Climate neutrality is achieved when human activity has no impact on the climate. For the economy, this means that it can either be climate-neutral by not releasing any greenhouse gases or by completely offsetting the greenhouse gases emitted. Climate neutrality is very often equated with CO2 neutrality, whereby the influence of other greenhouse gases is disregarded. When we talk about CO2 neutrality, this means that there is a balance between the emission of carbon dioxide and the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere. So-called carbon sinks, in which more carbon is absorbed than emitted, are essential for this. In nature, these are oceans and forests, for example. In cases where emissions cannot be completely avoided through renewable energies, compensation must therefore take place by supporting reforestation projects or similar.
In the building sector, there are a variety of strategies for achieving climate neutrality.Improved energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies, climate-friendly construction methods, optimized digital building operation and sustainable refurbishment are some of the most important concepts. Buildings have a key role to play in achieving the European Green Deal due to their great savings potential.
