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The assessment examines the adoption of solar water heaters, rooftop solar PV, efficient cooling/HVAC, and LED lighting across three Caribbean nations. It finds that while there is demand for these technologies, significant economic, institutional, and social barriers—particularly gender-blind policies and limited access to finance—hinder a 'Just Transition'. The report recommends capacity building for government stakeholders, gender-sensitive financial tools, and inclusive engagement strategies to ensure vulnerable populations benefit from the energy transition.

Climate Central's analysis of 65 major U.S. cities reveals that approximately 76% of the 6.2 million K-12 public school students in these areas attend school in 'extreme urban heat zones,' where the built environment adds at least 8°F of additional heat. The average student in these cities attends school in a neighborhood that is 8.3°F hotter due to the built environment, with the highest average additional heat found in New York City (9.6°F). The report highlights that children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related health risks, which can impair academic achievement and development, while noting that 41% of public school districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools.

The document assesses three types of multifunction mechanical systems designed to reduce the cost and disruption of building decarbonization retrofits in multifamily housing. It examines fully packaged systems (e.g., Systemair Genius), partially packaged systems (e.g., Villara AquaThermAire), and distributed systems (e.g., Ephoca AIO WM paired with SanCO2), focusing on their ability to integrate heating, cooling, ventilation, and domestic hot water (DHW) using low global warming potential refrigerants.

The electronics industry accounts for over 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven by digitization and automation. This report focuses on energy efficiency in final assembly, testing, and packaging (FATP) facilities, noting that leading companies have achieved up to 30% energy savings in existing facilities with minimal costs. The analysis provides a guide for FATP operations and other industries using similar HVAC, compressed air, and lighting systems to implement scalable energy-saving solutions.

Climate Central analyzed cooling degree days (CDD) across 243 U.S. locations, finding that 95% experienced increased cooling demand during the back-to-school period (July 17 to September 8) since 1970. Over the last decade, human-caused climate change increased this demand by approximately 34%. The report highlights that extreme heat negatively impacts children's learning and health, while many U.S. schools lack the necessary HVAC infrastructure to adapt to these rising temperatures.

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth to provide efficient heating and cooling with zero direct emissions. While installation costs are higher than fossil fuel alternatives, the Inflation Reduction Act provides tax credits and rebates that can reduce these costs by up to 50%. In the U.S. Midwest, GHPs can reduce emissions by 85-90% compared to gas or propane furnaces and use approximately 80% less energy annually. The document highlights 'networked geothermal' systems for campuses and neighborhoods as a way to achieve over 500% efficiency and lower individual costs through economies of scale.

The Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Indiana has significantly reduced its carbon footprint and energy costs through a series of sustainable upgrades. Central to these efforts was the 2007 completion of a 31,500 square foot library, which became the first LEED-certified theological library in North America by utilizing a ground-source geothermal heat pump system and other high-performance design elements. Between 2013 and 2022, the seminary decreased its annual energy consumption by approximately two-thirds by implementing recommendations from an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit, replacing outdated 1950s boilers with fuel-efficient models, and installing two solar arrays (50-kW and 80-kW) that have offset over 320 tons of carbon emissions.

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts implemented a series of energy efficiency projects, most notably replacing a 40-year-old boiler with a 92 percent efficient three-way steam system. This project was funded through a combination of a $250,000 state grant, a $16,000 utility rebate, and a $384,016 C-PACE loan. The theater also utilized the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit Program to attract donor funding for LED lighting, air handling units, heat pumps, and roof insulation. These measures have resulted in annual energy savings of $60,000 and an annual reduction of 37.2 metric tons of carbon emissions.

The report examines the potential for decarbonizing Canada's residential building sector by replacing central air conditioners with heat pumps. It identifies five primary barriers to adoption—lack of familiarity, the infrequent nature of HVAC replacement, short decision windows during emergencies, limited stock, and higher initial costs. The authors model a scenario where all new central air conditioners are replaced by heat pumps from 2025 to 2035, projecting a net benefit of 12.6 billion CAD, including 10.4 billion CAD in energy bill savings and a reduction of 19.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The document proposes several policy interventions, including national equipment regulations, updated building codes, and upstream incentives for distributors and manufacturers, while highlighting the importance of energy justice for low-income tenants and vulnerable populations.

Walnut Hill Community Church in Connecticut implemented a long-term energy efficiency strategy based on a 2016 professional audit. The church focused on overhauling its HVAC systems, specifically at the Bethel Hall campus, by replacing outdated water chillers and boilers with a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pump system and smart thermostats. These measures, funded through a mix of internal capital, utility rebates, and zero-interest financing from Eversource's Energize Connecticut program, have resulted in a 12% annual reduction in electricity and propane costs, totaling $18,042 in annual savings.

