • Regular monitoring for fugitive methane leaks throughout oil and gas, coal, and landfill sector infrastructure and the modification or replacement of leaking equipment.

  • Relocation of emissions-causing activities outside of a mitigation project area rather than a true reduction in emissions.

  • The rate at which solution costs decrease as adoption increases, based on production efficiencies, technological improvements, or other factors.

  • Percent decrease in costs per doubling of adoption.

  • A metric describing the expected break-even cost of generating electricity per megawatt-hour ($/MWh), combining costs related to capital, operation, and fuel (if used) and dividing by total output over the generator's lifetime.

  • landfill gas

  • Greenhouse gas emissions from the sourcing, production, use, and disposal of a technology or practice.

  • A process that converts biomass, plastics, or other solid wastes into liquid fuel or chemicals.

  • The total weight of an organism before any meat processing.

  • low- and middle-income countries

  • liquefied petroleum gas

  • land use change

  • A measure of the amount of light produced by a light source per energy input.

  • live weight

  • Mobility as a Service

  • marginal abatement cost curve

  • Livestock grazing practices that strategically manage livestock density, grazing intensity, and timing. Also called improved grazing, these practices have environmental, soil health, and climate benefits, including enhanced soil carbon sequestration.

  • Intertidal coastal wetlands with salt-tolerant trees and shrubs found in tropical and subtropical regions.

  • A tool to measure and compare the financial cost and abatement benefit of individual actions based on the initial and operating costs, revenue, and emission reduction potential.

  • Periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures that typically last from days to months and can affect large areas of the ocean.

  • Defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as: "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values." References to PAs here also include other effective area-based conservation measures defined by the IUCN. 

  • The transfer of economic activity or environmental impact from one area to another as a result of conservation activities, often having the effect of reducing or offsetting intended benefits.

  • The transfer of economic activity or environmental impact from one location to another as a result of conservation activities, often having the effect of reducing or offsetting intended benefits.

  • A facility that receives recyclable waste from residential, commercial, and industrial sources; separates, processes, and prepares them; and then sells them to manufacturers for reuse in new products.

  • A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by one million watts of power over one hour.

  • A greenhouse gas with a short lifetime and high GWP that can be produced through a variety of mechanisms including the breakdown of organic matter.

  • A measure of mass equivalent to 1,000 kilograms (~2,200 lb), also known as tonne.

  • million hectares

  • The natural process by which microbes convert matter to energy, often producing CO₂ or other GHGs as a byproduct.

  • Soils mostly composed of inorganic materials formed through the breakdown of rocks. Most soils are mineral soils, and they generally have less than 20% organic matter by weight.

  • A localized electricity system that independently generates and distributes power. Typically serving limited geographic areas, mini-grids can operate in isolation or interconnected with the main grid.

  • Reduce adverse impact of

  • A reduction in adverse impact

  • megajoule or one million joules

  • Digital platform that integrates transport modes such as public transit, carpooling, and bike sharing into a single service, allowing users to plan, book, and pay for multimodal trips through one application.

  • Percent of trips made by different passenger and freight transportation modes.

  • A condition of being diseased, unhealthy, or injured.

  • Marine Protected Area

  • materials recovery facility

  • Municipal solid waste

  • megaton or million metric tons

  • Materials discarded from residential and commercial sectors, including organic waste, glass, metals, plastics, paper, and cardboard.

  • megawatt

  • Megawatt-hour

  • micro wind turbine

  • square meter kelvins per watt (a measure of thermal resistance, also called R-value)

  • nitrous oxide

  • The enclosed housing at the top of a wind turbine tower that contains the main mechanical and electrical components of the turbine.

  • A commitment from a country to reduce national emissions and/or sequester carbon in alignment with global climate goals under the Paris Agreement, including plans for adapting to climate impacts.

  • A gaseous form of hydrocarbons consisting mainly of methane.

  • Chemicals found in nature that are used for cooling and heating, such as CO₂, ammonia, and some hydrocarbons. They have low GWPs and are ozone friendly, making them climate-friendly refrigerants.

  • The rate of primary production for photosynthetic organisms, excluding the carbon they respire for their own metabolic processes.

  • The rate at which photosynthetic organisms convert carbon dioxide into organic matter, minus the carbon they respire for their own metabolic processes.

  • Microbial conversion of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrate under aerobic conditions.

