Decarbonization Planning Guide

Develop Your Decarbonization Plan


Setting the Right Goals for Decarbonization

Steps that building owners can take to set and achieve decarbonization goals for their buildings.

In Illinois, the building sector accounts for approximately 30% of statewide GHG emissions. Building owners interested in reducing the carbon footprint of their buildings can begin by implementing energy efficiency measures, which can reduce energy consumption up to 30% according to ENERGY STAR. 


However, to maximize emissions savings beyond standard energy efficiency measures, building systems that currently rely on onsite combustion should transition to electricity over time and through capital planning. Setting goals to reduce building-level energy use and emissions can help owners establish a clear pathway towards decarbonization. 



By setting ambitious emissions reduction targets and consistently tracking performance, building owners can better understand which technical solutions and financial resources may be necessary to reduce emissions and over what timeframe. Creating a tailored decarbonization roadmap to reach these targets can help ensure that planned decarbonization measures align with your building’s specific needs and business objectives. 

GHG Emissions Reduction Audits 


As discussed in the GHG Emission Audit Section, building owners can use GHG emissions reduction audits to both inform decarbonization targets, establish mechanisms to track and report progress towards goals, and identify pathways to implement decarbonization strategies. During the data collection and target-setting step of the auditing process, building owners and auditors collect building system information and calculate building-level emissions to inform specific GHG emissions reduction targets. 


Establishing Discrete Emissions Targets


The Department of Energy’s GHG Emissions Reduction Audit: A Checklist for Owners report provides detailed information on how building owners and auditors can leverage the GHG emissions reduction audit process to establish discrete building emissions goals. 

Emissions reduction targets should consider: 

  • Short- and long-term plans that may impact building functions, occupancy, or business. 
  • Relevant actions required to enable or ready building infrastructure for improvements. 
  • Benchmarking of performance such as those within ASHRAE Standard 100. 
  • Long-term capital planning process, planned equipment upgrades, and expected equipment end of life. (It may make sense to establish multiple targets—in the short, medium, and long term—over an extended period to best align with these plans.) 
  • Financial analysis metrics such as life-cycle cost. 
  • Portfolio or organization-wide emissions reduction goals, if relevant. 
  • State or local regulations related to building-level emissions, such as building performance standards or GHG emissions reduction ordinances. 

 

Typically, building owners should prioritize deep emissions reductions strategies, as opposed to leaning on RECs or green power purchases to meet emissions goals. This is the most effective way to directly reduce carbon emissions. 

Additionally, targets should be set with expected costs and technical feasibility in mind to ensure they are practical and achievable. However, you and your auditors may choose to adjust these goals over time as needed. 

GHG Emissions Reduction Target Metrics 


One way to set goals for reducing a building’s emissions is in terms of energy use. For example, participants in the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge commit to achieving 20% energy savings over 10 years. 

However, if your goal is to fully decarbonize your building, you may want to look at goals that reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge calls for participants to reduce portfolio-wide emissions by at least 50% over 10 years—an ambitious goal rooted in reducing emissions as the primary metric. 


The Building Energy Resources Hub outlines additional examples of emissions reduction targets that Illinois building owners can consider: 

  • Total emissions limit (e.g., lbs CO2/sq. ft. per year) 
  • Year-over-year energy reduction targets (e.g., percent reduction annually) 
  • Switching to high-efficiency electric appliances (e.g. heat pump water heaters) to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 Emissions 
  • Science-based targets, which specific, time-bound GHG emissions reduction goals for buildings aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

Best Practices for Setting and Achieving GHG Emissions Reduction Targets 

 

After deciding on the type of emissions reduction target to pursue, building owners and auditors can set specific goals and begin tracking progress toward achieving them.  


  1. Set a GHG Baseline: Building owners can use historical building energy consumption data to calculate Scope 1 and 2 emissions. This information will help building owners identify a baseline against which progress towards meeting goals is measured. 
  2. Establish GHG Emissions Reduction Goals: Goals should be measurable, actionable, attainable, and have a set timeline. Emissions reduction goals often include an end goal, such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as well as interim targets to help keep performance on track, such as a 50% reduction in building emissions by 2030. It may be useful to also set target dates to either partially or fully replace onsite combustion equipment with electric systems. 
  3. Develop and Implement Decarbonization Plan: Building owners can begin to work towards emission reduction goals by implementing key energy-saving measures such as energy efficiency, load reduction, and electrification or renewable energy projects. See Section 4 to learn more about decarbonization planning. 
  4. Track Progress Towards Goals: As you work towards these goals, regularly monitor performance using tracking tools like ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Building owners can download Progress and Goals Reports from Portfolio Manager to provide a snapshot of emissions reduction progress to date. ENERGY STAR has a guide on how to use Portfolio Manager to set baselines, targets, and track progress towards meeting goals. 
  5. Celebrate Success: Whether you’re in the middle of your decarbonization journey or have achieved your building’s GHG reduction goals, take time to celebrate the accomplishment. Communicate your carbon reduction efforts internally or to external stakeholders. Sharing milestones can inspire continued progress, strengthen stakeholder relations, and demonstrate industry leadership in sustainability. 


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