What Colour is your Building?

Introduction

People using buildings use energy, constructing and refurbishing buildings requires energy, and commuting to and from buildings consumes energy. Nearly all of this energy comes from the combustion of fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The purpose of this book is to quantify the energy consumption and whole carbon footprint of buildings, primarily offices, and to provide practical guidance on how to reduce these. The footprint comprises:

• operating – the electricity, gas and other fuels used in a building for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, hot water, computers, servers and other equipment ...