Buildings cause pollution
When you think of air pollution, you may picture big smokestacks in the sky. But in Minneapolis, most of our pollution comes from buildings. This pollution’s known as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
We use a lot of energy in buildings to:
- Heat during our cold winters
- Cool during our hot, humid summers
- Keep the lights on year-round
Other reasons buildings cause pollution:
- Many buildings are old and waste energy
- Most of our energy comes from electricity and fossil gas, which create GHG emissions
Climate impact
In 2021, Minneapolis buildings released about 2.5 million metric tons of GHGs.
- About two-thirds of these GHGs are from commercial, multifamily, and industrial buildings.
- Almost 60% of these emissions came from fossil gas, and the rest came from electricity.
From 2013 to 2023, we cut building emissions by over 30%. We reduced emissions using:
- Energy-efficient buildings
- Renewable energy sources
Equity impact
Some communities are more affected than others. Older buildings in disadvantaged areas use more energy and are less comfortable during heat waves and cold streaks. These buildings are less safe and have higher energy bills.
Older buildings are more likely to have problems with harmful materials like:
- Mold
- Pests
- Lead
Some of our most overburdened neighborhoods are near high-polluting industrial areas. Poor indoor and outdoor air quality in these neighborhoods can lead to more health issues like allergies and asthma.