  • A group of air pollutant molecules composed of nitrogen and oxygen, including NO and NO₂.

  • A greenhouse gas produced during fossil fuel combustion and agricultural and industrial processes. N₂O is hundreds of times more potent than CO₂ at trapping atmospheric heat, and it depletes stratospheric ozone.

  • Metals or alloys that do not contain significant amounts of iron.

  • Social welfare organizations, civic leagues, social clubs, labor organizations, business associations, and other not-for-profit organizations.

  • A material or energy source that relies on resources that are finite or not naturally replenished at the rate of consumption, including fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.

  • nitrogen oxides

  • Net primary production

  • nitrous oxide

  • The process of increasing the acidity of seawater, primarily caused by absorption of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

  • An agreement between a seller who will produce future goods and a purchaser who commits to buying them, often used as project financing for producers prior to manufacturing.

  • Waste made of plant or animal matter, including food waste and green waste.

  • Systems to connect buyers with a network of smallholder farmers to stabilize supply and demand (sometimes called "contract farming.”

  • organic waste

  • Protected area

  • Protected Area

  • A certification that verifies a metric ton of packaging waste has been recovered and is being exported for reprocessing.

  • A certification that verifies a metric ton of packaging waste has been recovered and reprocessed.

  • Productive use of wet or rewetted peatlands that does not disturb the peat layer, such as for hunting, gathering, and growing wetland-adapted crops for food, fiber, and energy.

  • A legally protected area that lacks effective enforcement or management, resulting in minimal to no conservation benefit.

  • Airborne particles composed of solids and liquids.

  • A measure of transporting one passenger over a distance of one kilometer.

  • Incentive payments to landowners or managers to conserve natural resources and promote healthy ecological functions or ecosystem services.

  • Small, hardened pieces of plastic made from cooled resin that can be melted to make new plastic products.

  • Transitional zone between urban and rural areas that combines features of both such as housing, farms, lower-density development, and mixed land uses.

  • The longevity of any greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals. Solution impacts are considered permanent if the risk of reversing the positive climate impacts is low within 100 years.

  • Packaging waste export recovery note

  • High-efficiency solar cells with a traditional silicon base and a thin-film perovskite layer on top that allows the combined cell to capture more energy without significantly increasing its size.

  • Advanced solar cells combining perovskite and silicon layers to capture more of the solar spectrum, achieving higher efficiency than conventional silicon cells.

  • Payments for ecosystem services

  • A mixture of hydrocarbons, small amounts of other organic compounds, and trace amounts of metals used to produce products such as fuels or plastics.

  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of synthetic chemicals that do not degrade easily in the environment. They can pollute the environment and can have negative impacts on human health.

  • A measure of the acidity (pH<7) or alkalinity (pH>7) of a solution.

  • Reduce the use of a material or practice over time.

  • Eliminate the use of a material or practice over time.

  • Plug-in hybrid electric car

  • Private, national, or multilateral organizations dedicated to providing aid through in-kind or financial donations.

  • A chemical or material that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction when exposed to light without being consumed.

  • An atmospheric reaction among sunlight, VOCs, and nitrogen oxide that leads to ground-level ozone formation. Ground-level ozone, a component of smog, harms human health and the environment.

  • The process by which certain materials, such as those in solar cells, convert sunlight into electricity by releasing electrons.

  • The process by which sunlight is converted into electricity. When light hits certain materials, such as those in solar panels, it mobilizes electrons, creating an electric current.

  • A family of synthetic organic compounds used to make plastics softer, more flexible, and durable. They are added to a wide range of plastics for consumer and industrial uses.

  • polyisocyanurate

  • The adjustment of turbine blade angles around their long axis in which a control system rotates blades slightly forward or backward to regulate wind capture and optimize electricity generation.

  • passenger kilometer

  • particulate matter

  • Particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter that can harm human health when inhaled.

  • Elected officials and their staff, bureaucrats, civil servants, regulators, attorneys, and government affairs professionals.

  • System in a vehicle that generates power and delivers it to the wheels. It typically includes an engine and/or motor, transmission, driveshaft, and differential.

  • Purchase Power Agreement.

  • Purchase Power Agreements

  • Parts per million

  • People who most directly interface with a solution and/or determine whether the solution is used and/or available. 

  • A chemical reaction that creates a solid from a solution.

  • A substance that is the starting material for a chemical reaction that forms a different substance.

