Buildings are bad news for the climate -- but they don't have to be. While our structures are currently responsible for a third of global energy consumption and emissions, a future where they create more energy than they consume is possible. Energy policy analyst Ksenia Petrichenko has a three-tiered strategy for thinking differently about buildings, transforming them from passive users to active players in the energy system and bringing us closer to our climate targets.

Ksenia Petrichenko: What if buildings created energy instead of consuming it?

What if buildings created energy instead of consuming it?

Buildings consume one-third of global energy, but transforming them into energy creators could revolutionize climate goals.

Innovations like smart grids, solar panels, and 'prosumers' can turn buildings from energy consumers to participative energy suppliers.

Virtual power plants could enable buildings to trade excess renewable energy, exemplifying a shift to a more sustainable future.