OIES Podcast – The role of cities and local specificities in the decarbonization of heat in the European buildings sector

In this podcast David Ledesma discusses with Takeshi Miyamori and Ji Soo Yoon, Kristina Lygnerud and Marek Miara the role of cities and local specificities in the decarbonization of heat in the European buildings sector. Takeshi Miyamori and Ji Soo Yoon argue the energy and climate battle will be won or lost in cities and that only a coordinated effort across national and local governments can get us closer to energy security and a net-zero future. Building stock differs across places in terms of age, size, tenure, usage, and energy performance and national governments cannot tap into the full potential for decarbonizing buildings without subnational policy actions and targeted support to cities and regions.  A perfect example of this is the potential of urban waste heat. Kristina Lygnerud highlights some of the key findings from the ReUseHeat project and concludes that the current context of climate urgency in combination with a war that has forced Europe to shift away from gas has led to a situation where we need to make the best possible use of available resources, and urban waste heat should be one. The technology and the resource are already there.  Finally, Marek Miara focuses on the building level and sheds some lights on the application of heat pumps in existing buildings. Contrary to popular belief, the author argues that houses do not have to be extensively renovated to allow for an installation of a heat pump, although of course, the lower the heat losses, the more efficiently a heat pump can operate.

The decarbonization of buildings will need to have a central role in the European transition to a zero-carbon future, but the task is enormous and lacks implementation speed. Read more in our latest edition of the Oxford Energy Forum: Issue 135 – Decarbonizing heat in the European buildings sector: options, progress and challenges

By: OIES

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