The report examines the role of the buildings sector in global GHG emissions, which account for 37% of energy-related emissions. It identifies key technical solutions for decarbonization, including reducing embodied carbon in materials and improving operational efficiency in heating and cooling. The document evaluates various financial instruments—ranging from traditional mortgages to specialized on-bill financing—and policy tools like building codes and green labels. It emphasizes that the transition requires a network of instruments tailored to different building archetypes and regional contexts, providing specific deep dives into the unique challenges and opportunities in Nigeria and Indonesia.

The John Madden Company (JMC) implemented a $7.1 million energy efficiency project for two buildings in Greenwood Village, Colorado, achieving 30 percent energy savings. By utilizing Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing, JMC overcame the 'split incentive' problem common in leased buildings, as the loan is repaid as a property tax assessment rather than an operating expense. The project bundled high-efficiency rooftop units with shorter-payback measures like advanced submetering and controls to ensure the investment remained cost-neutral for tenants from day one. The C-PACE mechanism allowed for an 18-year simple payback period, reducing risk for the owner because the loan remains attached to the property regardless of ownership changes.

The legal marijuana industry in the US creates significant electricity demand due to high-intensity lighting and climate control, with Colorado's industry consuming 300 GWh in 2015. To mitigate the impact on carbon goals and grid stability, the document recommends that utilities support LED adoption through rebates and on-bill financing to overcome capital limitations. It further suggests using time-varying rates to shift lighting schedules to periods of low net load—such as midday in California for solar or nighttime in Colorado for wind—to avoid peak demand and reduce reliance on fossil fuel generation.

The briefing advocates for redefining thermal comfort in buildings by moving away from monolithic central heating and cooling systems toward a model based on six variables: air temperature, air velocity, activity level, clothing level, surface temperature, and humidity. Using the ASHRAE 55 standard and the CBE Thermal Comfort Tool, designers can use the Predictive Mean Vote (PMV) metric to create more energy-efficient, occupant-centric environments. The author details the application of this approach at RMI's Innovation Center in Basalt, Colorado, highlighting the necessity of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) to manage the risks associated with passive design and the complexity of integrating multiple targeted systems. The document emphasizes that achieving such efficiency requires a paradigm shift in risk allocation, long-term system tuning, and active occupant engagement.

The document highlights that energy efficiency upgrades, particularly attic insulation, can provide a high return on investment in terms of home resale value. It references the Remodeling magazine Cost vs. Value Report to show that attic insulation was the only project with a greater-than-100-percent cost vs. value ratio nationally, yielding a 166 percent return. Beyond resale value, the briefing identifies operational cost savings, improved thermal comfort, and health benefits—such as an 85 percent drop in hospital admissions for children with asthma following comprehensive retrofits—as key drivers for homeowners. Other value-adding upgrades mentioned include solar PV systems, high-efficiency HVAC systems, envelope improvements, and advanced water heating technologies.

The report analyzes eight case studies—seven federal and one municipal—that utilized Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) to achieve deep energy retrofits. These projects cumulatively exceeded 600 billion BTUs in energy savings with an average energy use reduction of 58%. The document identifies six overarching best practices: setting aggressive long-term goals, engaging diverse stakeholders, establishing strong support systems, adopting a 'clean sheet' design mindset, using iterative and holistic design processes, and incorporating ongoing feedback and occupant involvement.

The Energy Retrofit Guide for Caribbean Hospitals outlines a three-step process—Find, Finance, and Follow-through—to help healthcare facilities reduce energy consumption. It highlights the high cost of electricity in the Caribbean (averaging $0.38/kWh) as a primary driver for deep energy retrofits, which can reduce energy costs by over 50%. The guide introduces a free online tool for benchmarking and identifying energy efficiency measures (EEMs), and provides a framework for securing financing and managing the technical implementation of retrofit projects.

The report identifies a growing demand for energy-efficient construction in South Africa, driven by electricity price increases of over 200% since 2009 and the mandatory SANS 10400 XA regulations. It highlights significant opportunities in bulk insulation for public sector housing, estimated at over R9 billion over five years, and the rise of Light Steel Frame Building (LSFB) methods in residential and commercial sectors. The Western Cape is positioned as a strategic hub for green technology, supported by the Atlantis greentech Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and local government incentives.

The document examines how Proposition 39, which provides an estimated $2.75 billion for energy efficiency and clean energy in public buildings, can be targeted to maximize energy savings in California schools. It identifies that while many districts can access low-cost private capital for short-payback projects like lighting, they lack the technical capacity to vet proposals and the funding to pursue deeper, more costly energy-saving measures. The authors recommend using Proposition 39 funds for impartial technical assistance, matching grants for high-impact projects, and targeted support for financially distressed or small districts.

The report analyzes building energy efficiency across China, Germany, and the United States, identifying four primary policy intervention points: new construction, building retrofits, equipment, and operations. It highlights how different national contexts—such as China's rapid urbanization, Germany's aging building stock, and the U.S.'s high per capita energy use—necessitate distinct policy priorities. The document details specific barriers to efficiency, such as split incentives and high upfront costs, and reviews the current policy landscapes and research efforts of the Climate Policy Initiative in these regions.