There’s more to buildings than meets the eye: They hold a key to net zero emissions

At first look, buildings may appear like inert structures, giant boxes made of concrete, steel and glass. But on the inside, they provide space for many activities, most of which require energy. Energy consumption in buildings is needed for lighting, heating, cooling, cooking and powering all sorts of devices. Buildings account for about one third of the world’s final energy use and are key to achieving net zero emissions by mid-century. But in order to play their role in the transition to net zero, buildings must switch from being passive and inefficient energy consumers into active participants in the energy system.