Image Source: Donna McIntire-Byrd, OBO
After energy assessment of several residences, U.S. Embassy Kathmandu added requirements to their ‘Housing Pre-Leasing Checklist,’ including programmable thermostats, faucet aerators, water-efficient toilets, and site-lighting photocells.
Overview
Homeowners and renters can play a significant role in reaching environmental goals. In the United States, residential buildings account for 19% of the nation’s total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 20% of the nation’s total energy consumption.1,2 Residential building operations also contribute to air quality issues. More than 50% of premature deaths due to pneumonia among children under five are caused by the particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution.3 Environmental tobacco smoke is another indoor environmental contaminant in the home that poses significant respiratory health risks, including bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma, particularly to young children. Finally, housing raises challenges related to material selection. For example, many older homes may contain lead-based paint or asbestos-containing materials, which can expose people to toxins through paint chips, dust, and contaminated soil.
Resident comfort and health can be improved by implementing strategies that address energy, water, materials, waste, and indoor air quality (IAQ). As seen in Figure 1, home energy use, food and drink, and purchases account for roughly half of an individual’s carbon footprint.
Addressing energy and water use, waste generation and indoor air quality is critical to overall sustainability progress as well as saving utility costs for residents.
Figure 1: Residential carbon footprint in the U.S.