  • Extraction of naturally occurring resources from the Earth, including mining, logging, and oil and gas refining. These resources can be used in raw or minimally processed forms to produce materials.

  • The process of converting inorganic matter, including carbon dioxide, into organic matter (biomass), primarily by photosynthetic organisms such as plants and algae.

  • Packaging waste recovery note

  • Defined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values". References to PAs here also include other effective area-based conservation measures defined by the IUCN. 

  • A process that separates and breaks down wood and other raw materials into fibers that form pulp, the base ingredient for making paper products.

  • polyurethane

  • Long-term contract between a company (the buyer) and a renewable energy producer (the seller).

  • Long-term contracts between a company (the buyer) and a renewable energy producer (the seller).

  • photovoltaic

  • Petawatt-hour, equal to 1 billion MWh

  • research and development

  • An atom, molecule, or ion that contains at least one unpaired valence electron, making it highly reactive and often short-lived.

  • A situation in which improvements in efficiency or savings lead to consumers increasing consumption, partially or fully offsetting or exceeding the emissions or cost benefits.

  • renewable energy certificate

  • Chemical or mixture used for cooling and heating in refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment. Refrigerants absorb and release heat as they move between states under changing pressure.

  • The amount of refrigerant needed for a particular refrigeration, air conditioning, or heat pump system.

  • A group of approaches to farming and ranching that emphasizes enhancing the health of soil by restoring its carbon content and providing other benefits to the farm and surrounding ecosystem.

  • A solution that can increase the beneficial impact of another solution through increased effectiveness, lower costs, improved adoption, enhanced global climate impact, and/or other benefits to people and nature.

  • A material or energy source that relies on naturally occuring and replenishing resources such as plant matter, wind, or sunlight.

  • A market-based instrument that tracks ownership of renewable energy generation.

  • The moldable form of raw plastic material, created by melting down waste or virgin plastics and serving as the building block for creating new plastic goods.

  • The process of moving items from end users (e.g., consumers) back to the sellers or manufacturers to reuse, recycle, or dispose of. This can include transportation, cleaning, sorting, and more.

  • The risk that removed or stored carbon can be released into the atmosphere. Lower reversibility means the carbon is more securely stored.


     

  • Hiring a vehicle to take a passenger or passengers to a particular destination.

  • U.N. treaties to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification. They include the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

  • A class of animals with complex stomachs that can digest grass. Most grazing livestock are ruminants including cows, sheep, and goats along with several other species.

  • sustainable aviation fuel

  • A wetland ecosystem regularly flooded by tides and containing salt-tolerant plants, such as grasses and herbs.

  • Intertidal coastal wetlands with salt-tolerant plants.

  • An ecosystem characterized by low-density tree cover that allows for a grass subcanopy.

  • Very large or small numbers are formatted in scientific notation. A positive exponent multiplies the number by powers of ten; a negative exponent divides the number by powers of ten.

  • Seasonal coefficient of performance

  • Sustainable Development Goals

  • Average units of heat energy released for every unit of electrical energy consumed, used to measure heat pump efficiency.

  • A single pane window (glass and frame) added to an existing single-glazed window, converting the unit into double glazing, with each pane independently operable.

  • A practice in which multiple utility companies own and operate high-voltage power lines, sharing both costs and benefits.

  • A window consisting of one glass pane without any additional insulating layers.

  • Small-scale family farmers and other food producers, often with limited resources, usually in the tropics. The average size of a smallholder farm is two hectares (about five acres).

  • Devices that control indoor temperature according to user-defined schedules or conditions.

  • soil organic carbon

  • The process of using direct, real-world observations to verify, validate, and/or improve data and models about social systems, often using in-person observations in the field.

  • Carbon stored in soils, including both organic (from decomposing plants and microbes) and inorganic (from carbonate-containing minerals).

  • Carbon stored in soils in organic forms (from decomposing plants and microbes). Soil organic carbon makes up roughly half of soil organic matter by weight.

  • Biologically derived matter in soils, including living, dead, and decayed plant and microbial tissues. Soil organic matter is roughly half carbon on a dry-weight basis.

  • A measure of the intensity of solar radiant energy on a surface, measured in watts per square meter (W/m2) or power per unit area.

  • Reducing global warming by increasing how much of the sun's radiation is reflected back to space and/or decreasing how much of the Earth's radiative heat is trapped in the atmosphere. 

