Impact of the clean energy structure of building operation on the co-benefits of CO2 and air pollutant emission reductions in Chinese provinces

Abstract

Energy consumption in the building sector is an essential source of CO2 and air pollution. Identifying the impact of changes in the energy structure on emission trends is the basis of scientific control measures. However, the co-benefits of CO2 and air pollutant emission reductions generated by the change in energy structure for different building types in China are still unknown. Using the cases of 30 provincial regions in China, based on detailed local electricity, heat, and household energy consumption data and emission factors, we established provincial CO2 and air pollutant emissions from building operations during 2016–2020. The impact of changes in the energy structure on the co-benefits of air pollutants emission reduction was investigated. Results showed that in 2020, building operation energy consumption in China was 610 Mtce. CO2 emissions were 2.53 Gt, and emissions of PM2.5, SO2, and NOX were 0.18, 0.38, and 0.48 Mt, respectively. From 2016 to 2020, urban public buildings contributed the highest to CO2 and air pollutant emissions. The CO2, PM2.5, SO2, and NOX indirect emissions of electricity increased by 52.3, 46.0, 45.2, and 52.5%, respectively. In 2020, the co-benefits of PM2.5 and SO2 emission reduction from the clean energy structure of building operations were higher than that of NOX emission reduction, and the value of comprehensive co-benefits of air pollutants was 1.5. This work fills the gap in the evaluation of the co-benefits of air pollutants with low-carbon energy for different building types, and the crucial sub-sectors in each region with high co-benefits have been picked out.