Decarbonizing Buildings – A Primer for the Systems Thinker

Originally aired August 18, 2022

The built environment accounts for roughly 50% of global CO− emissions. While reducing energy use and switching to renewables are essential steps, building decarbonization requires a whole-systems approach — one that looks at the full set of interconnected building systems to unlock additional energy and carbon savings. Part of the GWU Energy Resilience Certificate Program curriculum, this session offers a practical primer for the systems-minded practitioner.

Speaker

Smita Chandra Thomas

Founder & Principal, Energy Shrink; Building Decarbonization Instructor, GWU

Smita Chandra Thomas is the founder and principal of Energy Shrink, a Washington, DC consulting practice focused on techno-economic analyses and demand-side management strategies for green buildings, programs, and policy. She is also GWU’s Building Decarbonization Instructor and teaches in the university’s Energy Resilience Certificate Program.