Energy efficiency was touted as a key solution in a United Nation’s (UN) event on global decarbonization organized by The Permanent Missions of Kenya and Sri Lanka and NGO Sustainability – a non-profit arm of the UN dedicated to promoting sustainable development.

The event, held at the UN’s New York City headquarters, convened government officials, experts, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There was resounding agreement among participants that the cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of addressing climate change. There was also agreement that, given its cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency will be a key means to achieving decarbonization.  

In his remarks at the event, Chuck Kutscher, Director of the Buildings and Thermal Systems Center at the University of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, named energy efficiency as one of four important tools for moving towards a zero-carbon world. He praised the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s Building Energy Optimization Tool (colloquially known as BEopt), which helps evaluate residential building designs and identifies cost-optimal efficiency packages towards net zero energy.

Experts and officials discuss ways to achieve zero carbon emissions