Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
Emissions buildup
Sustainability | Construction | Decarbonization
July 18, 2023 – The built environment ecosystem, encompassing everything from homes to highways, is responsible for about one-fourth of global greenhouse-gas emissions. The bulk of those emissions, at about 75 percent, comes from space and water heaters, partner Brodie Boland and colleagues explain. Heat pumps alone could reduce these emissions by about 60 percent.
To read the report, see “Building value by decarbonizing the built environment,” June 12, 2023.
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Visual form
Household-emissions contribution chart.
Layout / body structure
The page uses a single breakdown chart that isolates annual dwelling emissions by source and is read as a set of component contributions rather than as a timeline.
What is being compared
It compares the operational-emissions contribution of major uses within multifamily homes, especially the roles of water heating and space heating relative to other sources.
Measurement system
The measure is kilograms of CO2 per dwelling annually, with each source shown as a contribution to the total operational-emissions profile.
Visible structure inside the graphic
The chart is organized around separate source contributions, with the larger heating-related blocks visually carrying more weight than the smaller residual sources.
Main takeaway from the visual
The breakdown makes heating the center of the story, showing that water and space heating account for most operational emissions in multifamily homes.
Key standout values or extremes
The visible standout is the large leading contribution labeled 14.4, which signals that one emissions source is materially bigger than the smaller blocks that follow it.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static chart image with no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the chart image is the full visual on this page.