The climate change crisis, which continues to worsen, is expected to have a greater impact on the operations and policies of companies and organizations this year. Here’s how experts and observers think that will happen.
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More Accountability
Jeff Perlman is the founder and CEO of Bright Power, which provides energy and management services. He said that, “With buildings contributing to nearly 40% of the global carbon emissions, more businesses will be held accountable for their physical spaces’ carbon footprint.
“They will either do this out of a desire to lower their negative impact on the environment, to appeal to the increasing number of climate-conscious consumers, or to lower their energy costs,” he said.
Greater Reliance On Technology
Perlman said, “To achieve that, business owners will look to technology— including real-time energy management to actively manage and monitor energy usage, clean on-site generation such as solar photovoltaics, heat pumps for water and space heating without fossil fuels—to mitigate negative environmental impacts.”
Regulatory Carrots And Sticks
“If they do not take action, regulations at the local, state and federal level may force their hand. Lawmakers will employ both carrots and sticks to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, making it financially harmful not to take action—such as with the proliferation of building performance standards in cities including New York, Boston and Washington, D.C.,” he concluded.
