Rethinking the role of efficiency for the decarbonization of buildings is essential

Abstract

Antoine Levesque is a postdoctoral researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research (PIK), where he started working in 2014. His research focuses on the decarbonization of buildings, efficiency policies, and energy demand projections. Prior to the PIK, he worked at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. He earned a PhD in economics at the Technische Universität Berlin (2021). Sebastian Osorio is a postdoc researcher at the PIK in the “Climate and Energy Policy” group. His work concentrates on applying energy systems models to evaluate low-carbon policies, with a clear focus on the EU power sector, the Emission Trading System, and their interaction with the decarbonization of buildings. Sebastian holds a PhD in information systems from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Sebastian Herkel is head of the “Energy Efficient Buildings” department at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany. He graduated from University of Karlsruhe with the degree of diplom-ingenieur in mechanical engineering. Sebastian Herkel is a researcher working in applied research in building energy performance and renewable energy systems. His focus is on integral energy concepts for buildings and neighborhoods, scientific analysis of building performance, and technologies for integration of renewable energy in buildings. Michael Pahle is head of the working group “Climate and Energy Policy” at the PIK. He holds a PhD in economics from TU Berlin. His research focuses on carbon pricing and more recently on climate policies for the buildings sector. He is co-principle investigator for Germany’s largest household panel on energy efficiency. Based on his research, Michael advises the German government and EU institutions. He is a member of the Global Climate Policy Partnership, a US-based global network of research institutions that helps major economies and businesses achieve ambitious climate goals. Antoine Levesque is a postdoctoral researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research (PIK), where he started working in 2014. His research focuses on the decarbonization of buildings, efficiency policies, and energy demand projections. Prior to the PIK, he worked at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. He earned a PhD in economics at the Technische Universität Berlin (2021). Sebastian Osorio is a postdoc researcher at the PIK in the “Climate and Energy Policy” group. His work concentrates on applying energy systems models to evaluate low-carbon policies, with a clear focus on the EU power sector, the Emission Trading System, and their interaction with the decarbonization of buildings. Sebastian holds a PhD in information systems from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Sebastian Herkel is head of the “Energy Efficient Buildings” department at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany. He graduated from University of Karlsruhe with the degree of diplom-ingenieur in mechanical engineering. Sebastian Herkel is a researcher working in applied research in building energy performance and renewable energy systems. His focus is on integral energy concepts for buildings and neighborhoods, scientific analysis of building performance, and technologies for integration of renewable energy in buildings. Michael Pahle is head of the working group “Climate and Energy Policy” at the PIK. He holds a PhD in economics from TU Berlin. His research focuses on carbon pricing and more recently on climate policies for the buildings sector. He is co-principle investigator for Germany’s largest household panel on energy efficiency. Based on his research, Michael advises the German government and EU institutions. He is a member of the Global Climate Policy Partnership, a US-based global network of research institutions that helps major economies and businesses achieve ambitious climate goals.