PNNL

Abstract

The commitment of electrification and decarbonization goals in the United States (U.S.) will significantly change future buildings’ performance. To meet these future goals, it is critical to summarize the existing research related to building electrification and decarbonization and discuss future research directions. This paper conducts a perspective on decarbonization pathways in future buildings in the U.S. A critical review of the existing research is conducted, which is divided into three closely linked categories: technologies, economic impacts, and code regulations. Technologies support investments and code regulations, while marketing affects designs of building codes and standards. In the meantime, code regulations guide the development of technologies and marketing. Based on the review, the future potential research directions for building decarbonization are then discussed. Due to the needs of building decarbonization, the future research will be multidisciplinary and conducted at a large geographic with and multiple metrics being considered, and there will be new challenges. The perspective in this paper will support policymakers, researchers, building owners, and other stakeholders to understand the impact of electrification and decarbonization on future buildings in the U.S.