The built environment accounts for 1% of Gelderland’s non-energy greenhouse gas emissions. Together with mobility and transport, this makes it the smallest source within the climate action plan for the province. Methane from household energy use is the largest source, followed by nitrogen emissions from buildings such as water treatment facilities and drinking water companies.
Notably, the built environment is the only sector in this climate action plan where carbon sequestration exceeds reduction. The climate gain here does not lie in lowering emissions, but in storing carbon in buildings for the long term through timber construction. That shifts the policy focus for this sector from emissions reduction towards using the housing task as storage capacity. Source: Climate Action Recap Gelderland (built environment sector analysis), New Economy.