Cutting emissions from buildings is a key part of ‘building back better’

In climate policy circles, it’s popular to focus on the need to reduce emissions from transportation. That means we often hear about electric vehicles as climate solutions.

But another major source of planet-warming emissions in the United States — buildings — is poised to get some love from policymakers in the coming weeks.

At the national level, Democrats in Congress are racing to pass the Build Back Better Act, which contains important but overlooked provisions that would slash carbon emissions from buildings across the country, from homes and hotels to skyscrapers and schools.