  • A material's ability to reflect solar radiation incident on its surface, often reported as a fraction or percentage.

  • soil organic matter

  • A substance that takes up another liquid or gas substance, either by absorbtion or adsorption.

  • sulfur oxides

  • sulfur dioxide

  • The rate at which a climate solution physically affects the atmosphere after being deployed. At Project Drawdown, we use three categories: emergency brake (fastest impact), gradual, or delayed (slowest impact).

  • Climate regions between latitudes 23.4° to 35° above and below the equator characterized by warm summers and mild winters.

  • A polluting gas produced primarily from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes that directly harms the environment and human health.

  • A group of gases containing sulfur and oxygen that predominantly come from burning fossil fuels. They contribute to air pollution, acid rain, and respiratory health issues.

  • Processes, people, and resources involved in producing and delivering a product from supplier to end customer, including material acquisition.

  • Sport utility vehicle

  • A mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and other gases, used to produce chemicals like ammonia and methanol, or as a synthetic fuel made from non-fossil feedstocks, including biomass and waste.

  • metric ton

  • metric tons

  • Technology developers, including founders, designers, inventors, R&D staff, and creators seeking to overcome technical or practical challenges.

  • Climate regions between 35° to 50° above and below the equator characterized by moderate mean annual temperatures and distinct seasons, with warm summers and cold winters.

  • A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by one trillion watts of power over one hour.

  • trifluoroacetic acid

  • trifluoroacetic acid

  • A measurement indicating the ability of a material to release heat after it has been absorbed.

  • A measure of how well a material prevents heat flow, often called R-value or RSI-value for insulation. A higher R-value means better thermal performance.

  • A measure of the rate of heat flow or heat transfer through a material or building component. A lower U-value means better thermal performance.

  • Individuals with an established audience for their work, including public figures, experts, journalists, and educators.

  • Charges for disposal of materials paid to facility operators. Fees can be charged per ton of waste disposed or based on economic indicators such as the Consumer Price Index.

  • A solar PV systems with panels that move automatically to follow the sun’s path, maximizing energy capture and improving efficiency over fixed systems.

  • A window consisting of three panes of glass separated by two insulating inert gas-filled layers, providing more heat flow resistance than single or double glazing.

  • Low-latitude (23.4°S to 23.4°N) climate regions near the Equator characterized by year-round high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.

  • Terawatt, equal to 1,000 gigawatts

  • terawatt-hour

  • United Nations

  • United Nations Environment Programme

  • U.S. Composting Council

  • Self-propelled machine for transporting passengers or freight on roads.

  • A measure of one vehicle traveling a distance of one kilometer.

  • How easily and reliably a carbon‑removal claim can be measured and independently confirmed as accurate; part of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) for carbon removal.

  • Aerobic decomposition of organic waste by earthworms and microorganisms.

  • vehicle kilometer

  • volatile organic compound

  • Gases made of organic, carbon-based molecules that are readily released into the air from other solid or liquid materials. Some VOCs are greenhouse gases or can harm human health.

  • watt (a measure of power or energy transfer.)

  • Watts per square meter Kelvin

  • A thin, flat slice of silicon cut from an ingot and processed to create individual solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity.

  • Landscape waste, storm debris, wood processing residues, and recovered post-consumer wood.

  • A framework for waste management that ranks options by their sustainability: 1) prevent (do not purchase unnecessary waste), 2) reduce, 3) reuse, 4) recycle, 5) recover, 6) dispose.

  • A measure of how much free water is available for microbes to use. It ranges from 0 (completely dry) to 1 (pure water), and low values (<0.60) indicate conditions too dry for microbes to function.

  • A measure of power equal to one joule per second.

  • World Conservation Monitoring Centre

  • Using strategies such as insulation, air sealing, ventilation, and moisture control to upgrade a building’s exterior structure, making indoors more comfortable and energy efficient.

  • Aerobic decomposition of organic waste in long, narrow rows called windrows. Windrows are generally twice as long as they are wide.

  • A subset of forest ecosystems that may have sparser canopy cover,  smaller-stature trees, and/or trees characterized by basal branching rather than a single main stem.

  • extruded polystyrene

  • The rotation of the nacelle (the enclosed housing at the top of a wind turbine tower that contains the main mechanical and electrical components of the turbine) so that the rotor blades are always facing directly into the wind.

  • year-over-year

  • year

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